The Maine Coast Book Shop was originally started in 1964 by the two Mosman sisters in the Day Block on Damariscotta’s Main Street. Their modest plan was to offer a selection of books, stationery & note cards and Bridge playing cards & tallies. They also were a rental library for new books. In 1972, Ewing Walker bought the bookshop, and a year or so later he hired Susan Porter as manager. The bookshop then moved across the street to the space now occupied by Sheepscot River Pottery in 1978.

It was 1986 when Susan, as well as Penny Walker and Barbara Cooney (children’s book illustrator & author) took over as owners. As the business grew and space became a problem again, it became apparent a decision had to be made: Stay Here and Stay Small or Move to a Big Space and Get Big. They chose to Get Big and so moved once again in the summer of 1993, back across the street to the old Yellow Front Grocery Store space in Lincoln Hall.

Susan Porter eventually assumed full ownership of the business and in 2000 decided to not only expand the store space AGAIN, but to purchase the entire ground floor of Lincoln Hall (which is a condominium, shared with the theater above), make major renovations and to add the café that Main Street has always cried out for. She put her husband to work on this plan, drove him hard, and in the spring of 2002 the all new, ever bigger Maine Coast Book Shop & Café opened its doors as the popular business you see today.

©  2007   Maine Coast Book Shop & Cafe     All Rights Reserved.