Hey Hampden… After 2+ Years Our Sweet Little Swap Garage Is Back

Like any small town, Hampden has its pains and its perks.

Living in Hampden can be kind of a different experience depending on who you ask. Most folks love it here. It's a quiet little town without a lot of the hustle and bustle of Bangor. We have our own grocery store, drug store, a few spots for a bite to eat, and even two hardware stores.

Other folks who live further on the outskirts of town usually have a bit more to complain about (myself included, half the time), but really... I love it there. If there's one thing all folks from Hampden all loved, it was our Swap Garage at the transfer station. People would bring things there that were still in decent shape, and leave them. While there, they might grab something for themselves off the shelves and move on.

And then along came Covid...

Covid wrecked everything for a while... everyone knows that. It's old news. But a year and a half after the big rush of the pandemic, and our swap garage was still closed. The town was exploring options, but residents were getting antsy to have it back. Then a few months later, the town announced they had a plan ready to go.

But just the other day on the Town of Hampden Facebook page, the town announced that building was now in place! It still needs some wiring and some shelving installed inside, but the building is in place and ready to rock. Soon folks will be in there leaving things, taking things, and using the spot the way it was intended. The new garage is right by the entrance to the transfer station. You can't miss it.

This is the kind of thing you can only get in a small town. I seriously doubt there's a swap garage in New York City at the dump. All you'll find there is rats the size of your head. And frankly, that just doesn't sound as cool as a used toaster oven. Just sayin'...

I'M NOT SURE ANY OF THESE THINGS ARE AS COOL AS A SWAP GARAGE, BUT NEW MAINERS ARE OFTEN SHOCKED BY THESE THINGS...