Maine’s Best Small-Town Downtowns

Six Main Streets with moxie — and the businesses, buildings, and boosters that make them great.

Along the Kennebec River, the Water Street scene is vibrant and varied — and a comeback story.

Century-old architecture, snack shops, and more in Aroostook County’s quiet shire town.

Western Maine’s best downtown threads the needle between hip and homey.

In Sarah Orne Jewett’s old hood, some slick new hangouts and plenty of mom-and-pop appeal.

Historic storefronts and fresh energy characterize this midcoast town’s Main Street — also known as tourist-trafficked Route 1.

In the City of Ships, the blocks of small businesses along the Kennebec River have never stopped being the heart of town.