Sherman's Maine Coast Book Shops (formerly Sherman's Book Store) is a
book and
stationery retailer operating in
Maine, United States. It is the oldest bookstore in the state, having been established in 1886, and is one of the ten oldest bookstores in the United States.
The chain's
flagship store is on Main Street in
Bar Harbor, opened by
William Henry Sherman
William Henry Sherman (October 4, 1865 – May 18, 1928) was an American businessman and writer. In 1886, he founded W. H. Sherman, Printer & Stationer, in Bar Harbor, Maine, which went on to become Sherman's Book Store. It is now the oldest bo ...
. That store remains open, and as of 2022, eight other stores are in operation. They are located in
Damariscotta,
Boothbay Harbor
Boothbay Harbor is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,027 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of Bayville, Sprucewold, and West Boothbay Harbor. During summer months, the entire Boothbay Harbor regio ...
,
Freeport Freeport, a variant of free port, may refer to:
Places United States
*Freeport, California
*Freeport, Florida
*Freeport, Illinois
*Freeport, Indiana
*Freeport, Iowa
*Freeport, Kansas
*Freeport, Maine, a New England town
**Freeport (CDP), Maine, the ...
,
Rockland Rockland may refer to:
People
*Per Bergsland, nicknamed Peter Rockland, one of three successful escapees from Stalag Luft III (the "Great Escape")
Places
;In Canada
*Rockland, Greater Victoria
*Rockland, Nova Scotia
*Rockland, Ontario
;In the Uni ...
,
Topsham,
Windham,
Falmouth and
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
.
A store in
Camden
Camden may refer to:
People
* Camden (surname), a surname of English origin
* Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer
* Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor
Places Australia
* Camden, New South Wales
* Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...
opened in 2004, but closed in 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is a part of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the Uni ...
.
History
In 1866, William Henry Sherman, a native of
Sullivan, Maine
Sullivan is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,219 at the 2020 census. The town was named for Daniel Sullivan, an early settler. Colloquially referred to as "Sully" or "the Sullivans"—like many Maine municipa ...
, established a
printing press, W. H. Sherman, Printer & Stationer, in
Bar Harbor. It printed the town's newspaper, the ''Bar Harbor Times'', as well as his own works and that of some of Bar Harbor's year-round and summer residents.
At the turn of the century, when the books and stationery branch of the business was the emphasis, Sherman's four daughters began running the company.
William Sherman died in 1928, aged 62.
The quartet sold the business to the Curtis family in 1962. A third generation of the family became involved in the business in 2013.
In 2016, the company changed its name to Sherman's Maine Coast Book Shops after purchasing Maine Coast Books in
Damariscotta.
See also
*
List of independent bookstores in the United States
This is a list of independent bookstores in the United States, both current and defunct, which have had physical ("brick-and-mortar") locations. Stores which have gone out of business are denoted with a dagger (†).
Alaska
* Fireside Books in ...
References
External links
*
{{Portal bar, Books, Companies, United States
Bookstores of the United States
Book selling websites
Retail companies of the United States
Bookstores established in the 19th century
American companies established in 1886
Retail companies established in 1886
1886 establishments in Maine
Independent bookstores of the United States
Tourist attractions in Bar Harbor, Maine