SEARSPORT, Maine — The town of Searsport’s only grocery store reopened Friday under new ownership after being closed for months.
Tozier's Family Market abruptly closed in July after more than 20 years in business.
Now, Edwards Brothers Supermarkets has stepped in to fill that gap, reopening the space after months of renovations.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the reopening. Searsport residents and nearby shoppers celebrated the return.
“I’m glad that it’s back for this community,” Belfast resident Mary Melton said.
Jeremy Edwards, the store’s co-owner, said he feels “overjoyed and overwhelmed” with the positive response.
Edwards and his brother Jason own three other grocery stores in Maine, located in Unity, Trenton, and Dover-Foxcroft. They purchased the shuttered Tozier's location shortly after it closed.
“The community needed this store, and we wanted to make sure they had it leading up to the holidays,” Jeremy Edwards said. “We want to make everyone feel welcomed and be that hub that Tozier’s was for Searsport and continue that forward.”
The team also invested in significant updates, including new lighting, floors, and coolers.
“We’re really putting the time and energy into the location that it desperately needed,” Jeremy Edwards said.
Many customers appreciated the renovations.
“They’ve done a tremendous job in the store, brightening it up and making it very welcoming,” Melton said. “Really enjoy it.”
Searsport Town Manager James Gillway said he’s excited about the store’s return.
“Searsport’s had a shopping store for decades, for centuries, there’s been a store on Main Street,” he said. “The feel of community here is amazing. People, they’re just friendly, we’re all talking. It’s good to see our friends come back out and shop on Main Street.”
For many, having easy access to a grocery store again is a game-changer.
“So people don’t have to travel so far, because there’s a lot of elderly people in our communities," Melton said. "And it’s nice to just have another option to go to."
For Searsport resident Roger Ramsey, it’s great to have a store close to home again, because he lives “right across the street.”
Ramsey said he's happy to be able to just cross the road to get his groceries again instead of having to drive to Belfast—and to see friends and neighbors.
“We’ve missed it for some period of time, and coming in, it looks bigger and fuller than it ever has before, so it’s nice,” Ramsey said.
Edwards Brothers Supermarkets in Searsport is now open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Jeremy Edwards said the store is about 98% complete, with final touches like lighting and getting coolers running expected to be finished before the end of the year.