Maine's Layoffs And Closings Of 2026, Month By Month

Maine Business Wire tracked 44 layoffs, job cuts and business closings reported across the state from January through September 2026, with items recorded in every month of the period.

Restaurants, bars and food producers made up the largest single category. Closings included Blue Lobster Urban Winery's East Bayside tasting room, Lisa's Legit Burritos in Augusta, Skowhegan's Heritage House, a Deering Center pizza-and-barbecue joint, Shipyard Brew Pub and a Biddeford brewer, Bandaloop in Arundel, and Portland's Woof Play Eat. National and regional retail chains also pulled back their Maine footprint: Eddie Bauer closed stores in Augusta, Kittery and South Portland, West Marine closed its Maine locations as part of a 59-store nationwide reduction, and the Polo Ralph Lauren outlet in Freeport shut down.

Institutions accounted for the largest individual job counts. Pride Manufacturing's closure cut 115 jobs while ending its Lincoln Logs production, and CLYNK's planned closure of its Biddeford processing facility cut 54 jobs. The University of Maine reported two separate rounds of cuts, first trimming $5.6 million from its budget in March and then announcing staff and faculty layoffs tied to a projected $19 million shortfall in September. Health care pulled back as well, with Gray Family Health Center, a Bangor women's health clinic and MaineHealth's Damariscotta labor and delivery service all closing.

The closures reached from Eastport and Lincolnville to Freeport and South Portland, touching nearly every region of the state across food and drink, retail, health care, education and municipal services.

January

• Maine retailer Bull Moose said it would close its North Windham store, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Central Maine Healthcare said it would close Gray Family Health Center in March, though the clinic's primary care services would continue for two more months, the Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)
• Dozens of workers faced layoffs after a Dunkin' pastry factory in Maine abruptly closed following more than 20 years in business, masslive.com reported. (masslive.com)
• Pride Manufacturing said it would close and cut 115 jobs, ending its production of Lincoln Logs in Maine, WGME reported. (WGME)
• CSX announced it would lay off most of its union rail employees at its Waterville facility, the Maine AFL-CIO reported. (Maine AFL-CIO)

February

• Blue Lobster Urban Winery closed its East Bayside tasting room, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• Androscoggin Bank said it would close its downtown Lewiston branch, whose headquarters building had been put up for sale in 2024 as the bank consolidated operations, the Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)
• A Waldoboro eel farm shut down, leaving harvesters and a tribe in the lurch, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• Lisa's Legit Burritos closed its Augusta location amid a personal move and a slow season, with Jay Simanski shifting focus to the Gardiner location, Central Maine reported. (Central Maine)
• Eddie Bauer closed its stores in Augusta, Kittery and South Portland amid a bankruptcy, 94.9 HOM reported. (94.9 HOM)

March

• A women's health clinic in Bangor said it would close this summer due to a physician shortage, newscentermaine.com reported. (newscentermaine.com)
• The University of Maine said it would lay off staff as it cut $5.6 million from its budget, the Bangor Daily News reported. (Bangor Daily News)
• Saco's Way Way Store closed for good after almost 100 years in business, the Bangor Daily News reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• The Cheese Iron in Scarborough said it would close after two decades in business, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• A labor union filed a grievance against Knox County over layoffs at its jail, the Bangor Daily News reported. (Bangor Daily News)

April

• Broadway Bowl in South Portland said it would close after less than three years in business, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• Cool as a Moose said it would close its Brunswick, Maine, location after about 15 years, WJBQ reported. (WJBQ)
• Bangor's Family Dollar store was closing, the Bangor Daily News reported. (Bangor Daily News)
• Grifols' plasma center in Lewiston was set to close on May 4, leaving two plasma donation centers in Maine, the Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)
• A Portland coffee shop was ordered to close over code violations, newscentermaine.com reported. (newscentermaine.com)

May

• The Bucksport landfill was set to shut down after a years-long debate over its future, newscentermaine.com reported. (newscentermaine.com)
• Leisure Time Cocktail Co. said it would close its Thompson's Point bar and shift to canned cocktails, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• Lewiston's Save A Lot grocery store said it was closing, though no closing date had been announced, the Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)
• The Save A Lot store in Paris closed its doors after revenue dropped and expenses rose, its manager said, the Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)
• A Brunswick neighborhood market said it would close after 71 years in business, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)

June

• Skowhegan's Heritage House restaurant said it would close, with a new chapter planned for the site, b985.fm reported. (b985.fm)
• West Marine said its Maine stores were among 59 locations closing nationwide, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• Edgecomb Potters said it would shut down its production site while keeping its stores open, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• A pizza-and-barbecue restaurant in Deering Center closed after nine years in business, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)

July

• Jay's Flower Barn closed its storefront in Jay and was relocating to Livermore Falls, the Sun Journal reported. (Sun Journal)
• Chick-A-Dee of Lewiston announced it was closing after nearly 20 years in business, 92 Moose reported. (92 Moose)
• Citing significant challenges, a Biddeford brewer said it would close in August, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Bangor's Together Place day space said it would close on July 31 amid a funding shortfall, newscentermaine.com reported. (newscentermaine.com)
• The Polo Ralph Lauren outlet in Freeport, Maine, was permanently closing, 94.3 WCYY reported. (94.3 WCYY)

August

• Eastport's only pharmacy closed after the state pulled its license over violations, the Bangor Daily News reported. (Bangor Daily News)
• MaineHealth said it would close its labor and delivery service at its Damariscotta hospital, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• After 94 years in business, Wigon Office Supplies gave stock to teachers before closing, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• McLaughlin's Lobster Shack in Lincolnville closed after 48 years in business, WABI reported. (WABI)
• Shipyard Brew Pub in Eliot, Maine, was permanently closing, 94.3 WCYY reported. (94.3 WCYY)

September

• CLYNK said it would close its Biddeford processing facility and cut 54 jobs, Mainebiz reported. (Mainebiz)
• Bandaloop closed in Arundel after 22 years in business, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• The University of Maine announced planned staff and faculty layoffs to address a projected $19 million budget shortfall, the Portland Press Herald reported. (The Portland Press Herald)
• Portland's Woof Play Eat dog park and restaurant permanently closed, citing lengthy city and state delays, Newsradio WGAN reported. (Newsradio WGAN |)
• West-Port Bowling Lanes in Westbrook was closing after 64 years in business, WGME reported. (WGME)

Compiled from reporting by the outlets linked above; follow the links for their full stories.