During our initial visit to Carrigart, two places stood out to me because they represented very different parts of the community: Gteic and the local gift shop. Before arriving, I expected Gteic to be a much smaller and less developed coworking space. Instead, I found that it was surprisingly modern and well-equipped. While there is still room for growth, it already provides a strong environment for remote workers and entrepreneurs. It showed me that Carrigart is making a genuine effort to embrace technology and create opportunities for people who want to work remotely without leaving the area.

The gift shop presented almost the opposite perspective. The owners explained that business slows down significantly during the off-season, making it difficult to stay open year-round. They also shared that they prefer to keep technology to a minimum, believing that the personal experience is more important than adopting new digital tools. Even though Gteic and the gift shop have very different approaches to technology and business, they both revealed something important about Carrigart. Through our conversations, it became clear that there is an incredibly strong sense of community here. Everyone seems to know one another, support local businesses, and take pride in the town. While Gteic represents Carrigart’s efforts to prepare for the future, the gift shop reflects the traditions and close-knit relationships that continue to define the community today.