Thomaston Community Development Corporation
Welcome to Tommytown.org, the online home for Thomaston, Maine Community Development Corporation. We are dedicated to assisting and partnering with individuals and organizations that wish to support our beautiful town. We aim to enhance the quality of life for Thomaston residents while preserving our historic small-town atmosphere. As an independent non-profit corporation 501(c)3 we operate separately from Thomaston's municipal government. Our intention is to collaborate closely with local government without adding to the tax burden for residents. The board members of Tommytown.org, representing the Thomaston Community Development Corp., are all volunteers who do not receive any remuneration or financial gain.
Our Community
We are an economically diverse population of nearly three thousand people in beautiful midcoast Maine. We are made up of folks who still represent our seafaring history, alongside those at the cutting edge of modern manufacturing, retail, communications, arts, crafts, and hospitality industries.
Who are you?
- Perhaps you represent a corporation seeking to support a local cause?
Maybe you're an investor who recognizes the potential of Thomaston, or an individual wanting to honor your family legacy with a gift to the town. - You can donate to one of our existing initiatives, like the Thomaston Grocery Store effort below or ask us about how you can contribute to our Community Development Fund.
- We also welcome your own ideas for beneficial growth in our town.
- Please note that we have full 501(c)(3) non-profit status, and eligible donations are tax-deductible.
Why do we need a Community Development Corporation?
Local Community Development Corporations have proven to be a vital resource for small towns like Thomaston, enabling them to attract State, Federal, and private funding despite limited resources. Many towns in our region have benefited from establishing organizations such as ours to fund essential projects without raising property taxes.
At Tommytown.org, we are an independent non-profit organization, separate from Thomaston town government. Our mission is to collaborate closely with Thomaston’s leaders and work alongside our dedicated town employees as we strive to foster necessary, measured growth that enhances Thomaston’s prosperity and the wellbeing of our residents.
What's in Store for the Store?
Tommytown.org - Thomaston Community Development Corporation, is a new kind of nonprofit organization.
We have restructured Thomaston Grocery to become Thomaston's first ever Community Supported Enterprise or CSE.
The store will operate in a standard way, trying to make enough profit to pay its workforce, its rent and its debt obligations, primarily from profit margins on its sales.
NoMargin?.... No Mission!
There will be some added income from the apartments above the store and because it's owned by our nonprofit Corporation, it's allowed to have community support consisting of public and corporate donations, but of course, the store will need to price its products at above what it costs us to buy them.
Prices will be held as low as possible, but to quote the wise words of our friend Erin Donovan, who runs the Good Tern Cooperative in Rockland:
" No margin, no mission!"
Meet Katherine!
We’re excited to welcome Katherine Davis as the new General Manager of Thomaston Grocery!
Katherine brings more than 30 years of experience in hospitality and restaurant management, along with a deep connection to the Midcoast. She has called this area home for more than 27 years and has spent much of that time not only working in the local community, but volunteering and supporting organizations and events throughout the Midcoast.
“I’ve been fortunate to call the Midcoast home for more than 27 years, and I’m really excited to begin this next chapter with Thomaston Grocery. To me, being part of a local business is about much more than what happens inside the store—it’s about being a good neighbor, supporting our community, and giving back to the place we’re lucky enough to call home.”
Why is our grocery store so important to us?
Keeping Thomaston Grocery is crucial to ensuring manageable food shopping for many of our townsfolk. It's the only full-service grocery store within a walkable distance for the majority of our residents, many of whom are older and have physical challenges. They can't afford for Thomaston to become a food desert.
Is Thomaston's Grocery Store important to our town's economy
Yes! Just ask many of the other businesses on Main Street in Thomaston and you're likely to hear that the Thomaston grocery store's steady stream of customers each day results in increased sales for them too. Looking at our region it’s clear that big challenges exist for these businesses. Let's help them succeed.