About Maine Scene Inc.

Maine Scene is an authentic family business that is committed to providing efficient, friendly and personable service to all our customers. Founded by Andy and Mary Payson, the business has grown to include their daughter Emily and her husband Aaron, and their son Matthew, as well as a small but exceptional staff. We are located in Union, Maine, just inland from Camden, in the Georges River watershed. We are a publisher and distributor of postcards, books, calendars and souvenirs of Maine. Since 1987, when Maine Scene became incorporated, we have made it our goal to offer a superior quality product, and to provide the best service possible. We feel we have succeeded in doing this to the best of our ability and we continue to remain committed to this goal.

We deal primarily with gift shops and retail stores on wholesale terms, though we do offer some items on a retail basis, all of which can be viewed on this web site. For more of our great product please visit one of the many wonderful shops located throughout Maine that carry our merchandise.

Thank You.
Andy, Mary, Emily, Aaron, and Matthew
Maine Scene, In

The Maine Scene Story...

It’s 1982 and Andy Payson is an employee of the USPS. He’s not entirely happy, and he notices the many postcards passing through the mail. He gets an idea.

It’s 1986 and Andy is out on the road selling postcards from the back of the family’s old Saab 900. Mary, Andy’s wife, is an RN and Emily and Matthew, their children, are in elementary school. Maine Scene is born.

The year is 1990 and the Saab is out of the picture. Maine Scene has its first delivery truck with Andy as its pilot, and Teddy, the family’s golden retriever, riding shotgun. The business is growing and is now also selling calendars, books, and placements. Mary is no longer “nurse Mary”, and is working full time with her husband- they’re a team. Emily and Matthew are still being kids, but they help out a little with the business during their summer vacations.

1994 is the year and Maine Scene is now officially a “family business”. Emily and Matthew are in college and high school, respectively, and they both work for Maine Scene full time in the summers. Business is good and Maine Scene continues to grow, but is still a small, humble, and happy family business.

It’s 1998 and things are rolling. Maine Scene now has a modest fleet of trucks out on the road covering the entire state of Maine. Andy is still out there selling, doing what he loves to do, while Mary makes things work in the office and warehouse. If it weren’t for her incredible talent for organization everyone would be swimming in magnets and key chains since Maine Scene is now selling oodles of souvenirs of all shapes and sizes. Hey, magnets are fun! Matthew, now half-way through college, continues to work for Maine Scene summers and Emily has graduated from Gordon College and is now being a college graduate, working and living in Boston. But don’t worry, we think she’ll be back.

Well, its 2001, and if Maine Scene ever was a family business, now is that time. Matthew is starting his second year of “full time” work with the business after finishing up at Bates College- while he ponders how to put that German major to work! Emily has indeed returned after leaving the City behind, but she hasn’t come alone. Aaron Cheesman, her husband as of June 2, 2001, is now part of the gang, and Mr. & Mrs. Cheesman are traveling the scenic coastal roads of Mid-Coast Maine meeting everyone’s postcard and souvenir needs. And of course Andy and Mary, the heart and soul of Maine Scene are still going strong, but maybe, just maybe, they are getting ready to take a bit of a breather. On a more somber note, Teddy, the family’s beloved golden Retriever has passed on, but Tucker, a little bundle of golden puppy fur, is keeping Andy company on those rides.

It’s been over 15 years since Andy and Mary started their little business, and long gone are the days when Maine Scene could fit in the back of that little Saab hatchback. The year is 2003 to be exact, and the business, and family, continue to grow. It was another great year for the business, with several exciting changes taking place. A bunch of fantastic products were added to the line, as well as many new and wonderful customers. Also, after the season came to a close, Matthew left for the beach! Miami Beach that is, where he is studying graphic design and photography- and tanning? However, hands down, the most exciting event of the year was none other than the arrival of Zachary Aaron Cheesman! The most amazing little boy, born to Emily and Aaron, the champions of Mid-Coast Maine postcard and souvenir sales, made his debut early in the morning on the 5th of May. It was sometime on the 6th that he sold his first keychain! No, but we’re sure it won’t be long until Zach is helping his dad out on the road. But until then, his very proud grandparents, Andy and Mary, are quite content to spend their days not only working hard for Maine Scene, but also playing numerous games of peek-a-boo and they couldn’t be happier.

And so, Maine Scene, though it has grown considerably over the years, continues to focus on providing great products and personable service to its many wonderful customers. And best of all, continues to remain a humble and happy family business!

Well, it is 2008 and an update to the Maine Scene story is long overdue. In some ways, not much has changed in the past five years. Maine Scene is still a family business providing great products and service to an ever increasing list of customers in Maine and beyond. Andy and Mary are still at the helm, working as hard as ever, and Aaron is lending a hand to do whatever needs to get done.

What has happened, however, is that Maine Scene has established itself as the premier supplier of postcards, calendars, and souvenir products in the state of Maine! With the help of the best scenic photographers in the country, the constant development of new products, a continued focus on quality and value and friendly consistent service, Maine Scene continues to lead the way in souvenir distribution. Maine Scene was honored to win many product awards at its trade association meetings and was actually recognized in 2004 as the top souvenir “Distributor of the Year” in the country!

As far as the family goes, Andy, with Tucker’s help, is using his finely honed sales techniques to turn the whole town of Bar Harbor into a Maine Scene outlet and Mary is keeping the whole ball of wax organized. Matthew headed west from the beaches of Miami to the greener and more mountainous pastures of Colorado and now most recently, Oregon, where he will continue to utilize his talents as a graphic designer. Emily has stepped up into a full-time mothering role of three rambunctious boys! That’s right, Zachary, now five, has been joined by two more bundles of joy and energy: William, who is three and Luke who just turned one. Maine Scene is getting ready for its sales force of tomorrow! The boy’s proud father, Aaron, can be seen zooming all over Maine in one of the new brightly decorated eco-friendly delivery trucks. Feel free to wave or stop and say hi if you see us!

What hasn’t changed is Maine Scene’s dedication to providing great products and great customer service from an authentic Maine family business.

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