Former Schemengees Bar to Become Warming Center in Lewiston Maine

None of us will be able to forget October 25, 2023, the day when tragedy struck in our beautiful town of Lewiston, Maine.

One of the former sites of the mass shooting is getting a new lease on life with the help of some amazing locals.

The building that once housed Schemengees Bar and Grille is now set to become a warming center for Maine's upcoming, cold winter, according to WGME.

This is all thanks to Kaydenz Kitchen. If you haven’t heard of them yet, they are a prominent nonprofit in Lewiston.

The news station reported that Kaydenz Kitchen took ownership of the building this past Monday and is now planning to help the community with it by opening it as a warming center by mid-November.

Kevin Boilard, the president of Kaydenz Kitchen Food Pantry, told WGME that the center will offer free food, clothing, and other essential items.

According to the report, the warming center will give folks who seek warmth a safe space for people to escape the cold daily, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The building has been closed since the shooting last October. But now, the plan to repurpose it, together as a community, has given new life to the town and gained a ton of support.

Kevin sees this as a "triumph through tragedy" moment, with the project giving that space a chance to serve the community once again, according to WGME.

The news station also reported Kaydenz Kitchen is working with the city to open a 24/7 homeless shelter by September of next year, with the former Schemengees site being a possible location.