LEWISTON – It was the first time Haven’s Candies had a display at the Androscoggin Business to Business Trade Show, but it won’t be the last.
“We’re only two hours into it, and we’ve already had more traffic than shows we do all day in Portland,” said Andy Charles, owner of the 90-year-old chocolate company based in Westbrook. “We should have done this sooner.”
Charles was one of the 200-plus exhibitors to hang a shingle Thursday in the Colisee, new site of the one-day annual business extravaganza. The ice rink was converted into a mini-Madison Avenue as exhibitors and attendees exchanged business cards, leads and handshakes.
“What’s great about the Colisee is that it’s a symbol of redevelopment in the Twin Cities,” said Paul Badeau, marketing director for the Lewiston Auburn Economic Growth Council and lead organizer of the event. “There’s a fresh, new look, new amenities and a lot going on. I think it’s a pretty good reflection of the business community.”
Exhibitors had all manner of enticements to get the thousands of people who attended the show to stop at their booths. Key chains, pen lights, candy, cookies and chip clips were aplenty.
Charles, of course, offered chocolates, set against a backdrop of specialty corporate gift boxes and palm-sized business card chocolates. The folks at Northeast Bank had spray tubes of hand sanitizer. The Ramada Inn hosted one of the most popular attractions – a fountain of flowing chocolate and fresh strawberries for dipping.
“This is why I come,” quipped one woman as she dipped her strawberry.
The PowerPlay lounge was converted into a conference room for seminars that covered everything from applications of wireless technology to establishing vendor relationships. Badeau said the seminars were particularly well-attended.
“The energy here is phenomenal,” he said.
Several people commented on how comfortable they were in the new space. The trade show had been situated at the Gray Athletic Building at Bates College in years past – a venue that was spacious, but not air-conditioned.
Bob Pennabere, of Thayer Corp., was pleased to hear the comments about the new space since his company provides the air conditioning for the Colisee. But he wasn’t there to see how comfortable people were.
Although the heating and air conditioning company is a longtime local business, it has never had a booth at the trade show before. Thayer recently expanded into the residential market and saw the trade show as an opportunity to tout its new component.
“We’ve done a lot of commercial and industrial work, but those customers are people who also have homes,” said Pennabere. “So this is working out very well for us. We’ve gotten a lot of interest.”
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