Lisa-Marie’s Made In Maine

I was in the Portland Maine store on 9÷21÷2015. Upon entering I was not greeted or acknowledged, even my intentionally passing the checkout counter twice, where two employees were talking but aware of my presence, did not get a response. I deliberately stopped in front of the counter and looked around. Finally I was asked if I was looking for something. I said «No, but thanks for asking.» As I was leaving the store unhappy with the way I was ignored, three ladies entered and were immediately greeted in a friendly manner. Dismayed, I left the store and got my wife from a nearby store and told her of my experience. My wife went in and experienced the same kind of treatment and attitude; a staff member even squeezed by my wife looking down, not asking to help her and acting as though she was not there. It was obvious to my wife and I that because the three ladies that were greeted were White and my wife and I are not that was the reason were treated differently. I do not care about people with their personal biases, but as potential buyer I should be treated with respect and courtesy. My ethnicity or skin tone should not matter.

Lisa-Marie’s is a really cute little store. I see this as the ideal store for someone who’s shopping for out of state friends and relatives. My first thought was that this is a great store for tourists, but it’s more than that. People who live here frequently want to buy local but they don’t know where to go. Or they want to send something Maine-​ish to people who aren’t lucky enough to live here, but they’re looking for something more than a coffee mug with pictures of dancing lobsters on it. This is a good place to start looking.
I’m a fan of the Blue Flame hot sauce that’s made here and has blueberries in it but there’s more. You can find local pottery, jewelry, and much more. Even though I didn’t buy anything at Lisa-Marie’s, I’m sure that I’m going back when I start Christmas shopping.

This cute little gem in the heart of Portland’s Old Port is truly a fantastic place to find anything from Maine amethyst earrings to hand-​made pottery to lobster bibs. Everything in this quaint shop is Made In Maine! The staff is super friendly and will gift wrap anything you buy, and even ship it for you if you want to send it as a gift or if you’re not from the area! Support local, buy local!

Made In Maine has lots of cute stuff that you don’t really need but would make nice accessories in your home. Some could definitely be a conversation starter, but you could probably get the same things for less on Etsy.

This is a family run and operated store featuring local artists and craftsmen.
The selection is more «run of the mill» than the other stores along the street, however the prices seemed to be more reasonable.
PRO: Great example of the «Buy Local: Keep Portland Independent» sentiment that is prevalent in Old Town.