Portland’s first retail incubator space opens: The Black Box

Portland, ME Portland’s growing Washington Ave. corridor welcomes a group of new retail options to the block, in the form of a multi-unit incubator space built inside converted shipping containers. Introducing The Black Box, the first retail space of its kind in the city, offering unique and move-in ready spaces for small businesses to test their product and market without a long-term lease commitment. The Black Box contains five street-front retail units, all of which are currently occupied and officially open for business. 

The flagship tenants of The Black Box include: The Cheese Shop of Portland; North Optical; Campfire Studios + Mulxiply; Evangeline Linens; and All Those Who Wander.

The single-story structure is located at 93 Washington Ave. and was built off-site using repurposed shipping containers by SnapSpace Solutions in Brewer, Maine. Each unit is approximately 300 s/f, offering move-in ready space with eight feet wide double-glass doors off the sidewalk. 

The concept was first conceived by Jed Harris of Cotton Street Holdings, the previous owner of the lot.