Shopper's Diary: The Post Supply in Portland, Maine

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The New York City to Portland migration continues and while much has been made of the love-hate Brooklynfication of the Maine city, the cross-pollination of cultures can sometimes yield magic. Case in point: recently opened general store, The Post Supply, “located on easily what’s the most happening street in Portland,” reports Annie (whose new book Remodelista in Maine hit bookstores just a couple days ago.)

Owners Katie Bowes and Hannah Haehn met in Brooklyn a decade ago and remained close despite Katie’s move to Portland a few years later. “We have also always been aligned aesthetically from clothing to home decor,” says Hannah—which is why they thought to collaborate on a store that would carry good-looking, well-made domestic goods. The two started brainstorming their dream shop in 2020 (just as the pandemic hit) and opened its online iteration a year later, followed by the brick and mortar Portland store this March.

It’s been important to Hannah and Katie (a Portland resident of seven years now) that The Post Supply honor and reflect the unique can-do spirit of native Mainers. “The community here is very supportive and encouraging of new shops, and the lifestyle here lends itself to the type of product we wanted to represent,” says Katie. “That New England ingenuity, love for the outdoors and gardening and exploring beaches, rivers, and lakes, and also the need to surround yourself with special, quality goods at home. You can see the 1:1 translation in our assortment, where we try to meet our customer needs with wonderful items for this lifestyle.”

Photography by Meredith Brockington, courtesy of The Post Supply.

&#8\2\20;there are a handful of really beautifully curated, special stores 17 — Above: “There are a handful of really beautifully curated, special stores here and we felt we could add a different perspective, represent some new artisans and makers not yet represented here in Portland or, in some cases, in Maine,” says Katie. “We truly believe in the saying, ‘a rising tide raises all ships,’ and only want to add to the enthusiasm around Portland and Maine in general.”

&#8\2\20;we want to be a resource you can come to and know the work has bee 18 — Above: “We want to be a resource you can come to and know the work has been done to ensure the product you are buying is going to be special, made with care and thoughtfulness, and be a beautiful addition to your home, pantry, or self-care routine,” says Hannah. Among the products pictured here on the shelves are bottles of Frontier Maple organic syrup and jars of Rhea Goods preserved lemon, both made in Maine, as well as some Remodelista favorites—wooden candlesticks by Sir/Madam and glassware by La Soufflerie.

for a general store, the post supply carries an impressive selection of books. 19 — Above: For a general store, The Post Supply carries an impressive selection of books. “My personal dream has always been to just have a giant dining room table of art, photography, and design books—stacked, spread open, and available to be leafed through in my home. I don’t have that, but it’s with that dream in mind that we wanted to create that feeling of a browsing library at The Post Supply,” shares Hannah.

&#8\2\20;we spent a relatively long time working on the design for the phys 20 — Above: “We spent a relatively long time working on the design for the physical store. It felt really important to us to create a space that was emblematic of the brand we are building,” says Katie, who enlisted her friend Kacee Witherbee (of Insides Studios) as well as her own husband, Brad, (a woodworker and founder of Joiya Studios) to realize her and Hannah’s vision. “He designed and built everything, including the flow of the space, all fixtures, paneling, the tables that hold product, and the accent furniture,” exclusively using pine and cherry wood, both of which are local to Maine.

the hand painted ceramic plates on the wall are made by california based cerami 21 — Above: The hand-painted ceramic plates on the wall are made by California-based ceramicist Rebekah Miles, a long-time friend of Hannah. “She created 12 plates with Maine-centric botanicals and native wildflowers like aster and wild blueberries, and then some sweet butterflies. Each is entirely unique. We feel so incredibly lucky to have collaborated with her on these and love them so much,” say Katie.

&#8\2\20;we have met so many locals who seem genuinely enthusiastic to have 22 — Above: “We have met so many locals who seem genuinely enthusiastic to have us in their area. We already have a few regulars and recognizing these new faces and feeling their appreciation for what we are doing is incredibly gratifying,” says Katie.

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