Paul’s Marina offers a feeling of family, a sense of history and a taste of Maine | Column

Published: July 22, 2026

Updated: July 22, 2026

Category: Maine News

Author/Source: David Treadwell - Just a Little Old

Paul’s Marina offers a feeling of family, a sense of history and a taste of Maine | Column

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Judy Marsh, daughter of the marina's original owner, with her daughter and son-in-law, Helene and Rob, who now run Paul's Marina in Brunswick. (Courtesy of David Treadwell)

Remember when you were a kid and you’d go to a store where they sold penny candy and you chose carefully so your allowance would cover everything? Remember when you could go out for lunch and they made every sandwich to order out of fresh ingredients and the people taking orders greeted you with a smile, looking in your eyes, not at their electronic devices? Remember ice cream shops where they sold ice cream in many flavors and you didn’t have to take out a second mortgage to get an extra scoop or two or three? How often today do you walk into a place where right away you got a feeling of family, a sense of history, where everybody’s not in a mad rush to get in and get out?

Paul’s Marina, just 7 miles from downtown Brunswick, gives you a great break from the rat race while evoking fond memories.

But let’s start at the beginning in 1946 when Paul DeRocher and his wife, Alix, opened, almost by accident, what has evolved into a thriving family-owned business right on the Casco Bay. Paul’s daughter, 83-year-old Judy Marsh, tells the story: “My dad always loved being near the water, so he bought a piece of property and built a house at Mere Point. When some friends heard he had a place on the water, they asked if they could keep their boats on the bay by his house. Soon, more and more boaters got the same idea and my dad decided to open a business.”

While Paul only had a sixth-grade education and the use of just one arm due to an accident, he possessed a tremendous work ethic as well as a strong desire to do what was right by his customers. As an example, he always vowed to sell the cheapest gas on the bay, a policy that remains in effect to this day.

Judy began working for her dad when she was in junior high school, and Judy’s daughter, Helene, also worked at the marina as a teenager. Judy and her husband, John Marsh, quit their jobs to take ownership of Paul’s Marina after Paul died. They built it up to what it has become today. After John died, Helene and her husband, Rob, took over the family business along with Judy, who still works at the sandwich shop.

Paul’s Marina is very much a seasonal business, open May through October. That schedule entails hiring sufficient staff to cover the work load. They began hiring young people (usually in high school or college) in 1985. Today, they employ about 15 young people for the summer.

As Helene says, “Our ‘kids’ must be able to talk with adults as well as multitask.”

The hiring process is rigorous and selective. As Rob jokes, “When Helene interviews them, it’s like they were being interviewed for a job at IBM or the State Department.”

Helene tries to hire young people who will return summer after summer so they learn what to expect. Helene and Rob both say that one of their biggest joys is seeing young people gain confidence while learning to take initiative.

Ethan Patterson, who has worked at Paul’s for four summers, is currently the dock manager. A student at the University of Massachusetts, he says, “It’s so cool to be working near the water.”

Sadie Correa, now a student at Connecticut College, is the store manager. She has worked at Paul’s for five summers.

“This job has been life-changing for me,” she says.

Judy tells the story of a man who returned to Paul’s years later. His four sons had all worked at Paul’s.

“When he told his sons that he was going to visit Paul’s, they told him to tell Judy that they learned how to do math while working at Paul’s.” Today, those four sons are all successful scientists.

Rob describes the atmosphere during the heaviest months of July and August as “controlled chaos.” Both Helene and Rob stress the importance of a team mentality in running such an operation, a “we’re all this together” mindset. Helene runs the lunch counter and the store. Rob overseas the marina — putting boats in the water in the spring, bringing them out in the fall and, of course, dealing with the inevitable challenges that arise with boats and boat owners. That said, they each pitch in wherever and whenever they’re needed.

An article on Paul’s Marina years ago described it as “Brunswick’s best kept secret.” Paul’s has grown steadily every year since its founding 80 years ago; clearly, the word has begun to get out. People who have been to Paul’s know that it’s a seaside gem. People who haven’t would do well to give it a try. Take a deep breath, step back in time and enjoy the experience.

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writers, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns at [email protected].