NEWS AND EVENTS

Hello everyone and happy holidays! Looking back over this year, we can't help but smile because most everything we did and accomplished revolved around Mr. Calamity, otherwise known as our sweet puppy Phineas. He brought (and brings) both wonder, disruption, and sticks to our personal and professional lives and we wouldn't have it any other way.

At the shop, we acquired finds from online auctions, estate sales, and private purchases. We saw a huge uptake in people requesting our services and advice regarding antiques, and that means that our shop is getting a sound reputation as a good community resource.

We also constructed a new sign and though it was smaller than we anticipated, it is mighty and keeps the coastal winds at bay. And did you notice how our outside lights twinkle now? Thanks to a good designer and wordsmith, we created a new line of Maine tees. They make great gifts!

Our staff was a blessing to us again this year. They worked hard, made the shop look beautiful with their bright ideas and displays, and made us laugh. We couldn't ask for a better family.

This year we were more mindful of our booth at Cabot Mill in Brunswick, refreshing its look more regularly. We hope you explore our offerings there in addition to visiting our shop in Freeport.

As business owners and residents of Freeport, we volunteered countless hours this year for the NEA-funded Our Town project at Meetinghouse Arts, Freeport Speech, and the Freeport Woman's Club fundraisers. We never did take a vacation.

At the office, we got our new website up and running and posted more regularly on Facebook. We are inching our way to a more dedicated online presence. Next up Instagram! We also updated our computers, phones, and printers to meet the demands of our growing business. None of this would have been possible without the help of our incredible assistant Lisa Kent.

On the home front, we got two new knees (Amanda) and two new eyes (Nick's cataract surgery). Everything went well.

Our personal hopes for 2025? Good health, certainly, and a more mature puppy so that he can become a welcoming shop dog. We also want to corral our inventory and perhaps travel with our brand new passports; Amanda always wants more German marbles! Our hopes for you? That you know the joy of wet puppy kisses, have a spring in your step no matter what age, and know the feeling of full-on belly laughter.

Best,

Nick and Amanda

This holiday season we are hosting a local guest artist, Beth Dunfee, who paints miniature pet portraits and other scenes on ornament-sized canvases. She’s created a lovely display of ornaments for sale at the shop and has included her contact information for custom orders. If there’s a dog or cat in your life, get them on canvas and then onto your tree!

For those of you who have visited the shop, you’ll have noticed the wooden horse that’s been tucked into one side of the porch. The artist, Richard Allen, visited us last week to repair our filly’s mouth, in preparation for transportation to her new home. While he was there, he also shored up our wooden moose (who’s on the other side of the porch). Here are some shots of the big sendoff. (More of Richard’s work at Sculpting Steeds: Richard Allen’s Driftwood Art of Midcoast Maine.)

Maine Wicked Goods was chosen as a finalist in the Antique Store category by Best of the Midcoast—what a thrill! See more at https://www.pressherald.com/2024/06/14/the-times-record-best-of-the-midcoast-2024/?eicat=c462a2f5-ff6d-4f46-bb28-78be311eaeba

This summer the National Geographic team stopped by to film part of a segment for the state of Maine. This fall we were able to see the finished product. We were lucky enough to be shown not only in their video clip but also in their online article—a true honor. Here’s a photo of the film’s narrator loving on Phinny. See more at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/paid-content-the-mystic-side-of-maine-is-found-in-fairies-desert-sands-and-unexpected-boat-tour