Old Time Grocery Stores

In the early days, several small family-owned grocery stores provided goods for local families. They were located downtown along Penobscot Avenue. Old local newspapers tell the stories of three of these businesses.

            In 1928, a small building constructed about 1899 became the location for the Millinocket Fruit Store. Early on, the building had housed Hayden’s Photo Studio and later another business (possibly automobile sales). In 1928, David Drago (from Castine) purchased the building from Mrs. Bowler (Dorothy Laverty’s mother). Drago opened a grocery store and called it the Millinocket Fruit Company. He ran the business until 1940, when it was sold to Michael Matangelo who continued to run the business with the help of family members. Chester Matangelo worked as clerk there as he had for Drago (seven years). During WWII, while Chester and John Matangelo were in the military, the Matangelo girls managed the business.      

The 1946 article mentions a few of the store’s offerings at the time included Hood’s Ice Cream, a full line of confectioneries and Schrafft’s, Donna Deane’s and Johnston’s Chocolates. There were fresh fruits, roasted peanuts, soft drinks and a miscellaneous line of cookies and pastry as well as the Pastene brand of groceries and macaroni. At that time there was a new model Dry Cool beer container and everything in tobacco and smokes. The article mentions that beer was in scarce supply since the end of the war, but they hoped to have a plentiful supply soon. The Fruit Store continued to be a local business for several more years after the 1946 article was written.

The original cash register that David Drago brought with him to Millinocket in 1928 is on display at the museum. The Journal article states that as of 1946 Drago was living in Edgecomb, Maine and operating a filling station and night cabins.

A small, but popular, grocery store located at 61 Penobscot Ave. was Cummings Market. Prior to opening the grocery store in 1930, Peter A. Cummings operated a barber shop, pool room and restaurant. When Peter Cummings died in 1940, the market was taken over by the oldest son, Hugh E. Cummings. Hugh ran the business until he entered military service in 1943. The business was closed during that time, then reopened in Sept. of 1946 and became known as H.E. Cummings Market. The market had a bakery featuring home cooking under “the supervision” of Hugh Cummings’ mother, Mrs. Matilda Cummings.

The Monhigan Market (134 Penobscot Ave.) opened about 1934. While it provided the usual selection of meats and groceries, it also had some special features not usually found in grocery stores. One was the Vitamin Bar built by local cabinet maker John Levasseur This was where a shopper found fresh fruit and vegetables “to cater to the taste and health needs of your family.” A second feature was a self-service style frosted food cabinet. This cabinet held “the largest variety of easy-to-prepare food available.” This cabinet held “almost everything in fruits and vegetables, fish and meat, even French-fried potatoes and stuffed chicken lobsters, ready to heat and eat.”

Local small family-owned grocery stores were found in most small towns for many years and Millinocket had the three mentioned above and others.