The Market Report

Goggin's IGA Opened: 1946 originally; 2001 in current location Owner:  Jack and Kathy Jo Goggin Previous Tenants:  none Cooperative:  IGA Location:  268 Water St, Randolph, ME Photographed:  June 11, 2022 It's time to round out our Maine coverage with a tour here at Goggin's IGA in Randolph! The independent supermarket has been in business since 1946, but here in this 27,000 square foot building since 2001. Produce is in the front-right corner along with the pharmacy, and deli-bakery line the rest of the first aisle. Meat and seafood are on the back wall, with dairy and frozen on the left side of the store. The store is smaller than the nearby Hannaford, for instance, but is without a doubt a full-line supermarket. This decor package bears some similarities to other IGA decor we've seen, and it's possible there's some coordination between IGA and the design firm to use similar decor. It's also entirely possible that's just a coincidence. A look across ...

Buddies Groceries Opened: 1992 Owner:  Shane and Bud Savage Previous Tenants:  unknown Cooperative:  IGA Location:  43 Main St, Oakland, ME Photographed:  August 12, 2019 I love the look of these old-school street front stores in small towns! Once again, I'm not too certain on the history of this building, but Buddies Groceries has been occupying the approximately 9,000 square foot space since 1992. They're an IGA member. The first aisle is on the right side of the store, with beer on the outside wall along with some dairy. Meat and deli line the back wall with the rest of dairy and produce in the last aisle on the left side. Frozen foods are in the front-left corner. It's a small store, but complete (there's even a small in-store kitchen that makes prepared foods). This store is obviously on the older side, but like many small-town independent grocers, kept up nicely. IGA stores in New England (and parts of the mid-Atlantic) are supplied by Bozzuto's and use F...

Tozier's Family Markets Open: 2021-2024 Owner:  Dale Tozier Previous Tenants:  Save-A-Lot > Brewer IGA Later Tenants:  vacant Cooperative:  none Location:  87 S Main St, Brewer, ME Photographed:  June 13, 2022 Just across from Tiller & Rye is this longtime supermarket, which goes back decades although I haven't been able to pin down the exact history here (so anyone who knows this area, please tell me what I'm missing!). In recent history, the approximately 16,000 square foot supermarket has been a Save-A-Lot, which closed around 2020 and became the Brewer IGA. That store also closed shortly after opening, and in 2021 it became a location of Tozier's Family Markets . Tozier's closed all but its smallest store in 2024, and this one has remained vacant since. Inside, the Save-A-Lot history is clear. Brewer IGA updated some of the signage, but the bones are distinctly Save-A-Lot (including these food image posters). See here for an example. Produce ...

Main Street Grocery Opened: 2022 under current ownership; 2018 previously Owner:  Greg Snyder Previous Tenants:  Yellowfront Grocery (1990-2018) Cooperative:  Associated Grocers of New England (previously IGA) Location:  5 Coastal Marketplace, Damariscotta, ME Photographed:  August 10, 2019 Constructed in 1990 as the Yellowfront Grocery (with a yellow front -- or at least a partially yellow front ), this approximately 15,000 square foot supermarket became Main Street Grocery in 2018 . Local business owners Jane and Gary Gravel took over the supermarket when Yellowfront closed, then sold it again in 2022 . The new owner, Greg Snyder, has switched the store's supplier from IGA (supplied by Bozzuto's) to Associated Grocers of New England. When I visited in the summer of 2019, it was still owned by the Gravels and still an IGA member. The store isn't that old, but has an old-school, familiar feeling. You enter in the front-left corner and walk across the front to p...