Park's And Rec

Day six of our staycation involved sleeping in, eating homemade scones and eventually getting off our asses and heading downtown to run errands. As usual in the Lainsbury household, our trip involved a stop at Ampersand for everything we forgot to buy at the grocery store, a stop at Park's Hardware for batteries and a stop at Burby & Bates, which truly has one of the best wine and beer selections around, to return bottles. While at Burby's, we learned that they carry Unibroue Ephemere, the wonderful green apple brew we sampled at Novare Res a few weeks ago. Mmmm.

But let's get back to Park's for a minute. The Maven met her husband there in 1998 — and the selection (of stuff, not of men) has only gotten better since then. This old-fashioned hardware store has taken on an entirely modern feel.

We recently wrote about Park's excellent seed offerings — today, we grabbed a pack of leek seeds — but owner Linwood White Jr. has recently started the switch to all organic garden supplies, including pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Though "Twilight" lovers may disagree, nothing stinks quite so much as a bag of dried blood, but since we started using it, our veggies have never looked happier.

Also new are the lovely — and tasteful — garden decorations, including outdoor candle holders, handblown gazing balls and very cool sundials. And if you're in the market for cookware, Park's has you covered, with gadgets, canisters, and enameled cast iron from Lodge that gives our beloved LeCreuset a run for its money.

At the Maven, we're all about buying (and apparently marrying) local, and for us, Park's certainly has everything we need.

Park's Hardware is located on Mill Street in Orono. For information, call 207.866.7811.

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