Our Story
Lisa-Marie’s Made in Maine, Inc. began long before our store on Front Street opened in 2003.
Lisa-Marie has been involved in promoting Made in Maine products since 1990. She first started selling her work in a Brunswick store very much like Lisa-Marie’s Made in Maine called Stone Soup Artisans, which featured Maine-made work.
Soon she was on the shop’s management team and became a member of the Society of Southern Maine Craftsmen as well as United Maine Craftsmen. Over several years, she quickly became a principle part of the leadership serving in various board positions. Directing, jurying, and participating in Maine craft shows opened the door for her to meet many local people with quality Maine products.
After dozens and dozens of shows, Lisa-Marie’s husband, Andy, gave her the push to open her own store in Downtown Bath. In 2003, about 50 artisans and craftsmen joined Lisa-Marie on 170 Front Street. But she didn’t stop there; in 2006, she broke through the wall into 168 Front Street and expanded in order to accommodate many more clever artists and craftsmen.
Lisa-Marie’s reputation began to grow. People from all over the country returned summer after summer knowing that they were getting something truly locally made.
In 2008, Lisa-Marie found that she was once more running out of space for all the creativity that inhabited her two rooms. For a second time, she broke through a wall into 174 Front Street and opened an entire new room. Now covering three store fronts in Historic Downtown Bath, Lisa-Marie’s Made in Maine was carrying over 150 local artists and craftsmen.
Lisa-Marie began to feel that something more needed to happen. She started to look for another location to support Maine’s local artists. Lower Exchange Street in the heart of the Old Port seemed like the right spot.
In 2010, Lisa-Marie opened the newest Lisa-Marie’s Made in Maine location at 35 Exchange Street providing Portland with its only exclusively Made-in-Maine store.
In the spring of 2013, Lisa-Marie got the itch again. This time it began because she just wanted to fit more into the Bath store. It just so happened that some of our neighbors were moving into a larger location so the storefront directly next to us was now empty. Lisa-Marie jumped on the opportunity to expand again. Lisa-Marie’s in Bath now spans from 168 Front Street to 176 Front Street.
Lisa-Marie’s Made in Maine continues to be family owned and operated. Our employees are lovers of Maine-made work who have joined our family to continue to promote the over 400 other small Maine businesses that we support.
Our Family
Lisa-Marie won’t admit it to anyone, but she is the true brilliance behind Lisa-Marie’s Made in Maine.
With her vision and drive to promote Maine-made work she got her family behind her supporting her in mission. In 2009, her daughter, Marie graduated from college and decided to join the family business. Knowing that she’d have someone who knew about the business (and grew up in it) to help out, Lisa-Marie decided to open her Portland location, which Marie now manages.
Her husband, Andy, joined his wife full time in 2010 and since then, it’s rare to find one without the other. Her son, Josh got his degree and quickly found a job with Bath Iron Works, but can be found helping move display pieces or filling in on the weekends. The whole Stewart family works hard to promote the local economy and Maine’s small businesses.