BREWER, Maine — From the blueberry to the lobster, Maine has many iconic staples.
Over the last five years, the small business Box of Maine has capitalized on what the state is known best for, by selling themed gift boxes full of blueberry jam, maple syrup, Maine-scented candles, and more.
The boxes are sold all over the world, according to owner Daniel Finnemore.
The business held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday at their new storefront in Brewer. They celebrated by donating 10 percent of all in-person sales made during its grand opening to the Durgin Center in Brewer, a communal spot for Maine seniors.
Box of Maine staffs five full-time employees and partners with more than 60 Maine small businesses to fill its gift boxes.
Last year, Box of Maine sold more than 25,000 of its Maine-themed gift boxes, giving them the opportunity to help other Maine businesses during the pandemic.
“I was writing checks and meeting up with some of these manufacturers, and giving them a check for a thousand jugs of maple syrup and they were saying, ‘You don’t understand how much this means to me right now. Our sales are plummeted. This is going to pay our bills. This is going to put food on the table for my family,'" Finnemore said. "When you hear that as a small business owner, born and raised here in Maine, that lights a fire under you, and that is why we just keep pressing forward.”
Now that the opening celebration is over, Box of Maine has also pledged to donate one dollar for every gift box sold during the month of August to the Durgin Center.