Passamaquoddy consider saving Eastport’s only grocery store
Passamaquoddy Tribe to Decide on Purchase of Eastport Grocery Store
Eastport, Maine – The Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik is preparing to ask its members whether the community should explore buying the town’s only grocery store, the IGA Foodliner on Washington Street, which closed last Thursday. If the tribe moves forward with the purchase, it could keep a vital source of fresh produce and groceries for both Eastport residents and the nearby Pleasant Point reservation.
The IGA had been owned by Marylin Mills, who announced on Facebook in late last month that she was retiring from the business. In a recent interview, Mills said, “If you want to work seven days a week like I did, you can make a living and you do make a small amount of profit.” She also confirmed that she had been approached by the neighboring tribal community and that negotiations are ongoing with the Sipayik government and several other undisclosed interested parties. According to the town’s 2024 tax assessment, the property and building on Washington Street are valued at about $723,000.
The closure of the IGA has left Eastport and Pleasant Point residents with few options. The nearest large grocery store, the Calais IGA, is more than 35 minutes away, while the smaller Farmer’s Union in Perry offers a limited produce selection. “I don’t know how I’m going to be able to get groceries,” said Kendra D. Sockabasin, a tribal member who runs the tribe’s elder meal site and has previously used the IGA to procure ingredients for community programs. Sockabasin noted that the Union’s produce selection is “not sufficient for that many people to have access to healthy foods” and described the IGA as “a public service, really.”
The Passamaquoddy and Pleasant Point communities together total roughly 1,900 residents, many of whom rely on local food sources for health and cultural reasons. The tribe’s interest in acquiring the store is part of a broader trend of tribal-owned businesses in the region, which includes the Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Company, Passamaquoddy Maple, and a rapidly growing sports‑betting enterprise.
On Tuesday, Sipayik voters will hold a referendum to decide whether the tribe’s chief and council should conduct the due diligence required for a potential purchase. The same day will also feature a contested election for tribal chief, pitting incumbent Pos Bassett against Gail Dana, a doctorate‑holding public health academic. Tribal councilwoman Melissa Francis, who has been a vocal critic of Chief Bassett, texted that the IGA is “the least of our worries” but expressed hesitation about the referendum.
The chief and vice chief have yet to comment on the matter. If the tribe moves ahead with the acquisition, it would be among the first large retail outlets owned and operated by Passamaquoddy members, potentially providing a stable source of groceries for the community and a new revenue stream for the tribe.
Eastport’s grocery dilemma underscores the challenges small communities face when key services close. With the referendum and chief election scheduled for the same day, the outcome will shape not only the town’s food future but also the broader direction of tribal governance and economic development.
