Mexicali Blues has opened a brand new flagship store on Route 1 in Newcastle.

After a long year of hard work, the chain has moved into the new retail space and are loving every aspect of it. In honor of this, the store will be having a Grand Opening Celebration and 25th anniversary sale Friday, Oct. 11 through Monday, Oct. 14.

Stoneboat Architectural Design and William M. Thompson AIA worked with us to transform what started out as a sketch by owner Pete Erskine (literally on a paper napkin) into a building that fits well in Maine’s landscape while accentuating our responsibly imported products and globetrotting brand.

Becker Construction completed the building on time and the finished product has far exceeded our expectations. Incorporating recycled materials into architectural features was really a defining factor in each step of the building process and we were able to utilize many of the interesting pieces we’ve collected over 25 years of travel: an old bed, tiki huts, and doors are a few of our favorites.

Combining our recycled materials with new energy efficient ones allowed us to create a welcoming, eco-friendly space that gives customers the feeling of shopping in local markets just like the ones we travel to. Working with the Maine DOT we were able to design a traffic flow around the back of our store, giving customers and staff increased safety and ample parking.

Thank you to everyone who has gotten us here (there are simply too many to list), but mostly thank you to our loyal customers; we know you are just going to love the new store when you stop by!