Staff Writer

Scarborough business leaders are confident in the future of the Gateway Plaza, even with current business vacancies.

The plaza, which opened last May and is located on Payne Road next to the Haigis Parkway, currently houses Cabela’s, a Henry VIII sandwich shop, Portland Pie Company, Famous Dave’s Barbeque and Haven’s Candies among others, however, not all lots in the plaza are filled, including two building pads.

Gene Beaudoin, developer of the Gateway Plaza, said they are currently at an 83 percent capacity rate, measured in square feet, which he said is “respectable” after seven months of business.

Town Planner Dan Bacon said the plaza is about 200,000 square feet and Cabela’s occupies 130,000 square feet, or 60 percent of the overall space, by itself. He said he did not know the square footage of the two empty building pads.

Scarborough Economic Development Corporation President Harvey Rosenfeld said there is interest in the lot vacancies, however, he said retail businesses are “weathering the storm,” of the current economic crisis.

Rosenfeld said Portland and Westbrook have also had plaza vacancies, but without store closings.

Town Planner Dan Bacon said he would like to see the open lots occupied, but said knows businesses have been affected by the economy.

Beaudoin said the Gateway Plaza opened a year ago, with the opening of Cabela’s attracting businesses to open their stores at the same time. Since then, there has been a “continuous effort,” of stores to move into the plaza, including most recently Famous Dave’s Barbeque. 

Henry VIII owner David Hopkinson said business has been good for his sandwich store since it’s opening May 27 of last year. He said he was originally attracted to the Gateway Plaza because of its location, as he said it was a more central area for potential customers than Route 1.

“I think this will be the destination for people in Scarborough,” he said.

Hopkinson said it is a problem for him that there are vacant lots at the plaza, as the more customers who come into the plaza for other retail stores more will come to his shop to buy food.

Beaudoin said winter is also the worst time of the year for businesses to move and said he expects more businesses to potentially move into the plaza during the spring and summer months. He said “three or four” businesses are currently in talks about moving their business into the Gateway Plaza. Beaudoin said the interesting aspect of the current possible businesses moving into the plaza is that “most” of those businesses are locally owned.

He said because of the success of the Kitchen and Cork, the store is looking to expand, either during the spring or summer months.