WATERVILLE, Maine — A consignment store in downtown Waterville is preparing to close after more than a decade in business and relocate to Portland.
Madlyn’s New and Used Consignment Shop opened in 2010 and rented space below L. Tardif Jeweler, a local business on Main Street. The shop moved a few doors down to 42 Main St. in 2012 and has been there since, owner Melissa Holmwood said.
Madlyn’s is moving to 38 Market St. in Portland because owners of the building in Waterville did not renew the consignment shop’s lease, she said. Holmwood also lives in Falmouth and is a mother of three, including a 6-month-old, so trying to run the business at another location in Waterville doesn’t make the most sense at this time, she said.
Madlyn’s New and Used Consignment Shop is leaving Main Street during a period of major revitalization in downtown Waterville, the first phase of which is wrapping up in November. But Holmwood thinks the store’s new location in the bustling Old Port district will bring steady foot traffic from nearby restaurants and shops. Waterville area customers and regulars can continue to shop and participate in auctions online.
Nearby L. Tardif Jeweler, in business since 1935, is also closing, and several “For Lease” signs are taped to Main Street storefront windows. Others are drawn to Waterville for the changes, like Wild Clover Cafe and Market, set to open on Silver Street once renovations are complete.
Don and Irene Plourde — husband and wife who own Coldwell Banker Plourde Real Estate in Waterville — bought the building that houses the consignment store about two years ago, Don Plourde said. The space needs considerable updates, so when the shop’s lease was coming to an end, the Plourdes decided not to renew it and will focus on wiring, heating and other upgrades, he said.
There are no immediate plans to bring in a new business because the updates will take some time to complete.
Moving her shop is not something Holmwood wanted, but it’s something she has grown to accept, she said. Madlyn’s last day in business will be Dec. 17.
The new storefront in Portland has a fun vibe and is surrounded by a large population living within a one-mile radius, she said.
“We have always had great community support [and] different and amazing things,” Holmwood said about her longtime shop. “Because none of us have the same things in our closets or our jewelry boxes. We usually have a variety of items.”
Madlyn’s, which sells clothing and shoes for men, women and children, plus home decor items, is named after Holmwood’s grandmother. Holmwood also had a shop in Skowhegan, which was open from 2016 to 2020.
“My grandmother had 10 children and my mom was the youngest,” she said. “She was always pretty thrifty and trying to make her daughters happy with labels. She would have loved to have seen a store like this with her name on it.”
The Portland shop will have similar offerings, but it will focus more on men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, plus furniture and more high-quality pieces because the store is smaller than the Waterville location, Holmwood said. It will still have $1 sales and a clearance space, along with shipping and pick-up options for customers.
Madlyn’s has not announced an opening date for the Portland store, but the business is aiming for early November. For information, visit Madlyn’s New & Used Consignment Shop on Facebook.
“I’ll miss the community, our customers and employees, all these friendships and time that you get with people,” she said. “It’s going to be a tough one. We’ve been in business for 12 years, so we’re going to try for another 12.”
