FARMINGTON — Two totally different businesses will soon be opening into the space at the intersection of Broadway and Main Street where Liquid Sunshine had been.

Divine Inspirations Quality Footwear, currently operating at 283 Front Street, and Victory Cabinets LLC which has a showroom on Madison road in Skowhegan have rented the building and will be opening in late June, early July.

“I saw the ‘For Rent’ sign, talked to the landlord about the space,” Victory Cabinets owner Davin Kangas said in a phone interview Saturday, May 8. “It was far too much space for what I needed but wanted it. I knew Tammy (Parsons) was cramped for space.”

Parsons was asked on a Friday if she was interested in sharing the space, he said. The next Monday landlord Paul Mills was contacted about the two businesses renting the space if they could find a way to tastefully combine the two businesses, Kangas said.

“He said, ‘I’m in’,” Kangas said.

Neither business needed the other to be in there, he said. Both sell a high-end product, he noted.

“I didn’t know it was for rent,” Parsons said Friday, May 7. “I did know it wasn’t open. My son-in-law saw the sign.”

For Parsons, the biggest reason for the move is visibility.

“People from out of town don’t know I’m here,” she said. “Foot traffic, people sitting at the lights are going to see it.”

When the businesses will open depends on how long renovations take, she said. The floors are being done, ceiling repairs are needed, painting inside and then out, she noted. Shoe shelves at Divine Inspirations are also being painted white, Parsons said.

“You can only do so much with shoe boxes,” she said. “We’re picking colors (for the new space), want it to be classy. Signworks is working with us on options for the color scheme, will coordinate with them.”

Divine Inspirations Quality Footwear will be shortened to Divine Footwear on the new sign, Parsons said.

“It will be easier for people to remember,” she noted. “When I first started, I had crafts and footwear. I know now it’s going to be a shoe store.”

The new space will be changed up with a farmhouse style, Parsons said. While she is still trying to figure it out, it will look more like a shoe store with white cabinets, she added.

“I’ll focus on footwear, offer more work boots,” Parsons said. “Labonville, Olympia Sports closed, there’s a need for it.”

Additional sneaker brands will be available, she noted. Expanding men’s, women’s and work shoe lines are the main things focused on, she said.

There will also be room for accessories Parsons doesn’t have space for now, such as laces and socks. A large basement will provide space for extra pairs and off-season footwear, she said, adding it could be utilized as another show room down the road.

“I’ll figure it out as I see the needs of the community,” Parsons said. “For now the focus will be on adults, may add children’s. I want to make it a family shoe store.”

Everything built by Victory Cabinets is customized, Kangas said. The new show room will feature a nice display unit where people can pick out doors, styles, etc., he said.

“So much is done digitally today,” Kangas said. “There’s 3,200 t0 3,300 square feet on the first floor. I’ll use about 250 square feet, Tammy 2,900.

“I’ll have a whole kitchen with counter tops,” he noted. “People can start designing what they want.”

The cabinets are manufactured at a mill in North Anson, Kangas said. The Farmington resident employs four people.

“One person said, ‘Those are two different businesses’,” Parsons said. “I replied, ‘Yeah, but women love both. They may come in for a new pair of shoes and go out with a new cabinet or vice versa.’ I think they’ll work fine together, meet whatever families need.”

Hours have not been determined yet. When known, information will be posted on Divine Inspirations’ Facebook page.

Divine Inspirations may be reached at 207-778-0303 or its Facebook page. For information on Victor Cabinets LLC, visit https://victorycabinetsllc.com/custom-cabinets.html or call 207-399-0539.

“It will be a nice store for people to go into,” Kangas said. “I think it’s the best piece of real estate in all of Franklin County.”

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