History, character, emerging downtown and welcoming attitude highlight a visit to this southern Maine city.

Similarities abound when comparing and contrasting Maine communities. Often, stories rooted in geography reveal so-called sister communities, with similar attributes. Biddeford and its neighbor across the river, Saco, are in many ways a lot like Lewiston and Auburn.

Both share a major Maine tributary — the Saco River, versus the Androscoggin. Then, there are the histories of both places, centered on textiles, as well as the Franco-American heritage of both Biddeford and Lewiston.

Since the mid-19th century, Biddeford has been considered a mill town. And like other manufacturing hotbeds across the state, Biddeford’s downtown began losing tenants and was virtually abandoned at one point, as the mills shut down and textile manufacturing was moved offshore.

In the 1960s, places like Biddeford, motivated by federal dollars, began building industrial parks and developing large parcels of land on the outskirts, away from the formerly vibrant city centers. That and turnpike access in Biddeford’s case, allowed the area bordering Route 111 (Alfred Street) to experience exponential growth, with strip malls and big-box stores dominating much of the main artery east of the downtown, and then heading out to the suburban communities to the city’s west.

Few places in Maine have been able to reverse that trend and bring back anything resembling vitality to their downtown districts. Biddeford may be one of the first cities in Maine recognizing that a key element in its future economic success is a vibrant downtown. And leaders are doing more than merely paying lip to its redevelopment.

Daniel Stevenson is Biddeford’s economic development director. He has been serving as the city’s official economic advocate since 2010. When Stevenson was hired, following the death of longtime Biddeford economic development director Bob Dodge, the city had already begun taking steps toward redeveloping the mill complex that casts a large shadow over the city’s downtown.

Stevenson’s enthusiasm and passion for Biddeford is obvious, as is his excitement about the new businesses locating in the redeveloped Pepperell Center, the 180,000-square-foot section of the mill — formerly Building 13 in the sprawling complex — that sits like a sentry over the heart of downtown.

“There’s Hyperlite, which manufactures backpacks and other outdoor gear, and Roxi Suger’s boutique,” said Stevenson, ticking off two new businesses. “Banded Horn for beer, then Maine Pie is opening next week,” he added.

During Biddeford’s heyday, it was a gritty, industrial place that made things and served the men and women working there. Hearkening back to those days is Palace Diner, off Franklin Street. Purported to be Maine’s oldest diner, the restaurant was re-opened by Greg Mitchell and Chad Conley last March.

Both Mitchell and Conley bring an extensive food and restaurant experience to downtown Biddeford. While both live in Portland, they were looking for a place where they could run their own restaurant.

“We originally started looking in Portland, but when we found out the diner was for sale, and found out it was going to be easier to open a place here, we were sold on the diner and Biddeford,” said Mitchell.

Both Mitchell and Conley praised the city’s efforts, assisting and supporting new business owners.

“It was obvious when we came here that the city is invested in the economic growth of downtown,” said Conley. “The whole process seemed streamlined compared to Portland’s.”

Karen Finchley moved here from Texas two years ago. She works from home and welcomes the chance to step out, see friends, grab lunch at Palace Diner, or coffee at Elements, which anchors Main Street at the opposite end of downtown, away from the mill complex. Then, she heads back home and resumes her workday.

When asked about what brought her from Texas to Biddeford, Finchley mentioned a friend and the character of the downtown.

“In Texas (and in New York, where she is from), the places I lived didn’t have locally owned businesses,” said Finchley.

Roxie Suger and her husband, Julian Schlaver, moved to Biddeford two years ago from Brooklyn. Suger’s clothing line, Angelrox, is a nationally distributed line of women’s clothing now being crafted in the historic Pepperell Mill. Suger also opened Suger Me on Alfred Street, a boutique for her line of clothes as well as jewelry and other Maine-made items highlighting the work of other creatives.

Both Suger and Schlaver represent the city’s entrepreneurial energy, centered in the heart of what has been for decades a sleepy and even economically depressed downtown.

Suger and Schlaver began visiting Maine a few years ago when Schlaver’s father retired to Maine and neighboring Saco.

“We were attracted to Biddeford because it was steeped in textile history,” said Suger. “The mills offered us space, and while we liked Saco, Biddeford had a more urban feel that was more familiar to us,” she said.

“We’re pleased to be part of this entrepreneurial renaissance, and being in on the ground floor of Biddeford’s redevelopment,” said Schlaver, from their manufacturing space in the Pepperell complex where the Angelrox line is now being produced.

