SKOWHEGAN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) --- Those who have driven through town over the summer might have noticed some interesting changes going on at the old Somerset County Jail.
The jail was closed a few years ago by the county due to its aging condition. An area couple purchased the jail and have been working on turning it into a grist mill for making flour. Amber Lambke and her husband have also been leasing space in the building to a number of area merchants.
A yarn store opened there last spring and the town's farmers market sells produce at the old jail twice a week. Renovations are still ongoing for the grist mill portion of the jail.
Lambke says the plan is to use it to sell flour and rolled oats to area bakeries and grocery stores once it's up and running.
"Here at the mill we anticipate creating about 4 jobs," she said, "but those are just the immediate jobs. There will be a number of other secondary jobs created by the farmers that we buy from and the bakers who are using our grain in the products that they sell."
At this point, the Lambke's say that they're hoping to have the mill operational by December. They estimate that the entire project for the jail will cost about $1 million. So far the couple has been getting some grant support from Somerset Economic Development and the group Slow Money Maine.
NEWS CENTER