PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — If passers-by spy a small skeleton perched on a treasure chest in a Presque Isle storefront and think, “That’s cosmic,” they’re right.
The jolly skeleton is part of a window display at Cosmic, one of Main Street’s newest businesses. Though southern Maine has a number of metaphysical retail locations, the concept is rare in Aroostook County.
Owner Matthew Nadeau opened the spiritual supply and clothing store to fill what he saw as a void in The County’s retail picture. The shop is as unique in its range of offerings as it is in how it welcomes visitors, which is exactly what Nadeau intended. He wants people of all beliefs and backgrounds to know they will be accepted when they step inside.
A sign on both sides of the entrance states, “We welcome all races, all religions, all countries of origin, all sexual orientations, all genders, all abilities and disabilities.”
“I’ve met so many cool and unique people, and that sign is what made them open up and talk,” Nadeau said Friday.
Matthew Nadeau of Fort Fairfield is shown In November 2019 at Cosmic’s first store, a seasonal shop at the Aroostook Centre Mall. (File photo: Melissa Lizotte)
Nadeau, a Fort Kent native who lives in Fort Fairfield, isn’t new to The County’s business scene. He opened Bella Vita hair salon in Fort Fairfield in 2016, moving it to Presque Isle in 2019. Cosmic first appeared as a temporary, seasonal site in the Aroostook Centre Mall, also in 2019.
Having retired from the salon business, Nadeau was ready to navigate to retail full time, and when the space at 445 Main St., Suite 2, opened up for rent this year, he found it the perfect size to give Cosmic a permanent home, he said.
The business stocks a variety of natural healing and meditation tools, spiritual products, home decor, jewelry and women’s clothing.
The term “metaphysical” encompasses everything that pertains to spirituality and all beliefs in a higher power, Nadeau said.
“It’s a lot of love and light. It’s needed in these dark times,” he said.
Crystals and jewelry made with them are so popular, Nadeau has a hard time keeping them in stock, he said.
The stones — amethyst, lapis lazuli, jasper and many more — each have their own energy and can be associated with healing properties, he said. Many people use them to meditate, carry them in their pockets or wear them as jewelry.
Ancient Greeks, Chinese and Egyptians believed crystals had healing properties, according to wellness website Healthline.com. Science may disagree, but the popularity of alternative medicine has heightened their use today, and many people associate crystals with ridding the body of negative energy and promoting the flow of positive energy in body, mind and spirit, said Healthline’s Emily Rekstis.
Other customer favorites include tarot cards, spiritual books, incense and apparel, which might include men’s clothing at some point.
Women’s clothing is displayed at the metaphysical store Cosmic in Presque Isle on Oct. 28. (Paula Brewer | The Star-Herald)
Nadeau aims to bring to the region a variety of items that aren’t found in other stores, and a selection of clothing that women struggle to find. Many people have said they appreciate the size range offered, from small to 3X, he said.
Nadeau, who is also an artist and crafter, is working on some commissioned paintings. His first gallery show — and sale — was at the Wintergreen Arts Center some years ago when it was on State Street, he said. Some of his work hangs in the store.
He is also creating some holiday decor that will soon take the place of the Halloween display.
Since opening, the store has drawn an eclectic mix of people from all over Maine and other states, including Tennessee and New York, Nadeau said.
The store is also online.
Nadeau wants shoppers to find the business as welcoming as the sign says.
“One of my biggest goals was to have a safe place for people, with no judgment. I’m here to support everybody,” he said.
