Card and gift shop celebrates new location
By Paula Brewer
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Card$mart of Presque Isle is marking its first month in its new location, now at 631 Main Street at the corner of Park and Main, and business has been brisk, say the owners.
Contributed photo
GRAND OPENING — The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting Sept. 25 to celebrate the new location of Card$mart in Presque Isle, now at 631 Main Street, Suite 1, across from Advance Auto Parts. From left are Chamber members Gail Clukey and Kevin Kinney, store staff member Rachel Smith, owners Donna and Mike Blier, Chamber member Floyd Rockholt and CACC Executive Director Theresa Fowler.
“It’s been really phenomenal,” said Mike Blier, who owns the store with his wife, Donna. “People are really excited about it. Everybody is coming in, they’re really supportive, and they’re buying — which is great.”
In the area for approximately 15 years, Card$mart, a national retailer based in New Jersey, started out at the Aroostook Centre Mall. When its former owner closed the location four years ago, the Bliers took it over and moved to a new storefront there, which closed in June. The couple decided to seek a new location to improve the shopping experience.
“We moved for easier access and better exposure,” Blier explained. “Many of our customers love that they can park right in front of the door and walk in.”
Work began at the new building in August. The store had a “soft” opening in early September and then held grand opening festivities the weekend of Sept. 25. “Traffic during those two days was pretty much double what we expected,” added Blier.
He said customer response has been significant. “We’re very very appreciative of the support that we’ve gotten from the community so far. They’ve been great,” he said. “The numbers compared to our last location have been superb, and we’d just like to say ‘Thank you’ to the community.”
The owners hope shoppers will check out not just their extensive card selection, but also their many gift lines, with emphasis on U.S.-made items.
“What we try to do is bring just a little bit of the Bangor shopping experience here,” stated Blier. “We strive for two things: one, things that aren’t offered anywhere else here; and two, we do a real aggressive American-made product search.”
Among the made-in-America lines they carry are Yankee Candles, Artistics Designs, Majesty Bells windchimes, Emily Tapestry, Wind and Fire bangle bracelets, Silver Forest of Vermont, Donna Sharp and Sun’s Out Puzzles — as well as the popular Melissa and Doug toy line.
“They are the number-one American toy, still made of wood. For learning and development, it’s just number one.”
He added the coming holiday season would include some additions. “We have a lot of new lines coming in, and we have some extra room — it’s going to be an exciting season.”
Card$mart is open seven days a week, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
