The Story of Maggie Mae’s

Kate Griffin-Peelen & John Peelen

For twenty three years, we’ve talked about opening a shop together. In that time, we’ve raised our kids, entertained family and friends and worked hard at a variety of jobs within our fields. We moved to Maine in 2012 from NYC, got hours back in our day, fell in love with all Maine has to offer and never looked back.

As our three kids grew and became busier and more independent, each running in a different direction, we lived first hand the struggle of finding good, nutritious food that would support our on-the-go family’s schedule and spirit. For all those years, we have talked about opening a shop. These years of raising our family has helped us define what that vision would be. With our daughter in college and our twin sons in High School, what better time than now to jump in with both feet.

John has been a chef for over 30 years. He’s worked in 3 star NYC restaurants, taught culinary arts in NYC for over 10 years - some of his students have become well-known chefs in the culinary world. In addition, John has worked in corporate kitchens, has had his hand in catering and served as a culinary consultant for a number of years. John’s knowledge of both culinary and baking and pastry runs deep. He enjoys trying on different cuisines and is always interested to know what others like and works hard to curate it.

Kate grew up in Retail. Her Dad owned IGA supermarkets and was recruited early to work in all areas of that business. In NYC, she was a housewares buyer for the much loved Bazaar Stores for over 10 years. She had a furniture store in the heart of Chelsea NY where she enjoyed being a merchant and a part of the community. After 9/11 she turned her attention to Human Resources where she worked for 25 years for large corporations as a Director of Human Resources but her love of everything home has always fueled her spirit. 

Maggie Mae’s provides food that you feel good about eating because it is food made with love, heart and quality ingredients. We use environmentally friendly packaging. Our grab n go allows our customers to come and get a meal without spending lots of time. We offer take out, eat in and meals to take home and heat up.

It is our hope that Maggie Mae’s will support busy families, helping them navigate through before and after school activities, keeping everyone fueled and fed no matter how diverse the eaters are in any household. The focus of our food selection allows customers to quickly come in and grab from a selection of choices. Our Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Smoothies and Desserts are made fresh on site daily.

We also know what it’s like to have to eat at work. Fueling your body to make it through the afternoon, maintaining a healthy lifestyle or just wanting to take a break from the office to grab a bite to eat, you can count on us for having what you need. Our soups are made with attention to seasonal and regional ingredients. Our Salad Bar includes a variety of greens, vegetables and proteins where you can customize your own salad. Our sandwiches are made with fresh locally baked breads and wraps. We also have healthy snacks: vegetables packaged with hummus, celery and peanut butter, cashews, almonds and pistachios, house-made granola. We offer take out, eat in and meals to take home and heat up. We also offer online ordering for easy pick up.

Thanks for believing in healthy, accessible food. We look forward to seeing you in our shop!

- Kate + John