I wonder if these cruise ship addicted businesses shop for their everyday needs primarily in Bar Harbor…food, clothes, toys, pet, and household and yard supplies. I wonder if their primary home is in Bar Harbor, and if they drive an ancient Toyota Corolla type of car. Most of our everyday residents are struggling to find an affordable room or apartment to rent, and make ends meet. They do not have the luxury of complaining about needing more and more cruise ship passengers to increase their bottom line. These cruise ship addicted businesses say they provide jobs. But are they seasonal? Parttime? Do they provide benefits such as health insurance, paid sick time, etc.? I am sure there is a handful of staff that are managers such as Eben Salvatore who do have a full time job with benefits. But the majority do not. These seasonal jobs may be these workers only option , or choice, but it does not build the year round community of Bar Harbor. Many of the year round residents have long argued that only promoting tourism, such as mega cruise ship industry is the slow death of the year round town. Many of the year round residents of Bar Harbor have advocated for years to sustain tourism, but work as strongly to promote year round businesses as the Town Council and Chamber have to push cruise ships.
The Town and Chamber say a successful year round business is not possible. Well, look at Rooster Bros. in Ellsworth, JAX, MDI Bio Lab, Hannaford, Cadillac Mountain Sports, and Sherman’s. I am sure these businesses have a huge bump in sales during the summer season, but that helps tide them over the winter months. And the pandemic ban on cruise ships clearly demonstrated most businesses did well without the mega cruise ship presence. The issue is much more complex than just saying the more mega cruise ships is the best thing for Bar Harbor. No, it is not. It is good for feathering the nests of a few at the long term risk of slowly hollowing out the year round community of our neighbors and friends.
I wonder if these cruise ship addicted businesses shop for their everyday needs primarily in Bar Harbor…food, clothes, toys, pet, and household and yard supplies. I wonder if their primary home is in Bar Harbor, and if they drive an ancient Toyota Corolla type of car. Most of our everyday residents are struggling to find an affordable room or apartment to rent, and make ends meet. They do not have the luxury of complaining about needing more and more cruise ship passengers to increase their bottom line. These cruise ship addicted businesses say they provide jobs. But are they seasonal? Parttime? Do they provide benefits such as health insurance, paid sick time, etc.? I am sure there is a handful of staff that are managers such as Eben Salvatore who do have a full time job with benefits. But the majority do not. These seasonal jobs may be these workers only option , or choice, but it does not build the year round community of Bar Harbor. Many of the year round residents have long argued that only promoting tourism, such as mega cruise ship industry is the slow death of the year round town. Many of the year round residents of Bar Harbor have advocated for years to sustain tourism, but work as strongly to promote year round businesses as the Town Council and Chamber have to push cruise ships.
The Town and Chamber say a successful year round business is not possible. Well, look at Rooster Bros. in Ellsworth, JAX, MDI Bio Lab, Hannaford, Cadillac Mountain Sports, and Sherman’s. I am sure these businesses have a huge bump in sales during the summer season, but that helps tide them over the winter months. And the pandemic ban on cruise ships clearly demonstrated most businesses did well without the mega cruise ship presence. The issue is much more complex than just saying the more mega cruise ships is the best thing for Bar Harbor. No, it is not. It is good for feathering the nests of a few at the long term risk of slowly hollowing out the year round community of our neighbors and friends.