This week the Buzz is one-third mystery, two-thirds art.

So let’s throw a pot in the air and do this.

Michelle Gibbert has doubled the size of Moon Stone Pottery at 186 Turner St. in Auburn, taking over the space of the now-closed Artios Books.

“Part of me was always kind of thinking, ‘I’m getting kind of cramped in my space again,’ because I’d already expanded once,” Gibbert said. “When that space was finally open (in late May), the landlord approached me and gave me first dibs. The opportunity is not going to come at me again like this, so (I thought) I might as well jump on it.”

She said business has been growing year-over-year since she opened in December 2017.

The expansion gives her 24 seats in the new space, along with paint and design stations, and 40 seats in the original studio. Customers can take lessons to make pottery or paint existing bisque pieces. There’s also a party room for events.

“The past two weekends, I’ve had a birthday party each day,” Gibbert said. “I have some large groups come in. A lot of who’s coming in is families coming in to spend time together and make memories.”

Moving . . . somewhere

Legends Sports Bar & Grill closed Sunday after its last customer at 128 Center St.

It’ll reopen in parts unknown, and soon.

Head bartender Tori Patterson said Monday they’d been in the space for five years and had run out of room.

“The new location will be able to expand, maybe in the future talk about an outdoor patio,” she said. “It’ll be bigger and better.”

The full restaurant and full pool hall will make the move, too. She said they’re shooting to reopen in the new space, which is somewhere in Lewiston-Auburn, by Oct. 1.

“Everyone’s asking, there’s rumors where we’re going,” Patterson said. “I think that the owners are going to announce it on Facebook within the next few days. They want to make sure everything is sealed and set in stone.”

Open now

Jason and Emily DuFour opened Four Pence Gallery at 750 Main St. in Monmouth on June 29, part shop with local artisans, antiques and vintage items, and part classroom space.

“Our tagline is ‘create a community of art’ and we’re putting a heavy emphasis on the ‘community,'” Emily DuFour said.

Jason, originally from Lewiston, works in woods and metals. Emily, from D.C., is a painter, knitter and fiber artist. They live in Monmouth and have three children in the local school system.

The shop, in the former Curly’s restaurant, is open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. and by appointment.

It’s closing for a hiatus at the end of September, reopening on Shop Local Saturday, after Thanksgiving.

Emily said they plan to host classes year-round. They’re just coming off seven weeks of art summer camp. She’s planning an after-school, art-based science, technology, engineering and math program starting in September, one day for younger kids, one day for older, on topics such as making paper and the science of dying fibers.

For children, there’s also a Saturday morning “paint in your pajamas” series.

“Come hang out in your pjs, have breakfast and paint a different picture each week,” Emily said. “Last week, we did sharks, this week we’re doing mermaid tails.”

For adults, there’s a regular open mic night starting Sept. 13 as well as knitting, yoga and even a tarot card reading class. They keep events updated on Facebook.

“We’re both maker-focused; we’re both community-focused,” Emily said. “We have so many friends who are artisans and we see them struggling to get their work out there, so we own this building, (let’s) give them a place to do that. We’re creating our own community of artisans but we’re also supporting the community that we live in.”

Quick hits about business comings, goings and happenings. Have a Buzzable tip? Contact staff writer Kathryn Skelton at 689-2844 or kskelton@sunjournal.com.

« Previous

Androscoggin Leadership Development Institute starts Sept. 11

Next »

White House insists fundamentals of US economy ‘very strong’