WELLS, Maine — With the swipe of a card and a attain right into a cool fridge, a contemporary, wholesome and ready-made dinner is all yours.
That’s the idea behind FOTOGO, a brand new grab-and-go merchandising store tentatively slated to open at 1574 Publish Highway Friday, Oct. 27.
Marina DeMarco and her husband, Michael, had a imaginative and prescient for FOTOGO after they acquired the constructing on the nook of Routes 1 and 109 in February. The constructing had been unoccupied for a while, because the Italian restaurant there shut down.
The couple had hoped to open their new enterprise this previous summer season, however these plans have been placed on maintain after Michael died in August.
“It’s very tough,” DeMarco stated. “It’s been robust … His dream was to return right here every single day.”
DeMarco determined to honor her husband’s reminiscence by transferring ahead with opening the store. She has an enlarged picture of her husband posted in tribute to him on a wall. And the contributions he made to their enterprise might be in all places, as he designed the FOTOGO emblem, in response to DeMarco.
DeMarco stated she has saved busy in current weeks, securing the merchandising coolers quickly to be stacked with wholesome decisions, organising a European touch-screen espresso maker, and creating areas the place folks can sit solo or collect with associates.
These quaint areas, comprised of comfy chairs, vegetation and small tables, make FOTOGO as a lot a grab-and-stop attraction as a grab-and-go. Simply as clients will be capable to decide up dinner on their method dwelling from work, so too will they be capable to loosen up and benefit from the meal within the store.
Music will play contained in the place, and flatscreen TVs affixed to the partitions will present channels to observe – however not the cable information ones, DeMarco smiled and famous. FOTOGO is there so that you can take a break from all of the noise and developments on this planet.
DeMarco additionally stated she’s going to beautify the partitions with works by native artists.
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What’s on the menu at FOTOGO, and the way does it work?
The merchandising coolers are self-serve. You swipe or insert your debit or bank card, which lets you open the cooler and choose the meal or snack that you simply want. Routinely, expertise calculates the load extracted from the cooler and fees your card accordingly. Whereas that’s fast and handy for shoppers, the system additionally wards off potential theft.
The coolers might be crammed with entire meals, sandwiches, quinoa bowls, vitality pictures, protein bars, snacks, drinks, and extra. Vegan and gluten-free choices might be among the many picks.
Her most important vendor might be Clear Eats Kitchen, DeMarco stated.
“They’re wonderful,” DeMarco stated. “They’ve an excellent number of meals … very wholesome and attractive.”
As for the espresso maker, which affords every little thing from lattes to Americanos, clients will use the respect system, leaving cash after pouring themselves a cup.
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‘Instagram-able Wall,’ a function at FOTOGO
Along with the coolers and luxury zones, DeMarco created what she calls an “Instagram-able Wall,” the place you may pose for pics and submit them on social media. The wall has “Maine” splashed in purple neon, together with a hashtag, FOTOGOus. And on condition that DeMarco is also knowledgeable photographer, the spot is lit for the absolute best photos.
FOTOGO won’t be the one DeMarco enterprise beneath that roof. DeMarco additionally owns one other enterprise, Marino Cleansing Providers, which for years she has operated out of her dwelling. Whereas folks can enter FOTOGO from the entrance of the constructing, by means of the doorway dealing with Publish Highway, the cleansing service might be housed within the again half of the construction and may have its personal entryway and parking zone.
DeMarco additionally stated she plans to function a nonprofit, Marina Cares, out of the positioning.
“We’re going to assist aged individuals who can’t afford our providers,” she stated.
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DeMarco is asking folks to maintain a watch out for information of FOTOGO’s official opening, particularly if that occurs a couple of days later than initially deliberate. FOTOGO might be discovered on Fb and Instagram.
In keeping with DeMarco, the “FO” stands for meals, with the “OD” eliminated to suit neatly with the two-letter phrases “TO” and “GO.” For those who say the identify good, it does certainly sound like “meals to go.”
DeMarco stated she preferred the identify as a result of it has the correct ring for what she hopes will occur sooner or later if FOTOGO turns into the runaway success she is hoping for.
“Individuals ask me if it is a franchise,” she stated. “I inform them, no, however will probably be.”
For DeMarco, the success of her cleansing service and the potential of FOTOGO is the belief of the American dream. Born and raised in Russian-ruled Estonia within the Nineteen Eighties and Nineties, she moved to america and settled in Wells 20 years in the past.
“America, I feel, is the one nation that gives a lot alternative,” she stated.