Page 13 - Newsletter_Winter_2020

You can go
HOMEGROWN
HOULTON

home again

By Paula Woodworth ‘70

We are all familiar with the phrase “You can’t go home again”, taken from the title of Thomas Wolfe’s 1940 novel. Curtis
and Christina Johnson are out to prove him wrong. After living in Southern Maine for many years, they made the decision
to return to Houlton and purchase Mac’s Trading Post. They are settling in to being business owners and being back in their
hometown.

Curtis and Christina graduated from HHS in 1998. They both have fond memories of Mrs. Wiggin’s and Mrs. Stone’s
classrooms. They feel like they were well prepared for college level English and appreciated the well-balanced combination of
humor, discipline, and genuine concern for the students.
After graduating from the University of Maine with a
business degree, Curtis briefly worked at Hannaford as a
grocery manager. He realized he missed the outdoors aspect
of work and returned to college for a Wildlife Ecology
degree. He then worked as Superintendent of the Maine
Wildlife Park in Gray for fifteen years.

Christina graduated from the University of Maine with
a degree in Education and worked in Carmel as a first-
grade teacher. When they moved to Gray, she chose to stay
home with their children. After a few years of subbing,
she returned to work at Poland Community School as a
secretary and then as a kindergarten teacher.

Welcome home!
We are glad to have you here.
You can go home again!

Curtis and Christina decided to return to Houlton to be closer to their parents and return to the small-town community that
they missed.
Owning a business in Houlton has been a great experience for them. They are thankful for the support of customers and
have been encouraged by all the people who want to support local businesses. They report that community support has been
outstanding. So far, they are keeping the business pretty much as it was. They are experimenting with new vendors and new
inventory to cater to their current customers and hopefully attract some new shoppers.
Curtis and Christina said that growing up they took for granted all the benefits of living in a small town. They are appreciating
it in a new way especially since they are now parents.
Since their return to Houlton has gone well, they would love to see more businesses grow in the area to keep and draw more
people to our town.

www.houltonalumni.com PAGE 13