Brackett’s Market IGA Celebrates Heritage Days

Aug 14, 2019

For stores all over the country, Independence Day weekend is a big holiday, but for Brackett’s Market IGA in Bath, Maine, it’s a really big deal. That’s because the holiday coincides with Bath Heritage Days, the largest event of the year for the coastal community of 8,500 people.

Over five days, the annual event features the largest parade in Maine, live music (with 30 different bands), crafts, a carnival, and of course, fireworks. The Fireman’s Muster is a long-standing tradition, with fire-fighters pumping water using antique equipment. There’s a chili cook-off, book fair, fun runs, and more, with tens of thousands of attendees.

“It’s a nice, old-fashioned, family-oriented event. It’s like something out of the movies, when you see these quaint, small-town New England festivals,” said Brackett’s owner Kim Brackett. “Only it’s better because we get to live here.”

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In fact, the festival is near and dear to Brackett for a number of reasons. It was one of the things that caught her attention when her family was looking for a place to relocate and open a new store. And they ended up opening 23 years ago on July 1, so the store anniversary always falls just before Heritage Days.

Since opening in 1996, Brackett’s Market IGA has been involved with the festival, this year as a platinum sponsor. The store’s downtown location is central to the event, and the store often participates in a number of other ways, such as sponsoring the chili cookoff, or volunteering cooler space for the Rotary Club’s chicken BBQ.

This year, Doug Fritsch, senior vice president of retail and business development for IGA, paid a visit to the store and took in the local flavor.

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“He stopped in, we gave him a tour of the store, introduced him to the staff,” said Brackett. “He was able to get the feel of this busy weekend.”

With parking at a premium throughout the duration of the event, many people park their cars at the store for the day and head out on foot. Plus the store is located near a big hotel, so they end up seeing a lot more people walking into the store. A dock across the street also means boaters can stop in and grab groceries, too.

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For such a major event, the store is “all hands on deck,” said Brackett, so she doesn’t stress herself out trying to offer any big promotions or sales during the festival. Most people are looking for a quick bite to eat, grab and go items, and cold drinks, so staff focuses on making sure they have those essentials well-stocked. In the produce department, the big sellers are pre-cut watermelon and other fresh fruit.

“Brackett’s is really the center of all the activity,” Fritsch says of the weekend festival and Independence Day parade. "Just about every member of the community is in and out of the store multiple times throughout the weekend, and the Brackett’s team is at the ready with festival supplies. It’s the kind of event that really brings IGA Hometown Proud to life.”

According to Brackett, the indie spirit of IGA is a perfect fit in downtown Bath, where every single business is independently owned. And even though it’s one of the busiest times of the year for her and the store, Brackett still finds time to enjoy the festivities. “I only live three blocks away, so I get to walk home and hear the music from my backyard,” she said.

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