Tozier's Family Markets - Searsport, ME

Tozier's Family Markets
Open: 1964-2024

Owner: Dale Tozier

Previous Tenants: unknown

Later Tenants: Edwards Brothers Supermarkets (2024- )

Cooperative: none

Location: 22 E Main St, Searsport, ME

Photographed: August 14, 2019

Tozier's Family Markets isn't exactly a household name, but the grocery store was previously a small chain in this region of Maine. This 11,000 square foot supermarket opened back in 1964 and was in business for 60 years, closing in the summer of 2024. I visited it while it was still open in the summer of 2019.

After Tozier's closed, another local chain called Edwards Brothers Supermarkets reopened this location. They're supplied by Hannaford, as are several independents in the area. They lightly remodeled the former Tozier's prior to opening.

Edwards Brothers doesn't seem to have changed the layout. Deli-bakery are in the front-right corner, with produce and meats in the rest of the first aisle. Beer is on the back wall, with frozen and dairy in the last aisle.

This store is deep but very narrow (six aisles in total). Because of the slant of one of the side walls, the last aisle is wider at the front of the store than at the back, and there's another half-aisle there.

The brand name Shop 'n Save isn't widely used anymore, but Edwards Brothers still advertises that customers can "shop 'n save with us".

Deli is the only service counter here, although it looks like there's a (small) in-store bakery and meats are also cut in-store.

Tozier's was supplied by C&S and used Best Yet brand products. Because Edwards Brothers is supplied by Hannaford, they use Hannaford brand products along with the other Ahold Delhaize brands like Nature's Promise.

It looks like Edwards Brothers redid the flooring when they moved in, and while the floor wasn't in bad shape under Tozier's, it looked a little dated.

Former owner Dale Tozier said at the time of this store's closing that revenue had dropped enough that they were no longer able to make payroll. Another Tozier's in Brewer also closed around the same time, but a third in Bucksport remains open. We'll take a look at both of those stores soon!

Looking back over towards the first aisle...

An interesting find in the health and beauty section is these bottles of calamine lotion, showing a TopCare logo and package design long since out of circulation. (Don't worry, these products weren't that old; when I visited, they were still several years away from expiration.)

Dairy is in the back half of the last aisle, with frozen foods in the front.

And a look across the front-end. You can see the deli-bakery in the opposite corner below, too.

Customer service is on the front wall next to the entrance and exit.

This now marks Edwards Brothers' fourth location. I've unfortunately never been inside an Edwards Brothers store, but I have photographed the outside of one that we'll see soon. Before then, let's check in with another local chain about six miles inland from here!