Maine Micro Artisans, a consignment shop that features wares from Maine artists and artisans, is moving out of the Bangor Mall and into a downtown Bangor storefront that will see the business nearly double in size.
The shop, owned by Mary Plummer, who also has stores in Gorham and South Portland, will move into 21 Washington St. in the Penobscot Plaza, an 8,000 square foot location formerly occupied by Damon’s Beverage and Redemption, which moved to Hogan Road in 2022.
Plummer said she’s worked with the Downtown Bangor Partnership to facilitate the move, which has been in the works since early this year and which will capitalize on the overwhelming success of the Bangor Waterfront Night Market, the first edition of which was held last month.
“The community we have built after only being in Bangor for a year has been really incredible, and the help we’ve received to make this happen has been pretty unbelievable,” Plummer said. “We’re hoping to be open by the end of the summer.”
In addition to hosting more than 200 vendors offering everything from jewelry, clothing and home goods to body and skin care and food items, Plummer said they plan to expand their offerings to include a classroom space where artisans and artists can teach people how to make things. It will also offer a “Maker’s Way” for people who aren’t ready to have a permanent booth to host pop-up tables to sell their wares when they can.
“We’re going to have a space where you can learn things like soap making and weaving, as well as fun workshops around the holidays. I want to bring back those classic 1980s Christmas ornaments and things like that,” Plummer said.
Plummer said she’s been wanting to get out of the Bangor Mall and into downtown for months.
“The condition of that mall is horrendous. … There’s an obstacle course of buckets in the shop for the leaky roof,” Plummer said. “We feel really lucky we’re able to get out, but I feel bad for people that are stuck in there. It is really hard to do business there.”
The thriving community of artists and artisans in downtown Bangor is “a much better fit” for Plummer and her business, she said.
“I can’t say enough good things about how much the downtown community has embraced us,” she said. “Between this and the night market, we’re just really glad we made the choice to expand to Bangor.”
The next Bangor Waterfront Night Market is set for Monday, July 15. Plummer said she has listened to suggestions from visitors from the first one, and this time around, both Front and Railroad streets will be closed off, and there will be more food trucks and musicians, in addition to nearly 200 vendors. The final market of the season is set for Saturday, Aug. 17.
