Thos. Moser moving showroom from Freeport to the Old Port
Maine-based furniture maker Thos. Moser is moving its showroom to the historic Storer Bros. Building at Middle and Pearl streets. The storefront was formerly occupied by Greenhut Galleries. (Kelley Bouchard/Staff Writer)
Thos. Moser, an Auburn company known for crafting furniture that verges on art, is moving its Maine showroom back to Portland after nearly 30 years in Freeport.
Contractors are renovating the storefront at 146 Middle St., where the new showroom will augment the Old Port’s growing contingent of high-end, often Maine-based designers, artists and makers. The company also has showrooms in Boston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Expected to open by January, the Old Port showroom will display new and classic designs and introduce shoppers to the people and processes behind a distinctive furniture line with influences ranging from Shaker to Nakashima.
Thos. Moser Continuous Arm Chair (Courtesy of Thos. Moser)
Founded in New Gloucester in 1972, the company’s workshop is now in Auburn. Its first showroom opened on Cumberland Avenue in Portland in 1984 and moved to Freeport in 1998.
“After many years in Freeport, we are excited to return to Portland,” said spokesperson Kelsey Wing. “We were really drawn to the vibrant community that Portland offers, where design, art, craft and commerce all come together. This new location is an ideal spot to welcome customers, designers, architects and visitors to Maine.”
Thos. Moser isn’t the first Maine-based furniture maker to set up shop in the Old Port. Chilton opened a showroom at 100 Commercial St. in 2020, in addition to its showroom in a former sea captain’s home in Freeport.
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In 2013, Ethan Allen, a national high-end furniture retailer, moved from a store near the Maine Mall in South Portland — its home for nearly two decades — to a much smaller space at 145 Commercial St.
The company said at the time that the steady flow of pedestrians on Commercial Street — in the heart of Portland’s tourist district and steps away from the city’s cruise ship terminals — would increase the brand’s exposure to a broader market.
Thos. Moser Pasadena Rocker (Courtesy of Thos. Moser)
Other high-end Maine retailers in the Old Port include Brunswick leather bag designer Rough & Tumble and Portland handbag designer Alice Yardley; women’s clothing designers Roxi Suger of Biddeford and Jill McGowan of Portland; and local jewelry makers Folia, D. Cole and Designs by CC.
“The growth of high-end retailers in the Old Port reflects Portland’s evolution as a destination for unique, high quality shopping experiences,” said Quincy Hentzel, CEO of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce. “As more of these businesses establish a presence, they collectively strengthen the Old Port’s appeal — attracting both residents and visitors who appreciate quality, craftsmanship and a distinctive retail experience.”
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The new Thos. Moser showroom will be in the historic Storer Bros. Building, which was built in 1881 and designed by noted architects Francis H. Fassett and John Calvin Stevens. The space was previously occupied by Greenhut Galleries, which moved to the Bayside neighborhood.
“We look forward to bringing our talented Freeport team to Portland, welcoming customers, friends and partners to our new showroom,” said CEO Philip Hussey.
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Tagged: maine businesses, manufacturing, old port, retailers
Kelley writes about Maine businesses large and small, focusing on economic development, workforce initiatives and the state’s leading business organizations. Her wider experience includes municipal and. More by Kelley Bouchard
