Kittery Trading Post

The Kittery Trading Post opened in 1938 as a modest stand selling to travelers on Route 1, then the main coastal road into Maine before the interstate existed. In those years every car heading up the coast passed directly by the door.

Over the following decades the business expanded again and again, adding floor space and departments until it became the cavernous store travelers know today. It stayed independent and locally run while many roadside businesses of its era vanished, outlasting the shift of through traffic onto the Maine Turnpike.

Its survival says something about the pull of the destination store. Even after the interstate drew off the fast traffic, people kept choosing the Route 1 exit to stop here, and the Trading Post became a fixed point in the southern Maine landscape, the place where a coastal road trip officially begins.

The store is organized around the outdoor life: firearms and hunting supplies, rods and tackle for fresh and salt water, tents and packs and camp stoves, kayaks and canoes, and floor after floor of boots, flannel, and technical clothing for the Maine climate.

The setting is part of the appeal. Wood beams, stone, and mounted animals turn a big-box footprint into something closer to a hunting lodge, and long-time visitors treat the mounts and displays as landmarks in their own right.

It functions as a practical resource as much as a shopping trip. For someone heading north to the lakes, the mountains, or the Allagash, it is a logical place to fill any gaps in their gear before the towns get small and far apart.

Kittery has been a gateway for a long time. It is Maine's oldest incorporated town, settled in the 1600s, and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on its islands has built and serviced Navy vessels since 1800, an active submarine yard to this day.

The land and waters here are part of the homeland of the Wabanaki peoples, whose presence along the Piscataqua and the southern Maine coast long predates the colonial town.

Today the Route 1 strip through Kittery is best known for its outlet stores, but the Trading Post predates that shopping district and anchors it, a reminder that this stretch of highway was drawing travelers to stop long before the outlets arrived.

Kittery rewards travelers who linger past the shopping. The town's islands and points hold historic coastal forts, quiet parks, and working waterfront, and back roads lead to lobster shacks and river views away from the Route 1 bustle.

As Maine's first town, reached the moment you cross the Piscataqua from New Hampshire, Kittery marks the true start of the Maine coast. The Trading Post makes a fitting first or last stop, the place to gear up on the way north or grab one more Maine keepsake on the way home.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Kittery Trading Post, in the town of Kittery at the southern gateway to Maine, is a large and beloved outdoor outfitter and retail destination that has served travelers and outdoor enthusiasts for over a century. Growing from a small trading post into a huge store, it offers a vast selection of gear and apparel for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, boating, and outdoor recreation, along with a New England institution's atmosphere. Located in Kittery, famous for its outlet shopping, it is a popular stop for anyone heading into Maine. With its huge outdoor selection and long history, the Kittery Trading Post offers a fun destination in Maine.

You can browse and shop a vast selection of outdoor gear and apparel for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, boating, and more, explore the large store's departments, find equipment and clothing for Maine adventures, and enjoy the atmosphere of a historic New England outfitter. It is a fun stop for outdoor enthusiasts and a convenient place to gear up before exploring Maine's parks and coast, and it pairs with Kittery's famous outlet shopping. With its extensive outdoor gear and historic charm, the Kittery Trading Post offers an enjoyable shopping stop in Kittery, Maine.

As an indoor store, the Kittery Trading Post is enjoyable year-round in any weather, open regular hours through the seasons, though it can be busier on weekends, holidays, and during peak summer travel and shopping seasons, so weekday visits tend to be less crowded. Checking current hours before you go is wise. Its location at the gateway to Maine makes it a convenient stop any time you are heading up the coast. Because it is indoors and well-stocked, the Kittery Trading Post makes a reliable stop any time of year in Kittery, Maine.

Yes, the Kittery Trading Post can be a fun family stop, especially for those interested in the outdoors, with its huge selection of gear and apparel, displays, and the atmosphere of a classic New England outfitter that appeals to outdoor-loving families gearing up for Maine adventures. It pairs conveniently with Kittery's outlet shopping and a meal in the area. As an indoor destination, it works in any weather. With its extensive outdoor offerings and convenient location, the Kittery Trading Post makes an enjoyable stop for families exploring Maine.

The Kittery Trading Post is in Kittery at the southern gateway to Maine, famous for its outlet shopping, within reach of the York beaches and Nubble Light, Ogunquit with the Marginal Way, and the southern Maine coast. That makes the Kittery Trading Post a fun stop to combine with Nubble Light, the York and Ogunquit areas, and the other attractions of the southern Maine coast on a visit to the state.