30 Maine Mom-and-Pop Shops We Love From Lincoln to Penobscot

Convenience stores are common in the Bangor area and throughout Maine. But, when you live in an area like ours where a grocery store isn't just 'don't the road', a local convenience store becomes a necessity of living in this area.

Growing up in the Bangor area, I remember walking down to the local convenience store as a kid to grab a bite to eat, a snack, or a soda. As a kid with no ability to get anywhere, I didn't have a choice where to walk because there was only one store within walking distance unless I had a good 5 hours to walk into town.

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Convenience stores in the area are commonly long-standing, they remain in the community for decades. They become integrated into the community they open up in and serve as a social spot merely out of the need of necessity. They are also owned and operated by families living near or at the location so, they are already integrated with the community simply being a resident in the town or part of town they serve.

The variety of offerings of a mom-and-pop convenience store is kind of the spice of a local variety store. Some stores are pretty straightforward, offering soda, candy bars, chips, beer, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. Others can be unassuming gold mines of incredible desserts and homemade foods that you would have never guessed could be made at a simple convenience store.

Taking a look at the metro area of Bangor and combing through locations beyond the metro area, like Downeast, into Central Maine, and up to Lincoln, here's a list of our hometown favorite mom-and-pop shops that keep the tight-knit communities running.