This Buzz is getting right to it:
Almost two years to the day that it opened, Ben’s Burritos on Lisbon Street is shutting its doors.
A post on Facebook on Friday read:
“It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Ben’s Burritos will be closing its doors indefinitely December 21, 2018. Thanks goes out to our community that has supported us in the past two years and most importantly, our amazing staff! Thank you Chad Sparks, Taylor Bergeron, and Luis Manning. We love you!”
Customer reaction was swift, with several “Nooooooooo!”s.
More details weren’t available Friday.
Ben’s had an innovative “Pay it forward” cork board where customers could buy or gift burritos to others who might not be able to afford them. Owner Tricia Tomlinson said last summer that in the first 18 months in business, customers had gifted about 350 burritos.
Books, fleetingly
Artios Books on Turner Street in Auburn, which announced this fall it lost its lease and was closing, now has a closing date: Dec. 31.
Walter Lantz, who runs the shop with owner Susan Cutting, said they have 150,000 books to get rid of. He’s asking for people who have books there on consignment to come pick them up immediately or risk having them tossed out.
He’s also asking that people who have earned credit from past purchases to redeem that ASAP before they close the books.
Proposed bank branch
Bangor Savings Bank is looking to build a new branch at 170 Turner St., coincidentally adjacent to Artios’ current location. The proposed $1.7 million project will be considered by the Auburn Planning Board on Tuesday.
The bank has a location in Lewiston but doesn’t currently have one in Auburn. According to filings from Sevee & Maher Engineers, it would be a single-story, 5,600-square-foot building with three drive-through lanes and 33 parking spaces.
A three-story, 4,000-square-foot abandoned building on the lot would come down first. The bank would also buy a sliver of land from its new neighbor, Office Max, for a little extra space for utilities.
Maine to Santa: Get off my lawn?
The shopping app Ibotta says it analyzed 5.1 million purchases over three years and found that in the week leading up to Christmas, Maine, among all of the states, bought the fewest cookies, gallons of milk and carrots. (Thanks to MaineBiz for pointing out the study.)
It took those numbers and put Maine at the top of Santa’s Naughty List.
I have so many questions. Were all of those purchases made through Ibotta? How many Mainers use apps to grocery shop, anyway?
And in honor of Ben’s, can we leave out a burrito this year instead?
Managing Editor Mark Mogensen contributed to this Buzz.
Quick hits about business comings, goings and happenings. Have a Buzzable tip? Contact staff writer Kathryn Skelton at 207-689-2844 or kskelton@sunjournal.com.
Owner Tricia Tomlinson last summer in front of Ben’s Burritos’ “Pay it forward” burrito cork board. The eatery announced Friday that it is closing Dec. 21 after two years in business on Lisbon Street in Lewiston. (Sun Journal file photo)
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