David Hamlin opened Maine’s first Spice & Tea Exchange shop in Freeport last week. Kristian Moravec / The Times Record

Freeport’s new Spice & Tea Exchange opened its doors last Thursday, becoming the brand’s first Maine shop.

The location at 6 Mill St. held its grand opening last week, offering free tea samples and sniffs of the wide variety of herbs and spices. Tea lover and local owner for the business, David Hamlin, said he wanted to bring the brand’s offerings to the tourist town after falling in love with the products outside of Maine.

Spice & Tea Exchange, which offers an array of products such as culinary spices and teas, was kickstarted in 2008 and has continued growing since. The brand has 93 locations across the country aside from the new Freeport location, Hamlin said.

The brand’s journey to Freeport started in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where Hamlin first tried Spice & Tea Exchange. He said he had tried the Banana Nut Muffin Herbal Tea and was hooked on it. He and his wife quickly fell in love with the brand.

Hamlin eventually wanted to bring the offerings to Maine. The nearest Spice & Tea Exchange was previously the shop located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Taking advantage of his new free time, the 60-year-old decided to enter into the business after going stir crazy in retirement.

“I can’t do the whole ‘do nothing,’ ” he said.

The Spice & Tea Exchange shop in Freeport features a sugar and salt wall, were customers can sniff various flavorings for tea and cooking. Kristian Moravec / The Times Record

The former senior advocate had loved his previous job but ultimately wanted to spend more time with his daughter. Remnants of his past career, however, are featured in the shop. Two paintings done by former clients — one Maine landscape and one still life of a teapot and cups — hang near the cash register.

The customer-first skillset transferred to the new shop as well, as Hamlin warmly greeted each person that entered the store and excitedly explained the various shop offerings, such as the sugar wall that features an array of sweetening flavors. He invited customers to stop by the tea bar, where shoppers can grab a cup of tea to go, to take advantage of the free samples.

Setting up shop in Freeport was a smooth process. Hamlin described Freeport as “extremely business-friendly” and said that nearby shops have been supportive. Working in the community, he said, has been wonderful. He joked about not turning away tea drinkers, even if the shop had already closed for the day.

“We want to be part of something and part of this community,” he said. “It’s a labor of love.”

Spice & Tea Exchange is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 1-6 p.m.