Here’s What is Replacing Starbucks on Congress Street in Portland, Maine

More than 18 months ago, coffee fanatics were disappointed to learn that one of the most popular and convenient coffee shops in Portland, Maine, was closing their doors permanently.

That shop was the Starbucks location at 594 Congress Street inside the historic Hay building. According to News Center Maine, the closure of Starbucks stemmed from a company-wide reevaluation of stores.

Regardless of the reasoning, the former Starbucks coffee shop has set empty for far too long. Coffee lovers can rejoice because a new locally-owned coffee shop is ready to fill that space with some new ideas to entice you through the door.

Flatiron Coffee Bar to Replace Starbucks in downtown Portland, Maine

According to Portland Food Map, the owners of the Pearl Gallery are taking over the space at 594 Congress Street to open a new coffee shop called Flatiron Coffee Bar.

Their hopes is that Flatiron will operate like a coffee bar you'd come across in Europe with plenty of espresso-based options as well as standard options like cold brew and teas. Flatiron hasn't announced the roastery behind their offerings yet.

Flatiron Coffee Bar hopes to have their grand opening by the end of July.

Flatiron Coffee Bar While Other Spaces Remain Vacant

Flatiron Coffee Bar's addition to what remains a busy portion of Congress Street for foot traffic will be welcome. But there will need to be more to make the area feel vibrant again.

According to WGME, one out of every five first-floor storefronts along Congress Street in Portland, Maine, are currently vacant right now. A mixture of safety and price seem to be the reason behind the substantial amount of vacancies with no clear path to turn that number around quickly.