Letters

Immigrant Entrepreneurs

I read with interest the article by Jay Nordlinger, “The State of Maine,” in the August 11 issue. He discusses, among other things, the recent influx of Somali immigrants. I have something to say about it, too. In the face of an aging population and an ongoing exodus of young people, the addition of Somalis could be seen as a benefit. This youthful community has opened businesses selling ethnic products, especially in towns like Lewiston, which have been hurt by decades of deindustrialization. In fact, Charles Colgan of the University of Southern Maine estimates that nearly half of all small retail stores opened recently in Portland are immigrant-owned. With proper support from state and local officials, these unlikely pockets of entrepreneurialism could help ease an overstressed welfare system and contribute to a much-needed economic revival in the Pine Tree State.