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    Machias River General

    4.5 (4 reviews)
    InexpensiveGrocery

    Machias River General Photos

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    The French Cellar

    The French Cellar

    4.6(13 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$$

    I stumbled into this place a few days ago looking for something they didn't have... don't even…read morerecall what it was now... but found happiness! Cheeses and beer are what I left with, but I'm passing back thru Machias tomorrow and plan to stock up on more cheese and not sure what else. Worth just stopping in if you're in the area. A beautiful place to browse and dream. So glad it's there!

    When I came home to visit this summer, I was at first disappointed to learn that the Sow's Ear was…read moreno longer around. But then upon learning that it was replaced with wine (and not Sutter Home/Franzia/Night Train), my disappointment evaporated. Not what you'd expect to see in Machias (especially not for very long), where Natty Light and The Beast reign as the preferred beverages....but the owners aren't doing it to turn a profit, they're doing it for the love of it. We got to chat with them for a little bit and that was nice to learn. They have tons of wonderful wines from around the world here (even some from Virginia....wtf?) and my husband and I were able to satisfy our wine snobbery even in the outer reaches of downeast Maine during our stay thanks to these guys. They have a lovely Spanish grenache as well as a crisp Pouilly-Fuisse that we pretty much lived off of. In addition, they have lots of excellent specialty cheeses to offer, and will give you samples to try while you shop. Prices are basically what we're used to for California (the previous reviewer mentioned that they're probably a little steep for Machias and I'd have to agree) but definitely worth it when the next best shit in town is the Bogle available at Hannaford.

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    The French Cellar
    The French Cellar

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    A & B Naturals

    A & B Naturals

    3.6(44 reviews)
    43.5 mi
    $$

    Nice little natural foods store with a bunch of aisles full of non-perishables, some produce in the…read morefront, and a counter for ordering food. We bought some wild blueberries there and walked around the store to take a look around. We didn't see too much gluten-free at the counter, but everyone there was nice. The blueberries were pretty good; we ended up picking up some more at a farmer's market that were tasty too.

    There is no guarantee of great customer service anywhere. But the apparent free fall in customer…read moreservice at A & B Naturals stings. For years, this store has been an oasis of good vibes, healthy food and employees who seemed genuinely aligned around better food, better health, better community and a better kind of commerce -- one that puts people and community first. What I experienced in mid-July 2026 felt more like the customer service I'd expect from a cranky big-city bodega employee pushing scratch tickets, vodka nips, cigarettes and herbal Viagra at the register. I'm a longtime, loyal A & B Naturals shopper. But maybe not anymore. I recently learned that more than $300 in receipts I had carefully saved for redemption through the store's loyalty program are now worthless. I always liked being able to redeem old receipts for a modest discount on future purchases. Apparently, that program changed during the dead of winter. Under the new rules, only receipts from the same calendar year can be redeemed. As a 20-plus-year summer resident of MDI, maybe I missed the 2025 messaging. I assume there was some warning. But the change landed harshly for someone like me who had saved receipts in good faith. What bothers me is that A & B Naturals apparently gave longtime (summertime) customers no grace period or soft landing -- no window to redeem older receipts before making them worthless. It feels abrupt and unnecessarily unfriendly to loyal shoppers. But that alone wouldn't bring my review down to two stars. What really gets my goat is how ONE employee treated me when I expressed disappointment about the change. Let me be clear: I love the A & B Naturals staff. Most are salt of the earth. They represent a diversity I celebrate, and they are a big reason I've shopped there for years. The nutritionist, in particular, is amazing -- knowledgeable, patient and genuinely helpful. But one bad apple can ruin the cart. An older employee named Katherine met me at the counter and was defensive, smug, condescending and rude. She told me I was the first person ever to complain about the new loyalty rules. When I asked to speak with the owner, her response was: "It won't do you any good." When I told her I was disappointed by both the loyalty change and the way she was treating me -- and that I was considering leaving a review or writing a letter to the editor -- she again essentially told me it wouldn't matter and nobody would care. Her tone and demeanor made it clear she wasn't interested in hearing me out or de-escalating the conversation. Quite the opposite. I felt dismissed and talked down to. There was no acknowledgment that a longtime customer might reasonably be disappointed, no sympathy, no attempt to explain the change constructively and certainly no effort to preserve goodwill. Maybe I missed the notice about the loyalty program. Fair enough. But good customer service isn't about always giving the customer what they want. Sometimes it's simply about listening, showing a little empathy and treating a loyal customer like their business still matters. That part should never expire.

    Photos
    A & B Naturals - Vegan kale pesto pasta from grab and go fridge

    Vegan kale pesto pasta from grab and go fridge

    A & B Naturals
    A & B Naturals - Savory scone

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    Savory scone

    Machias River General - grocery - Updated August 2026

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