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HIRSCHKORN REPORTS ON HOW TWO MAINE RETAILERS SEE THE MONEY. (VO 1: BULL MOOSE STORE SOPO, TWO SHOT, STORE) ALL NINE "BULL MOOSE RECORDS" STORES IN MAINE HAVE BEEN CLOSED SINCE LAST MONTH. OWNER BRETT WICKARD LAID OFF 100 OF HIS 175 EMPLOYEES. BUT WHEN HE RECEIVED A FEDERALLY BACKED "PAYROLL PROTECTION PROGRAM" LOAN THIS MONTH, HE HIRED EVERYONE BACK. (SOT BRETT WICKARD, OWNER, BULL MOOSE RECORDS, 9:22:44) "REALLY THE PPP GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY OF A COUPLE MONTHS HERE TO SAY, 'WHAT ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT THIS GREAT TEAM OF CREATIVE PEOPLE CAN COME UP WITH?'" (NATSOT BOXES) (VO 2: BULL MOOSE STORE) SO, BULL MOOSE IS PUSHING ONLINE SALES OF ALBUMS, BOOKS, AND MOVIES...AND KEEPING CUSTOMERS ENGAGED WITH ONLINE AUCTIONS OF MUSIC MEMORABILIA. WICKARD SEES THE LOAN, FORGIVABLE IF EVERYONE STAYS ON PAYROLL, AS A LIFELINE FROM FELLOW AMERICANS. (SOT BRETT WICKARD, OWNER, BULL MOOSE RECORDS, 9:28:26) (COVER) "THAT IS AN OBLIGATION TO USE THAT THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY YOU CAN THINK OF. // (ON CAM) IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE EIGHT WEEKS TO INNOVATE AND ADAPT AND MOVE FORWARD." (SOT DON STOWELL, PRESIDENT, LAMEY WELLEHAN SHOES, 7:43:25) "IT'S NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL, TO USE A SHOE EXPRESSION HERE." (LAUGHS) (VO 3: TWO SHOT, LAMEY WELLEHAN STORE AUBURN) DON STOWELL IS PRESIDENT OF AUBURN-BASED LAMEY WELLEHAN, AN AUBURN-BASED CHAIN OF SIX SHOE STORES IN MAINE FOUNDED IN 1914. HE'S LAID OF 85 OF HIS 90 EMPLOYEES. STOWELL JUST RECEIVED A P-P-P LOAN BUT DOESN'T LIKE THE 8-WEEK "USE IT OR LOSE IT" DEADLINE WHILE HE'S CLOSED. (SOT DON STOWELL, PRESIDENT, LAMEY WELLEHAN SHOES, 7:43:55) (COVER) "IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO USE THAT MONEY OTHER THAN TO PAY PEOPLE NOT TO DO ANY WORK. // (ON CAM 7:44:45) OTHERWISE THAT FORGIVABLE LOAN TURNS INTO A REAL LOAN, AND WE WEREN'T IN IT TO ADD MORE DEBT TO THE COMPANY." (VO 4: LW STORE) WHILE APPRECIATING THE LOAN AND ITS SPEEDY APPROVAL, STOWELL THINKS IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THE CLOCK STARTED TICKING ONLY WHEN HE'S ALLOWED TO REOPEN. (SOT DON STOWELL, PRESIDENT, LAMEY WELLEHAN SHOES 7:46:23) "IF WE COULD OPEN UP AS THE LOAN STARTED, THAT WOU

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Small businesses in Maine and across the country began reapplying for Paycheck Protection Program loans on Monday following a $320 billion infusion by Congress last week.Nearly 17,000 Maine small businesses have been approved for $2.25 billion in those loans, which are forgivable if a business hires everyone back and keeps them on the payroll.One of them is Bull Moose Music, which has nine stores in Maine. All of them have been closed since the coronavirus outbreak hit Maine in mid-March. 100 of its 175 employees were laid off until owner Brett Wickard received a PPP loan and hired them all back."We have eight weeks of time to innovate and adapt, and frankly, it's on us, like we should be the ones thinking about what we can do, how can we apply our amazing team of people and find value out of that in a safe way," Wickard said.But some Maine businesses are running into roadblocks with the program. Don Stowell, President of Auburn-based Lamey Wellehan Shoes, just received a PPP loan but does not like the 8-week "use it or lose it" deadline."It's very difficult to use that money other than to pay people not to do any work. Otherwise, that forgivable loan turns into a real loan, and we weren't in it to add more debt to the company," Stowell said.Stowell appreciates what the loans provide, but thinks it would be better if the clock started ticking only when he's allowed to reopen.Nine percent of the 100,000 Mainers who have applied for unemployment benefits in the past five weeks worked in the retail sector.Stowell said he wants to bring his whole workforce back and plans to reconfigure stores to welcome customers.“We’ll try to create safe distancing spots, there’ll be masks and gloves available. It’s still a trick. It’s going to be a challenge," Stowell said.