Elements, a unique coffee shop that also has used books and features several local beers on tap along with food, is the kind of space that brings together a cross section of the community. This kind of space is what Biddeford and other downtowns struggling to reinvent themselves often lack.

Stepping into Elements from the January cold and snow squalling off the rooftops outside offered an oasis of warmth. On Friday afternoon around 3 p.m. the place was packed with students from the University of New England, shoppers and others sipping coffee and holding meetings.

Staff from UNE, one of Biddeford’s largest employers, gathered in the corner. College of Arts and Sciences Dean Jeanne Hay was meeting with James Vesenka, professor of physics, and Eva Rose Balog, assistant professor of chemistry, discussing an atomic force microscope.

“This is our first time here,” said Hay. She expressed enthusiasm for places like Elements and others downtown.

Biddeford is more than just its downtown. Biddeford Pool, site of Maine’s first recorded permanent settlement, in 1616, offers a small harbor on the Atlantic. Hosting vacationers and lobsterman, it’s a popular summer destination for visitors and tourists alike, along with summer residents.

Off Route 1, with easy access to the Turnpike via the Biddeford Connector, sits the Biddeford Industrial Park, home to 13 companies employing more than 500 people and generating property tax revenue of more than $600,000 for the city.

Derek Volk is the president of Volk Packaging, a family-owned business. His company was the first one to buy a lot and build in the fledgling park in 1967.

“While we don’t necessarily sell many boxes to downtown businesses, I’m excited to see good people moving into the community,” said Volk. “This attracts others and it helps build a strong workforce in Biddeford, which benefits all of us in business.

Biddeford is definitely a city on the move. By leveraging the past and its industrial infrastructure represented by the remaining mills, the city is looking to create a new brand and identity, with a nod to its manufacturing and textile heritage.

Jim Baumer is a freelance writer. He also blogs about the challenges facing municipalities as they seek to reinvent themselves as well as other topics at his blog, http://jimbaumerexperience.com/blog. If you’d like him to profile your community, email him at [email protected].

5 good reasons to visit

“I love the downtown revitalization. My favorite new spot to go to (besides Palace Diner) is Elements, which has books, coffee and beer.”

— Kate Finchley, Biddeford resident and telecommuter

“Biddeford has so many new brewers making locally produced craft beers, like Banded Horn and Barreled Souls. Also, there are great local open mics, like at Bebe’s (Burritos).”

— Jace Martin, local musician

“I moved back to Biddeford after living in San Francisco and Hawaii. People definitely need to check out the mills. We explored them all when we were kids. They’ve been here forever and they are still hardly being used.”

— Jacob Beal, Biddeford resident and employee at Palace Diner

“Definitely visit downtown. It’s still a hidden gem. There’s a great do-it-yourself spirit present in Biddeford that is offering thought, direction and perseverance to the revitalization efforts.”

— Sean Behan, Biddeford resident

“The new businesses downtown. Also, our RiverWalk along the Saco River offers great views of the mills.”

— Daniel Stevenson, Biddeford’s economic development director

Biddeford: The drive-by

Incorporated: Nov. 23, 1728 (as a town); Feb. 10, 1855 (as a city)

Origin of the name: While originally settled during the winter of 1616-17 at what is now Biddeford Pool as Winter Harbor, the first use of the name Biddeford occurred in 1718, when the Saco Valley settlements making up the current towns of Saco, Biddeford and Arundel began calling themselves Biddeford. This was due to many of the settlers arriving from Devon, England, especially the small port town of Bideford.

Population: 21,277 (2010 census)

Significant historic fact: The sale of Cutts Island in the Saco River in 1825 by Dominicus Cutts. This 30-acre tract became the site of the first mill in 1849, built by a group of Boston industrialists who formed the Saco Manufacturing Company. The company failed, but eventually it led to the formation of Pepperell Manufacturing Company. During Pepperell’s heyday in the early 1900s, the mill employed more than 10,000 workers, many of them French-speaking immigrants from Canada.

FMI: http://www.biddefordmaine.org/

Key events and things to do in Biddeford:

* Biddeford WinterFest: Feb. 6-8. FMI: http://heartofbiddeford.org/

* Final Friday Artwalks: The final Friday of each month. FMI: http://www.biddefordartwalk.com/

* La Kermesse Festival: Held in June. FMI: http://www.lakermessefestival.com/