What do you do when you ’ve adjudicate to sell a huge , historic , or expensive dimension in a humble township , but no one can yield it ? One style that ’s clear popularity is to play an essay competition with an entry fee that will cover your price . The essay part shit the scheme a competition of science instead of an out - and - out lottery , which is illegal in some place , and they also insure that the winner is someone who will probably continue the business ( though that ’s never a sure thing ) . loosely , the contests specify the minimal figure of debut required , which would sum up up to at least the time value of the belongings ; if the lower limit is n’t reached , then the entry fees are refund .
The upside to these contests is that the property run to an somebody who might not otherwise be able to own such a property or start out a pocket-size byplay , and the seller glean the economic value of the dimension without having to deal to abstruse - pocket corporations . However , it does n’t always turn out that style .
1. THE TEMPLE THEATER
In January , the owner of the Temple Theater in Houlton , Maine launchedan essay contestfor ownership of the 98 - class - onetime theater , one of the oldest continuously operating movie theatre in the nation .
The contest received entries from nearly every nation and at least six countries — but regrettably , itdidn’t make the minimum 3500 entriesnecessary for a winner to be clean , and all the incoming fees were return to the objector . But one of the entrants , Charles “ Charlie ” Fortier , was still interested in buy the theater . A Houlton native and generator of six books , Fortier spell about his history with the theater in his essay , titled " Why I ’d Be Perfect to start the Temple Theater " : He ’d seenStar Warsat the theatre twice the very night it opened and nearly perish during a viewing ofBlazing Saddleswhen he laugh and asphyxiate on confect pom poms . “ I know how crucial the Temple is to the community even with the proliferation of Netflix and Redbox and want to dedicate my sunset geezerhood to keep open it going so it can transfuse the same wonder in others that I felt when I was kid,”Fortier wrote , grant to theBangor Daily News .
By April , the theater was Fortier ’s , and theTemple Cinemais still open under his management .
2. HUMBLE HEART FARM
Last summertime , Paul and Leslie Spell launched an essay contest with a $ 150 entry fee for their Capricorn farm in Elkhart , Alabama . Humble Heart Farmcame with 20 acres , a house , dairy equipment , and nearly 100 laughingstock and sheep . The prize also included $ 20,000 to serve the new owner get their business up and running .
The couple planned to take the funds from the contest and move to Costa Rica , where they intended to help their missionary friends run a goat dairy . " We ’ve had a passably successful run here and I thought it was time for us to go help someone else,“Paul severalise Alabama Today . " By giving the great unwashed the chance of winning the farm and creamery we will be capable to help our missional friends to become self - sufficient and have enough income for day to solar day expenses . "
The Spells plan to plunk a winner on October 15 , but as the deadline border on , they announce they did not receive the 2500 entries take . The number of first appearance was so small that they decided against extending the deadline and refund the incoming fee . “ I ’d think for sure this would work,”Paul say . “ We did n’t get even close . ”
3. MIX CUPCAKERIE AND KITCHEN
In lodge to relocate her kin to Cape Cod , Carole Kelaher put her business , Mix Cupcakerie and Kitchenin Waitsfield , Vermont , up for a competition in 2015 . To record , would - be bakers had to submitan essay and a cupcake recipealong with a $ 75 fee . The competition award did n’t include the construction ( Kelaher rented the shopfront ) , but it did include 80 hours of training with Kelaher and two calendar month ’s rent as well as money for utility program , supplies , and paysheet for the bakery ’s two employee .
" I want to spread out the pool of perspective owners,“Kelaher told Vermont Public Radio . " It ’s not necessarily about being a buyer . It ’s more about give the love life and the ability to do this job . "
Kelaher needed to raise $ 22,000 to give the bakery out , but it was not to be . Despite a crowdfunding movement to kick upstairs donations in addition to the essay competition , Kelaher only raised abouthalf the needed amount of money . There were only 85 entryway in the essay contest , so the fees were yield . But the publicity serve Kelaher to sell the line of work the honest-to-goodness - fashioned fashion , anda new ownertook over in July 2015 .
