The Grasshopper Shop (Rockland, Knox County, Maine): A History of a Midcoast Maine Family Business

Introduction

The Grasshopper Shop is one of Midcoast Maine's longest-running family-owned specialty retailers. Located at The Grasshopper Shop in downtown Rockland, the business is known for its eclectic mix of clothing, toys, gifts, housewares, jewelry, and locally made products. Although the Rockland store opened in 1997, the company's history extends back to 1975, when it began as a small counterculture-inspired shop in Belfast. Over the past five decades, the Grasshopper Shop has become a recognizable regional institution whose history mirrors changing consumer culture, family entrepreneurship, and the revitalization of Maine's downtown business districts.

Founding in Belfast (1975)

The Grasshopper Shop was founded in 1975 by Johanna Strassberg and Ken Schweikert, who had moved to Maine during the "back-to-the-land" movement of the early 1970s. Like many young families attracted to rural Maine during that period, they sought a lifestyle centered on self-sufficiency, community, and locally based commerce.

Rather than opening a traditional gift shop, the couple purchased a small newspaper stand in downtown Belfast and gradually transformed it into an eclectic retail business. Their merchandise reflected both the practical needs and cultural interests of Midcoast Maine residents during the 1970s. Early inventory included:

• leotards and casual clothing

• tapestries

• natural foods

• handmade crafts

• children's toys

• wood stoves

• household goods

• gifts and locally made products

The founders intentionally mixed practical merchandise with whimsical items, creating an environment that appealed to local families as well as visitors. This philosophy of offering "something for everyone" became the defining characteristic of the business and remains central to its identity today.

Expansion Throughout Coastal Maine

The success of the original Belfast store encouraged gradual expansion throughout coastal Maine during the late 1970s and 1980s.

Over the following decades, Grasshopper Shop locations operated in:

• Belfast

• Camden

• Bangor

• Ellsworth

• Searsport

• Stonington

• Bar Harbor

Unlike corporate retail chains, these stores remained family-operated, with various relatives managing individual locations. Although several branches eventually closed as retail markets changed, the business retained its family ownership throughout its expansion.

Opening of the Rockland Store (1997)

In 1997, the company opened the Rockland location at 400 Main Street, placing the business within Rockland's historic commercial district. The new store benefited from downtown Rockland's growing reputation as a center for tourism, art galleries, restaurants, and independent retail.

The Rockland store differed somewhat from the original Belfast location by emphasizing gift merchandise, women's apparel, children's products, home accessories, and Maine-made goods while maintaining the eclectic merchandising style established in the 1970s. Over time it became one of downtown Rockland's best-known independent retailers.

Second-Generation Ownership

The business entered its second generation when Sierra Dietz, daughter of the founders, assumed ownership.

According to family accounts, Sierra literally grew up in the original Belfast store, with her parents recalling that her playpen was placed in the front display window while they worked. After attending college and working in retail in Boston, she returned to Maine in 2000 to assist with managing the family's stores.

Following Johanna Strassberg's retirement, Sierra became owner of the Rockland operation, continuing the family tradition while adapting the business to changing retail markets and consumer expectations.

Merchandise and Business Philosophy

The Grasshopper Shop has never specialized in a single product category. Instead, its success has depended upon carefully curated merchandise that combines practical household goods with distinctive gifts.

Typical inventory includes:

• women's clothing

• children's clothing

• educational toys

• jewelry

• greeting cards

• books

• soaps and personal care products

• home décor

• seasonal decorations

• Maine-made gifts

• kitchen accessories

The store also emphasizes products manufactured in Maine or elsewhere in the United States whenever possible, reflecting the founders' longstanding interest in supporting local producers and independent manufacturers.

Role in Downtown Rockland

Since opening in 1997, the Rockland store has become part of the city's revitalized Main Street commercial district.

The shop serves both year-round residents and the large number of seasonal visitors attracted by:

• the working waterfront

• the arts community

• museums

• festivals

• cruise ship tourism

• Midcoast Maine's regional shopping district

Its location near many independently owned businesses has contributed to Rockland's reputation as a walkable downtown centered on locally owned retail rather than national chain stores.

Continuing Family Business

Despite significant changes in retailing brought about by online commerce and large national retailers, the Grasshopper Shop has remained independently owned.

In 2022, Sierra Dietz reopened a Belfast location, returning the business to the city where it began nearly fifty years earlier. Although that Belfast branch later closed, the Rockland store remains the surviving flagship of the family business and continues to operate under the founding principles established in 1975.

Conclusion

The history of the Grasshopper Shop demonstrates the resilience of family-owned retailing in coastal Maine. Founded during the back-to-the-land movement of the 1970s, the business evolved from a small Belfast gift shop into a regional chain before consolidating around its successful Rockland location. Through two generations of family ownership, it has maintained its emphasis on community, locally made products, and eclectic merchandising while adapting to changing economic conditions. Today, the Rockland store stands as one of Midcoast Maine's enduring independent retailers and an important contributor to the vitality of downtown Rockland.

Footnotes

1. Our Story, Grasshopper Shop corporate history.

2. Abigail Curtis, "A Popular Gift Shop Is Returning to Belfast 33 Years After the Original Store Closed," Bangor Daily News, January 14, 2022.

3. Grasshopper Shop of Rockland business profile, The Maine Field Guide.

4. Welcome to the Grasshopper Shop, company website.

5. Owen Kingsley, "Grasshopper Shop Returning to Belfast with New Store," WABI-TV, January 21, 2022.

6. Bridget Huber, "Belfast Grasshopper Shop's Last Day Will Be Saturday," Bangor Daily News, March 27, 2026.

Bibliography

• Curtis, Abigail. "A Popular Gift Shop Is Returning to Belfast 33 Years After the Original Store Closed." Bangor Daily News. January 14, 2022.

• Grasshopper Shop. Our Story.

• Grasshopper Shop. Welcome to the Grasshopper Shop.

• Huber, Bridget. "Belfast Grasshopper Shop's Last Day Will Be Saturday." Bangor Daily News. March 27, 2026.

• Kingsley, Owen. "Grasshopper Shop Returning to Belfast with New Store." WABI-TV. January 21, 2022.

• The Maine Field Guide. "Grasshopper Shop of Rockland."