Maine Business in September 2026: shipyard millions, new stores, hospital strife

Maine businesses saw major infrastructure investment, retail openings and closures, and an ongoing labor dispute in health care this month. Startups, manufacturers and local governments also advanced new projects around the state.

Deals, Development & Real Estate

• The Kittery shipyard is set to receive $654 million in infrastructure upgrades, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• An infrastructure contractor based in Auburn was acquired by a Houston firm, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• A Scarborough campground sold to an out-of-state buyer for $6 million, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Portland is inviting proposals for its Midtown properties, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Gorham approved an Amazon project, though roadblocks may still lie ahead, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• A bridge will connect trail networks in Portland's Stroudwater neighborhood, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Mount Desert Island Hospital's new main entrance is expected to improve access, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Construction started on the Lumbermen's Museum in Greenville, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)

Openings, Expansions & Closures

• Burlington plans to open an Augusta store, bringing the Turnpike Mall to nearly full occupancy, Central Maine reported. (Central Maine)
• Ollie's Bargain Outlet plans to open a location in a now-vacant space at The Concourse in Waterville, Central Maine reported. (Central Maine)
• Rosemont Market found room to grow in Yarmouth, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• CLYNK plans to close its Biddeford processing facility, cutting 54 jobs, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Portland Pie plans to close its Westbrook location after 20 years, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• The Passamaquoddy are considering ways to save Eastport's only grocery store after the RM IGA Foodliner closed, forcing residents to shop in Perry or Calais, Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)
• Cooper Flagg's new store was touted as a big boost for downtown Bangor, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Mère brings sweet nostalgia to Cumberland, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• A Portland restaurant was named among the New York Times' 50 best restaurants, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)

Manufacturing, Industry & Made in Maine

• Capt'n Eli's Soda, made in Maine, brings nostalgia and quality to a competitive market, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• A Cumberland belt maker creates wearable art, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• IDEXX expanded its Faecal Dx antigen testing platform in the United Kingdom, adding tapeworm detection, Business Wire reported. (Business Wire)
• Lyman-Morse Workboats was contracted to build a 59-foot research vessel for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, PR Newswire reported. (PR Newswire)
• A Maine manufacturer struck two deals to secure its tungsten supply, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)

Jobs, Labor & Leadership

• Allagash Brewing named a new sales leader as its flagship beer entered the Hall of Fame, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Kennebunk Savings promoted its controller to CFO and treasurer, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• A Bangor health provider announced pay freezes and further cutbacks, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Mills asked the owner of a Lewiston hospital to reinstate nurses, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Lewiston hospital nurses voted to unionize and demanded the reinstatement of 20 co-workers, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Bucksport has spent $240,000 in legal bills in disputes with a scrap metal firm, Bangor Daily News reported. (Bangor Daily News)
• Hannaford agreed to a $9 million class action settlement after changing how it pays midlevel managers, with more than 1,400 current and former employees to receive a share, Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)

Economy & Cost of Living

• Maine's apple harvest was expected to rebound, making the state a bright spot compared to national harvests, Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)
• The price of heating oil broke the record set in 2022, The Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• A 'quiet enemy of inflation' still looms for Maine businesses after the Federal Reserve's rate hike, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• The Norridgewock board approved a medical marijuana grow operation in a former chicken barn, setting conditions for a permit, Central Maine reported. (Central Maine)
• Maine Family Federal Credit Union restored service after an outage, The Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)

Startups & Economic Development

• Waterville's business accelerator lineup spans sectors from food systems to drone management, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Bangor is drawing out-of-state firms as the region sees 'good stuff happening,' Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Maine's startup support system is taking an academic turn to reach a bigger audience, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Waterville's investment in the arts is paying off a decade later, drawing more cultural opportunities for residents and visitors, Central Maine reported. (Central Maine)
• The Penobscot Nation and the Trust for Public Land completed the first phase of the Wáhsehtəkʷ land return, GlobeNewswire reported. (GlobeNewswire)

Community & Retail

• A Lewiston drug treatment provider plans a 28-bed recovery center for Auburn at the former Spurwink School site, Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)
• Biddeford and Saco joined a national homelessness response network, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• A gallery entrepreneur is taking an unusual approach to funding a permanent location, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• The Sea Dogs hit a revenue 'home run' in 2026, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• L.L. Bean and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, along with his wife Ann Michael Maye, became partners to market the Freeport retailer's clothes, Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)

This roundup summarizes reporting by other outlets; follow the links for their full stories.