New era for Southport General Store
The new grocery table where such goods as SGS crostini and artisan baguettes are to be found alongside the fresh fruit and vegetables. The bulldog has pride of place in honor of the late Mike Beane, friend to all and long-term employee at the General Store. JENNY BENNETT/Boothbay Register
Southport General Store and Gift Barn from the ball field. Courtesy of Annie Buccholz
The “back room” at Southport General Store, where you can sit in the window and work while sipping a espresso and enjoying a fresh-baked croissant. JENNY BENNETT/Boothbay Register
The vintage bakery case, very much like the General Store’s original case that is now on display at Hendricks Hill Museum. JENNY BENNETT/Boothbay Register
The well-stocked wine cellar offers wines for every taste and budget, every event and celebration. JENNY BENNETT/Boothbay Register
The Gift Barn sells locally made and hand-crafted goods. Courtesy of Annie Buccholz
A spring art class in the Gift Barn. Arts and crafts workshops are offered throughout the summer. Courtesy of Annie Buccholz
The new grocery table where such goods as SGS crostini and artisan baguettes are to be found alongside the fresh fruit and vegetables. The bulldog has pride of place in honor of the late Mike Beane, friend to all and long-term employee at the General Store. JENNY BENNETT/Boothbay Register
Southport General Store and Gift Barn from the ball field. Courtesy of Annie Buccholz
The “back room” at Southport General Store, where you can sit in the window and work while sipping a espresso and enjoying a fresh-baked croissant. JENNY BENNETT/Boothbay Register
The vintage bakery case, very much like the General Store’s original case that is now on display at Hendricks Hill Museum. JENNY BENNETT/Boothbay Register
The well-stocked wine cellar offers wines for every taste and budget, every event and celebration. JENNY BENNETT/Boothbay Register
The Gift Barn sells locally made and hand-crafted goods. Courtesy of Annie Buccholz
A spring art class in the Gift Barn. Arts and crafts workshops are offered throughout the summer. Courtesy of Annie Buccholz
Southport General Store has a new look and a new energy. The store’s managers, Nancy Long and Teresa Bryer, along with Gift Barn managers Emma Gay and Annie Buchholz, have taken time through the quieter months to upgrade, revitalize and find fresh approaches for the store. Said Gay, “We’re always looking for ways to improve the store for local people and visitors alike, and the impact of the bridge construction this year has really focused our efforts. It’s important that the store offers the essentials so you don’t have to leave the island, but it also needs to be a destination for visitors … We’re a long way down the peninsula, a visit needs to be worthwhile.”
With those two aspects in mind, the store now sells more fruits and vegetables, fresh home-baked bread, “grab-and-go” meals for two, four, or six, grill-ready meats, made-to-order espresso coffees, and an assortment of fresh-baked treats displayed in a vintage bakery case that is, said Gay, “very like the original case that’s now in the Hendricks Hill Museum.” The wine store, too, has seen expansion and includes a range from “everyday wines to exclusive ‘cellar’ options, Maine beers, and non-alcoholic options.”
Throughout the store and the Gift Barn across the driveway, there is an emphasis on locally and Maine-made from Southport General Store-branded items like pesto pasta salad and lobster mac ’n cheese made with lobster from Atlantic Edge to ground-in-Maine coffee and harvested-in-Maine maple syrup.
There have also been cosmetic changes, with new signage and décor, and an entire “facelift in the backroom, that now includes a window counter where you can sit and work as you enjoy your coffee and croissant,” said Gay. The vibe throughout is modern rustic.
The layout is largely the same as it was, many of the staff have been serving behind the counter for several years, and there is continuity with the sandwich range, although more of the fillings, from the meatballs to the grilled chicken, are now prepared in house. And the regionally famous breakfast pizza is still available every day.
The store is open weekdays from 7 to 5 and on weekends from 8 to 5. Craft classes are offered in the Barn once or twice a month through the season and into the fall, and special events like wine tastings and pop-up flower markets will also be staples of the summer.
