At the corner of Route 1 and Main Street in Waldoboro, a little gift shop sits in the shadow of its much older and much more famous big sister, Moody’s Diner. Along with the Diner’s trademark gear and Maine-made handcrafts and treats, you can also find sweatshirts, T-shirts and hats that benefit the Maine lobster industry.
Mary Olson founded Moody’s Gifts in 1999. And though Mary and her family sold the business last year to another family member, the gift shop’s tradition of supporting Maine lobstermen lives on through a special logo design.
The Olson family is close to Friendship lobsterman and MLA Board member, Dustin Delano. Mary learned early in 2020 about the industry’s struggles in the face of stringent right whale protection measures. She was determined to help. It was Mary and her daughter Jasmine who first came up with the idea of the traditional Save Maine Lobstermen sweatshirt design which the Maine Lobstermen’s Association quickly adopted as its campaign logo.
Working with Monte Gross at A.M. Associates in Waltham, Massachusetts, Mary and Jasmine helped develop the logo and produced first T-shirts, sweatshirts, and later hats. Mary then found vendors who would agree to donate a portion of all sales to the MLA Save Maine Lobstermen legal defense fund. Delano Seafood in Waldoboro was one of the first to carry the sweatshirts in its store; Hamilton Marine and Midcoast Marine Supply soon stepped up to carry Save Maine Lobstermen products in all their stores. Save Maine Lobstermen items can now be found from Kittery to Jonesport and A.M. Associates ensures the Legal Defense Fund profits from every sale. And it’s all thanks to Mary Olson.
If you own a business and would be interested in selling Save Maine Lobstermen gear, contact Kevin Kelley at kevin@mainelobstermen.org.
Meantime, the next time you get hungry, get MOODY, then stop in at Moody’s Gifts and thank them for supporting Maine lobstermen!