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LOVELL, Maine — After owning a historic inn for 22 years, a Maine woman has decided to hold an essay contest and give the business to the winner.
Janice Sage, 68, acquired the Center Lovell Inn and Restaurant in 1993 after she won a similar essay contest that the previous owner held, according to the Portland Press Herald. The New England bed and breakfast is 210 years old and offers views of the White Mountains and Kezar Lake in Lovell, Maine. The 12-acre property also includes a barn built in 1795.
“There’s a lot of very talented people in the restaurant business who would like to have their own place, but can’t afford it,” Sage told the Portland Press Herald. “This is a way for them to have the opportunity to try.”
Because the essay relies on skill rather than luck, it has been deemed legal in Maine, and police have given Sage the go-ahead for the contest, the Portland Press Herald said.
The essay must be 200 words or less, centered around the theme, “Why I would like to own and operate a Country Inn,” according to the contest rules. Participants must be 18 years of age or older and must include two self-addressed stamped envelopes and pay an application fee of $125.
Sage expects more than 7,500 entries and at $125 per entry, she could make more than the inn’s estimated value of $900,000, according to the Boston Globe. She plans to read all the essays herself and will pass the top 20 to two anonymous judges who will pick the winner.
An essay contest will determine the new owner of the Center Lovell Inn & Restaurant. http://t.co/R5xles9xgLpic.twitter.com/XSCYlztYld — PressHerald (@PressHerald) March 9, 2015
The essays must be postmarked by May 7 and arrive by May 17, the contest rules said. The winner will be announced May 21 and the transfer of the deed is expected to occur within 30 days. The winner will also receive $20,000 to start running the property, and the furnishing and equipment will stay with the inn.
The new owner must agree to maintain the property as a country inn and restaurant for at least one year after the hand-over, according to the rules. They must also keep the building painted white, and maintain the roofing and shutters in forest green, hunter green or black.
Click here to apply for the essay contest.
