USA, ME: Marsh Island Brewing constructing a new second location in Hampden

There’s something new brewing in Hampden, WABI5 reported on January 15.

Marsh Island Brewing is currently constructing a new second location.

What started as a Swett’s autobody shop on Main St. in Orono has been home to Marsh Island Brewing for almost a decade.

“This location is great, it’s just we don’t have a ton of space for indoor seating, and that’s kind of what the beer market’s changed to, is a lot of in-house distribution,” explains co-owner Prentiss Swett of the Orono location’s limitations.

Sporting a full food menu headed by Joe Robbins, a James Beard Award semifinalist for emerging chefs, the Hampden location will be able to seat about 120 inside and about 35 on their planned deck.

A Hampden resident, Swett found the spacious solution right in town on Main Rd. North, but not without some challenges.

“Thought it was going to be a fairly small project, were going to do some minor renovations,” describes Swett. “Once we got in there, it’s a very old building, so it ended up turning into pulling the roof off, 40 by 40 addition in the back. So, project’s gotten a lot bigger. We’re hoping for a late summer, early fall opening.”

Construction crews have been crafting the new spot since the spring.

With the goal of bringing a new flavor to Hampden, Swett and Marsh Island Brewing’s other owners hope through sourcing local ingredients and bringing more folks into town that other small businesses will see a benefit, too.

“There are a couple restaurants, but we will be the first brewery in Hampden. We’re really excited, everyone we’ve talked to in Hampden has been so accommodating, the town’s been awesome, they’ve been bending over backwards to help us with anything they can. This business has been in business almost 10 years, so supporting us and us supporting other local businesses is what makes the economy in Maine,” Swett says. “We’re hoping to support as many local businesses and we’re hoping for the community support. We’re excited to get the doors open and get the people at Hampden and the surrounding communities in there and get some food and drinks in them.”

17 January, 2025