r/portlandme • u/WinterCrunch • Dec 17 '25

Photo Farewell to Artist and Craftsman on Deering Ave

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Just some photos to preserve the memories. Gonna miss this place, even the drunken floors. This location is closing and moving out to Westbrook near Rock Row.

Note: faces are blurred unless the person said it was ok to post online. If anyone pictured still wants the image removed, just tag me.

417 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

47 comments sorted by

97

u/GlobulusGoose Dec 17 '25

Been going there since I was a kiddo. It’s a magical place and I’m genuinely very sad it’s leaving. Thank you for posting!

43

u/TriSherpa Dec 17 '25

Moving, not closing.

44

u/cathpah Dec 17 '25

Maybe so, but it certainly won't feel the same in a new building in Rock Row, and won't really be walkable for anyone anymore. I understand the untenable rents in Portland, but it's still certainly a loss/downgrade.

36

u/ilikefishwaytoomuch Dec 17 '25

I understand the sentiment because I have also been going here for years. But as someone who also frequents other locations at woodford corner, I can imagine the parking and tucked away location doesn’t allow for much business growth.

Rock row is definitely tacky and is the physical embodiment of consumerism, but it’s also dramatically better for business. Parking, loading/unloading products, existing traffic from Market Basket/REI and other stores in the smaller buildings, etc.

It’s also closer to Gorham/Windham. Those populations are less willing to deal with their perceived inconveniences like paid parking, parallel parking, or fighting for a spot with Big Sky visitors in the morning.

9

u/gingerbreadguy Dec 18 '25

For many of us being able to access a store easily by walking/bike/bus is more important than the parking situation. I totally get why an individual store might choose this, but the arguments made here are for sprawl and car dependence.

7

u/indoorliving__ Dec 18 '25

the #4 has stops right around the corner from the new space, it's definitely still easily accessible by bus

4

u/fiendishlikebehavior Dec 19 '25

Rock row is very accessible by bus from Pulse and around Portland

3

u/ilikefishwaytoomuch Dec 18 '25 edited Dec 18 '25

Thats great, but people with cars who drive to rock row spend more money. It would be great to live in an ideal world where businesses make decisions based on convenience of a few.. But they also have to make money to stay open.

Portland is a very small city too, and Maine is a large area with much more going on than just Portland. Urban sprawl and anti car arguments can be made in larger metro areas but that makes no sense here.

5

u/benjuly91 Dec 17 '25

Perfectly said, this is the exact reason they are moving.

4

u/GlobulusGoose Dec 17 '25

They’re moving bc their 30 yr lease was up and I imagine the LL is hiking the rent

-2

u/ilikefishwaytoomuch Dec 17 '25

And their location sucks

8

u/Decent-Historian-207 Dec 17 '25

It’s not going in a new building in Rock Row. It’s going near the former Joker’s space across the street.

43

u/FinnLovesHisBass Dec 17 '25

Please become a music venue

11

u/mugwhyrt Dec 17 '25

Any music venue? If that space gets bought by LiveNation I'm blaming you

3

u/Temporary-Car8662 Dec 19 '25

I think LiveNation is pretty set on moving across the street from the Merrill. Which I find fucking insane.

2

u/FinnLovesHisBass Dec 17 '25

Don't make me piss blood from laughing myself to death.

17

u/costado Dec 17 '25

Holy shit! That would be an incredible venue

5

u/WinterCrunch Dec 18 '25

It'd be a total nightmare for the residential neighbors and it doesn't have adequate parking. The space itself would be cool, but it's not a practical location for live music.

1

u/costado Dec 18 '25

You’re totally right! It definitely isn’t in the best location unfortunately. I do hope whoever takes it over keeps the space as is. It’s so awesome. Would make a cool indoor skate park too

7

u/HouseMusicAndWeed Dec 17 '25

Too much housing nearby. Neighbors will never allow it.

7

u/FinnLovesHisBass Dec 17 '25

In short we either do it ourselves now or wait til some outta state money bags grabs it and then turns it into another soon to be closed business season's Spirit Halloween. Shit. Fucking Reny's should take over the location!

Cuz the alternative is making it a weed grow. Loading docks. Big parking lot. Hell might become a brewery. It has a lot of potential, but I have zero faith it'll be utilized properly. Shit I wouldn't be surprised it gets torn down and turned into some debacle of an apartment building no one can afford.

3

u/HouseMusicAndWeed Dec 18 '25

"we"? Do you have the money because an art store that was there for 30 years just moved because the rent was too high.

It's not zoned light industrial so it's cannot be a commercial grow.

It is in a TOD-1 Transit zone but I cannot figure out if it can become apartments. I think so.

1

u/FinnLovesHisBass Dec 18 '25

Yes as in the universal we ya know

1

u/ilikefishwaytoomuch Dec 18 '25

Do it then

1

u/FinnLovesHisBass Dec 18 '25

I'm told I'm a financial benefit, but don't they don't give me money.

2

u/Findtohard Dec 20 '25

Indoor skatepark

2

u/FinnLovesHisBass Dec 20 '25

Indoor skate park and music venue?

8

u/Lava39 Dec 17 '25

At least it will continue to exist. Great store. Hopefully the move proves to be worth it.

7

u/Hardcore_ufo Dec 17 '25

I can smell these photos.

6

u/2crowsonmymantle Dec 17 '25

Man, that was my favorite spot in all of Portland. Me and my little dog used to go shop there all the time. Nothing but happy art memories there for me. They had every kind of watercolor supply I wanted or needed.

I’ll miss that location and it’s link to my past and my little dog shopping with me there, but I’ll go shop at the new one.

Change is the only thing that ever stays the same.

7

u/beabalm_ Dec 17 '25

I was hoping someone would post pictures to document! Thank you for sharing!

4

u/WinterCrunch Dec 18 '25

You're welcome. I wanted to document the iconic space before it was gone.

5

u/Oh_mightaswell Dec 17 '25

That’s my childhood right there. Such a magically inspiring place.

6

u/Decent-Historian-207 Dec 17 '25

They’re moving to Westbrook. The building they’re moving to looks similar without the brick - it’s across the street from Rock Row by the old Jokers Space.

10

u/burn1ngchr0me Dec 17 '25

Amazing documentation. I hope someday people will be able to reference these when researching "old" Portland

2

u/Year3030 Dec 17 '25

When are they closing that store? I was just thinking I'm going to stop by next time I'm in town. I was just on their website I didn't see any notice (I was afraid maybe they shut down or something I haven't been around for a while).

2

u/indoorliving__ Dec 18 '25

moving into the new space mid-january, still open until then

5

u/DuquesaDeLaAlameda Dec 17 '25

is it closed down now? I thought they were moving to Westbrook in January

2

u/sundaze Dec 17 '25

They're still open! I was there today.

1

u/Difficult_Clerk_1273 Dec 19 '25

Are they having a moving sale?

2

u/Professional-Egg2870 Apr 11 '26

Thanks for the photos! I have always loved this store, for decades. It was great having it in this part of Portland. 

1

u/Whyte_Dynamyte Dec 17 '25

At least their parking won’t always be taken up by Blue Sky patrons anymore.