4. CENTER LOVELL INN
When Janice Sage decided to turn in a year ago , the owner ofCenter Lovell Inn & Restaurantin Lovell , Maine , decided tolaunch an essay contestto present the inn to a Modern owner . ( salvia had herself gain ground the hostelry in an essay contest in 1993 . ) The competition required an entry fee of $ 125 and a 200 - words - or - less essay .
“ There ’s a lot of very talented people in the eating place business who would like to have their own shoes but ca n’t afford it,”Sage told thePortland Press Herald . “ This is a way for them to have the opportunity to try . ” She design to narrow the entry to 20 , then turn them over to two judges , who would pick the winner .
Sage received 7255 entries , slenderly shortsighted of the 7500 entry she ’d hoped for , but announced a victor anyway . The competition was come through by Prince Roger Adams and his wife , Rose . The pair , who had restored an old inn in the early years of their marriage , seemed specially suitable for the job : Rose was a chef , and Prince had experience selling and manage an auberge . " This competition is fortuitous since we now shoot for to finally own a place outright ; somewhere to portion out our love life of fine food , great wines and entertaining with others , " Adams wrote inhis essay . " Undoubtedly our passion , cordial reception and commitment is the unadulterated recipe for a successful marriage to the beautiful Center Lovell Inn and Restaurant . "
But the transition was n’t seamless . Other entrantscomplained that the contest was rigged ; their complaints spur a two - month investigation , whichfound no impropriety . AdamstoldThe New York Timesthat other newcomer have go out bad critical review of the hostelry at TripAdvisor and have been pay off him " nasty visits and headphone phone call . "
5. SUSTAINAFEST TINY HOUSE
SustainaFestis a non-profit-making organization that works to raise consciousness about social , environmental , and economical issues in the Chesapeake Bay realm . In 2015 , they heldan essay contestto award a 210 - straight - foot home in Washington , D.C. , where housing prices are sky - high . The dwelling was pass judgment at $ 76,000 . The contest required a $ 100 entry fee and an essay of 350 or fewer words that answered the question : “ What are your samara to living a sustainable lifestyle , and how would owning the SustainaFest Tiny House aid you take in your dream of live that life style ? "
The contest was canceled when there were n’t enough entries to get over the costs of constructing the home . But a Texas couple who had state three of the entriesended up bribe the homefor $ 50,000 . “ The couple who bought the house decided to downsize and have been subsist out of an Airstream trailer , ” Sustainafest ’s Josh Bennett tell UrbanTurf . “ They started their own clientele and have decided they need a scrap more distance so the diminutive house will become their primary residence and the preview will be the business headquarters . ”
6. RIVER HOUSE
Rhonda Pennington had an musical theme to detect a Modern possessor for her home on the Ohio River in Vevay , Indiana . The 4200 - square - substructure house has four bedrooms , three full bath , a wrap - around deck , and a eyeshot of Kentucky across the river . Since she had no luck selling the household in the conventional manner , Penningtonlaunched an essay contestwith a fee of $ 199 . The essays were to be judged by a panel from Hanover College . The competition wasannounced in August 2015 , and the deadline was to be November 30 .
But the contestdid not get the required 2000 entries . Pennington harbinger that fact on December 11 , when she posted on Facebook thatthe contest was canceledand entry fees would be give back . Some entrants were disordered over the cancelation , others over the fact that Hanover College pulled out of the competition before the entree deadline with no announcement to the public , and still others were angrily waiting for their refund , which were not sent out until January 2016 . " I ’m very defeated in how this whole thing was address , ” one freshman , Mary DiMarco of Oakland , Maine , toldThe Indianapolis Star .
The house is still for sale ; you cansee the listing here .
7. THE HARDWICK GAZETTE
The Hardwick Gazette
Just this month , a new business joined the competition craze . The Hardwick Gazette , a hebdomadary newspaper in Hardwick , Vermont , needs a fresh proprietor . The newspaper publisher has been in line since 1889 , and Ross Connelly , the current editor and publishing company , is retiring . It could be yours for the price ofa $ 175 incoming fee and a 400 - countersign essay"about the entrant ’s skills and visual sensation for owning a paid hebdomadary newspaper in the raw millenary . "
“ We need to try from people who can keep back up a mirror in which local citizens can see themselves and win insight into the life within their communities,”Connelly enounce . “ We want to hear from people with a passion for local story that are crucial , even in the absence of scandal and sensualism . ”
