Christian Sparling, left, and his daughter Violet leave Smaha’s Legion Square Market on Friday, August 14, 2015, in South Portland. The owners of Mainely Burgers have revamped the former Smaha’s Legion Square Market in Knightville. Joel Page/Press Herald file
Barber Brothers Meat & Provisions held a soft opening Wednesday for its Knightville store, formerly the home of Smaha’s Legion Square Market.
Co-owner Max Barber said local interest in the new market had been strong in the months leading up to the soft opening, demonstrated by the crowd that arrived when Barber Brothers opened at noon on Wednesday.
“We had a line out the door of about 25 people,” Barber said. “It’s been a ton of work to get here, but we couldn’t be more excited to open. We just feel so happy and honored to be part of the community.”
Located at 101 Ocean St., Barber Brothers features a butcher counter with a wide range of locally sourced meats, including beef, pork, chicken, and lamb. The market also offers a selection of cheeses, bread, and pantry items, as well as fresh produce from local farms.
Barber said he and his brother – who also own Mainely Burgers, a fleet of five seasonal food trucks and a Boston restaurant – will put their culinary expertise to use by introducing a selection of prepared foods, sandwiches, and house marinades to the market over the coming weeks.
“We really want to be not only your neighborhood market and butcher, but also a place to go if you want a quick sandwich,” Barber said.
Barber said market staff has been soliciting feedback from customers about what inventory they should carry, and working out kinks in the operation. The Barbers intentionally left the store’s layout similar to how it was with Smaha’s – which first opened in 1939 – so the flow of the market would feel familiar to longtime patrons.
The Barbers expect to hold a full grand opening for the store sometime in October, at which point the store will be open daily, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Until then, hours will be determined weekly. This week, Barber Brothers is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, closed Sunday.
Barber said he’ll announce next week’s hours on Friday.
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