LEWISTON — Eric Agren, proprietor of local Fuel and Marché restaurants, will be the featured speaker at the Great Falls Forum lecture series at noon on Thursday, Nov. 15, in Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library. Agren will be presenting a talk titled, “Downtown Lewiston — Current Growth and Future Opportunities.”

Agren led the way for the current development boom in downtown Lewiston with his renovation of the Lyceum Block and the opening of Fuel restaurant in 2007. Many have followed in the next five years — Mother India, Niki’s, LA Magazine, Lyceum Gallery, The Vault, Guthries, Baxter Brewing Co., Forage Cafe and Rainbow Bicycle, to name a few — yet Agren said he feels that growth opportunities still remain.

Eric Agren is a local L-A product himself, growing up in Auburn and a graduating from Edward Little High School. After getting his degree from the University of Maine Orono, Agren pursued a business career that led him to an Internet consulting firm in Chicago, and later to a position with Maytag as national sales manager. He returned to L-A in 2006 to open his restaurant.

In his Forum presentation, Agren will talk about the development that has taken place downtown since the opening of Fuel, what is going on this fall, and what he anticipates unfolding in the next couple of years. Following the talk he will answer questions from the audience.

Admission is free to all Great Falls Forum events and no reservations are required. The presentation will take place from noon to 1 p.m. in Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library, 200 Lisbon St. Attendees are invited to bring brown-bag lunches, or to take advantage of the Forum’s partnership with Guthries cafe and request one of the eatery’s custom-made, gourmet sandwiches or salads to be delivered to the library in advance of the talk. Orders may be placed by calling Guthries at 376-3344. The menu is available at www.guthriesplace.com. Coffee, tea and bottled water will be available on site at the library.

The Great Falls Forum is co-sponsored by Bates College, Lewiston Public Library and the Sun Journal.

More information on Thursday’s lecture or other upcoming events in the Great Falls Forum series is available by contacting the Lewiston Public Library at 513-3135 or www.LPLonline.org.