A new shop featuring crafts and foods from local artisans has opened in a historic former train station in Unity.
The shop, Rooted & Refined, opened in soft-launch mode this week, with more than a dozen vendors offering items ranging from upcycled clothing to photographs to maple syrup.
The shop breathes new life into the local landmark, as both a shop supporting the region’s artisans and cottage food producers and a place to gather and learn new skills.
Rooted & Refined’s owner, Catherine Berto, also sells her own freshly-milled flour, baked goods and jams at the shop, which is housed in a quaint red building at the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad station in Unity.
“I like supporting other makers, especially when it comes to unique items,” she said.
Berto has been baking for the railroad’s excursions and selling her preserves. Now that her three youngest children are in school, she was looking for work with a flexible schedule. Opening the shop was a chance to try something new, Berto said.
“It just seemed like a good little opportunity,” she said.
Berto, a longtime gardener who is certified as a master food preserver through University of Maine Cooperative Extension, wants to make the shop a space where the community can learn new skills and come together. She plans to host workshops and events such as classes on food preservation and tinctures, painting nights, and planting sessions.
“I’m trying to keep it all natural and bring it back to older ways,” she said.
Her children often come to the shop, and she’ll have art supplies on hand to occupy kids while their parents browse.
Berto is still seeking more vendors for the shop, which is located at 212 Depot St. in Unity.