NORWAY – Since Maine Made and More opened its doors on Main Street in Norway last week, there has been a steady stream of traffic into the shop, even though many of the items for sale are still in boxes.
The company’s policy is to open for business “as soon as the first box is unpacked,” explained co-owner George Gordon.
Gordon announced that the store would be opening a branch in the former Maine Discoveries store on July 19. Boxes began to appear in the store soon afterward, and with no more fanfare than setting an “open” sign in the window, the store opened for business Aug. 1. There was no staff yet, and nothing to promote the store but a white board in the entryway.
Two weeks later, boxes are still in various stages of being unpacked, and the stream of customers and window shoppers remains steady. “We’re really pleased with the traffic going by,” Gordon said. “People, whether they buy something or not, are happy to see another storefront.”
Maine Made and More, started by Gordon and his wife, Paula, 28 years ago, is based in Waterville and has stores in Augusta and Belgrade Lakes. It carries products from 120 Maine craftsmen, in addition to popular items “from away,” furniture and women’s clothing.
The Gordons aim to carry something for everybody, in every price range. The store will offer almost 100 designs of T-shirts and sweatshirts ranging from under $10 to about $40. It carries the entire line of Stonewall Kitchen jams and jellies, from the popular blueberry jam to the more obscure apricot ginger. The variety and price range “sets us apart from other shops,” Gordon said.
The shops carry a large selection of Acorn slippers, which they sell at a 20 percent discount. Women’s clothing will also be sold at 20 percent off. Eventually, the store will carry cottage furniture made in Maine, oak furniture, and 50 or more styles of lamps. A children’s area will include toys, books and clothing.
In choosing a product from outside of Maine, Gordon said they look first at how the product will affect sales of items from Maine. They also consider the price, customer demand and popularity of the item. The Maine Made stores carried Ty Beanie Babies while they were popular. Now the bear niche has been filled by Boyd’s Bears. Gordon said the products “from away” add variety to the store and keep customers coming in to see what’s new.
Paula Gordon noted that each of the Maine Made and More stores carries something different. Because of local tastes, an item that sells well in Waterville may not be popular in Norway. Stonewall Kitchen and Acorn products, women’s sweaters, and T-shirts are popular in each of the stores, though.
The Norway store is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Gordons plan to have their grand opening in September.
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