Stay wEllsworth Program

Just prior to Memorial Day, downtown Ellsworth businesses began rolling out the new program Stay wEllsworth.

The unified messaging  is designed to assure visitors that the health of employees and customers is their top priority. Signs feature an Ellsworth-specific version of the state’s voluntary COVID-19 Prevention badge and the new phrase “Stay wEllsworth.” A second sign helps a customer determine what shopping options are available to them, depending on if they have a mask or not.

The sign initiative was a result of weekly downtown check-in calls organized by the Heart of Ellsworth to support the business community during the COVID-19 pandemic. A subgroup of business owners and community members created the messaging with the pro-bono graphic design assistance of State Rep. Nicole Grohoski of Ellsworth. City staff and the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce also contributed to the content development.

“While it is a different kind of reopening, It is exciting to see our downtown businesses reopening for the summer,” said Cara Romano, Heart of Ellsworth Executive Director. “They’ve taken great care to welcome customers back following the Maine CDC guidelines. Heart of Ellsworth is proud to support their efforts by helping spread the message to customers that it’s possible to both shop downtown and stay well. Please visit downtown Ellsworth to see for yourself!”

All businesses and organizations in the City of Ellsworth following the Maine CDC guidelines are welcome to display these posters, which are available for download at www.heartofellsworth.org.