Since opening in 1964, the Maine Coast Book Shop has been a fixture in downtown Damariscotta for more than 50 years. In that time the shop has seen minor modifications, including ownership changes and relocations. Currently, the store is preparing for another major change, as Susan Porter prepares for her last month as owner.
A lifelong love of books may have been what led Susan to become the owner of the Maine Coast Book Shop, a title she has worn for the last 42 years. Since she was a young girl, Susan has been a reader. One year, she received books for Christmas, only to have her sister tell her she felt sorry for her.
“She felt bad because she got these toys and I got books,” Susan said. “But that’s OK, because that’s really what I wanted.”
Although her husband, Barnaby Porter, said he didn’t really ask for books for Christmas, he still received them, and grew up with books around the house. His mother, Barbara Cooney, was a celebrated children’s book author and illustrator. Cooney illustrated 112 books during her 52-year career and was a two-time winner of the Caldecott Medal.
“It’s a highly prestigious award for illustrators, and she won it twice,” Barnaby said. “Not many people had done that.”
Originally from Massachusetts, Barnaby and Susan moved to Maine in 1968 after marrying the previous year. Susan started working for a bookstore in Brunswick before Ewing Walker, owner of the Maine Coast Book Shop, approached her with a job offer. She immediately said yes.
“He really knew how to sell books and talk to people,” Susan said. “He sat at the front desk and sold books and let me do a little bit of everything else. I got to do the bookkeeping, order the books, organize the shelves, pretty much everything. That’s really how I learned how to run the store.”
At the time, the bookstore was located in the current location of Weatherbird on Main Street. Susan remembered the store being “very small,” but said she still enjoyed it.
In 1978, Walker moved the store into a slightly larger space across the street, a space now home to Sheepscot River Pottery. A few years later, Walker decided it was time to retire. Susan decided to buy the shop and was joined by Ewing’s wife, Penny, and Susan’s mother-in-law, Cooney. Barnaby said his mother had always wanted to own part of a bookstore.
When the three women took over in 1986, they moved the offices from the main floor of the building to the second floor to add more space to the store.
The Maine Coast Book Shop moved to its current location in the first floor of Lincoln Hall at 158 Main St. in 1993. Barnaby shifted into the role of a building manager, taking care of everything from sealing the foundation and the restoration of the roof to tightening the screws on the sink in the bathroom.
“I wasn’t too keen on the building when we first moved in, but after all the work that has been put into it, I’m quite proud of it now,” Barnaby said.
Barnaby said that although the Porters live in Walpole, they have become quite involved with the downtown business community of Damariscotta as well as town business. Barnaby served as a member of the steering committee to create a comprehensive plan and is a member of the waterfront project committee.
The Porters were also active with the effort to build the present Skidompha Library, an effort led by Cooney. More than $3 million was raised for the new facility, which opened in May 2001. Cooney passed away in 2000. In 2013, she was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Society of Illustrators.
Since 2000, Susan has been the sole owner of the Maine Coast Book Shop & Café. She has taken on many different roles within the store, from ringing up customers’ purchases at the front desk to ordering the books on the shop’s shelves, one of her favorite parts of the job.
Publishing companies would send sales representatives to the shop with catalogs of books and recommendations based on what the publisher thought would be successful. Occasionally Susan and the representatives would not see eye to eye.
“Over the years, you develop cumulative knowledge about what is going to sell well and what is not,” Susan said. “One time a rep came in with this book that was violent and horrible and suggested I buy five for the store. I told him I didn’t want any because the readers here don’t want to read that sort of thing.
“I’ll never forget, (the rep) told me, ‘You live in Wonderland, do you realize this?'” Susan said. “I told him, ‘Yes, actually, I do.'”
There have been times in the past in which a representative’s recommendation was correct, however. When the store opened at its current location, a representative recommended Susan purchase 100 copies of the book “The Bridges of Madison County.” Susan said she thought it must have been a joke, but was reassured it was a serious recommendation.
“By the end of the summer we must have sold hundreds of that book,” Susan said.
Susan said Maine books, mysteries, and children’s books are some of the best sellers in the store; however, history books, science books, and biographies also do quite well, something that has surprised the representatives.
“It really is a reflection of the caliber of this reading community,” Barnaby said.
The Porters also have different tastes in books. Barnaby prefers books on historical events and science topics, whereas Susan enjoys fiction and literary fiction. Both are willing to read recommendations from the other, as they do with most books recommended to them.
“Most of my friends are readers, so they will come to me and tell me all about the great books they’re reading,” Susan said. “Some of our passionate customers will come in with wonderful recommendations, and we will share their comments under the staff picks.”
Barnaby said both he and Susan have forged some wonderful relationships with the customers throughout the years. From regulars who visit almost daily to summer residents the Porters see every year, the customers help make the Maine Coast Book Shop & Café special.
“This has really become a place of social interaction,” Barnaby said. “There’s a lot of social exchange that goes on, and at times it can get a bit noisy in here.”
“There’s something about the atmosphere (of the shop) that makes it special,” Susan said. “I’ve stood in a Barnes & Noble in New York and observed the customers there and it’s just very different than what we have here. We’re very lucky to be involved in such a community.”
The Maine Coast Book Shop was named The New England Bookstore of the Year in 2008 by the Book Publishers Representatives of New England and the New England Independent Booksellers Association.
At the time of the April announcement that Susan was looking to sell the book shop, there was “quite a lot of panic,” Barnaby said. Susan believed it was time for a minor change.
“I really felt it was time for someone with new ideas to come in and do some things differently,” Susan said.
The Porters contacted a broker who had experience in selling bookstores. Barnaby said the broker asked what the most important thing was that they were looking for in a new owner.
“We said the most important thing was that something of this caliber stays here and survives,” Barnaby said. “We have a duty to the community, because the town really feels like they own Main Street, and you can’t blame them.”
In October, the bookstore announced that Jeff Curtis, of Boothbay Harbor, would take over as new owner of the Maine Coast Book Shop & Café. Curtis owns Sherman’s Books, which has locations in Bar Harbor, Boothbay Harbor, Camden, Freeport, and Portland. Sherman’s Books and Maine Coast Book Shop have both been named Best Bookstore in Maine by Down East Magazine.
Susan said she also knew Curtis through her work on the Lincoln County Healthcare Board of Trustees. Curtis chairs the board.
“(Curtis) is a very community-minded guy,” Susan said. “He knows Maine, he knows the business, and I really like him and think he will do well.”
Susan said Curtis has met with the Porters and reassured them he did not intend to make any significant changes to the shop. His life partner, Maria Boord, will take over the operation of the café.
In honor of the Maine Coast Book Shop & Café, Curtis will operate his six bookstores under the name Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shops.
The Porters will continue to run the book shop until Dec. 31. Curtis will take over the operation on Jan. 1. Susan said the Porters will continue to be involved as consultants as needed.
After handing over ownership of the store, the Porters intend to travel and visit family, including a new granddaughter. However, they will continue to remain a part of the community.
“This is a magical little town, and it’s wonderful to be a part of it,” Barnaby said.
