Eastport is having something of a revival, with the formerly empty storefronts getting filled with all sorts of knickknack shops, antique stores, art galleries and studios and restaurants. What a great occasion, and I hope they get continued business. Eastport is yet another isolated DownEast Maine town that has lost out in the ongoing economic difficulties that already faced Maine long before the recession hit. However, as it is one of several ways to get into Canada, tourism is one of its engines. With 50 minutes to kill while waiting to take the ferry to Canada, we had time to walk down Water street and glance in at most of the places here. The lovely 100 year old buildings add character to the stores, and most are nicely updated inside, creating a warm mixture of the old and new. The Commons is one such place, and I enjoyed the many local Passamaquoddy Indian baskets and other artifacts on sale here. The reservation is about 3 miles away, and as we didn't have time to stop there on our way, we could at least see some of the finer handycrafts they produce on display here. Local artist paintings, jewelry, pottery and other items here made it a worthwhile stop; you won't find anything but locally made objects. The shopkeeper was very nice, and although I wanted to get something as a memento and a contribution to the local economy, I didn't have time to examine or fully appreciate all the items here. So I ended getting something you smell all the time along the roads here, sweetgrass. A braided weave of collected grass strands, it smells deliciously sweet and heady, a welcome reminder during my time away of the beauty of this State. Purchase in hand I raced out the door, collected my passengers and drove up the road to the waiting ferry. And made a mental note to spend a good day in Eastport and the area next year. read more

Commons Eastport - the store is up to the right - Art Galleries Near Me - Eastport, Maine

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A medium sized store with a good number of high-end locally made craft items. Not a destination in itself, but if you are in Eastport and appreciate fine artisan work, definitely worth a stop. My favorite items were some beautiful woven scarves, some suede squares that could either be potholders or wall decorations (with contrast color designs, e.g., crows, lobster claws etc), and some beautiful oil small oil paintings. There was also jewelry, but I can't assess it because I didn't really look at it closely. You could definitely buy someone a beautiful gift here. read more

A pleasant shop which features local items such as Indian baskets, jewelry, crafts, wooden sculptures, fiber art and clothes. Beautiful to look at but too pricey for us locals. Not to say the items are worth it but I would say the store caters to tourists who might have more $$$ to spend. read more