Our Story

Lisa-Marie's Made in Maine began long before the store on Front Street opened in 2003. Lisa-Marie has been involved in promoting Made-in-Maine products since 1990. She began in a Brunswick store very much like Lisa-Marie's Made in Maine called Stone Soup Artisans. Soon she was on the management team there and became a member of the Society of Southern Maine Craftsmen as well as United Maine Craftsmen. Shortly after becoming a part of these guilds, she was elected to the Board of Directors. 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 artists and craftsmen joined Lisa-Marie on 170 Front Street. But she didn't stop there; in 2006, she broke through into 168 Front Street and expanded in order to accommodate many more creative 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.

Lisa-Marie's Made in Maine continues to be family owned and operated. Her husband, Andy, helps with the behind-the-scenes work including bookkeeping, window washing, display building and the long "honey-do" list. After graduating from college, her daughter, Marie, manages the Portland store. Her son, Josh, gives the rest of his family the occasional day off while studying at the University of Southern Maine. The whole Stewart family works hard to promote the local economy by supporting almost 200 of Maine's finest artists and craftsmen.