In 1977, Dan Poulin opened Orphan Annie’s Antique Store at 96 Court Street in Auburn, Maine, and nearly five decades later it stands as one of the state’s longest continuously running antique shops, often described by regulars as Maine’s greatest and longest-standing fine antique store. Dan is a collector himself, and his personal, hands-on dedication to hunting down quality pieces has kept the inventory growing steadily since the store’s earliest days.
The main Court Street location sits near Auburn’s riverfront, just off the city’s main street, and though the storefront itself is on the smaller side, visitors consistently describe every nook and cranny as filled floor to ceiling with treasures: antique furniture, lighting fixtures, glassware, jewelry, vintage clothing, books, vinyl records, china, brooches, vases, and decorative smalls. Reviewers specifically praise the level of curation, noting the shop stays impressively organized and remarkably dust-free given the sheer density of items packed into a relatively compact space, a rare feat for a shop this thoroughly stocked. As demand and Dan’s own collecting continued to outgrow the original storefront, the business expanded to a second location, the Turner Street Furniture Warehouse, adding three more floors of extended capacity specifically for larger furniture pieces and giving serious collectors a much broader pool to search for a coveted find.
Visitors traveling through Maine, including at least one couple who specifically detoured through Lewiston-Auburn for a memorial and stayed to shop, describe the experience as genuinely magical, praising both the depth of inventory and the warmth of the staff, with Dan and a colleague named Larry singled out repeatedly as some of the friendliest, most engaging hosts a shopper could ask for. One visitor recalled purchasing a quilt top made from early 1900s cigar box advertising inserts featuring international flags, a detail that speaks to just how specific and historically interesting some of the shop’s finds can be. The store also sells vintage cards benefiting adults living with HIV/AIDS in Maine, folding a genuine charitable element into the shopping experience.
Orphan Annie’s keeps steady weekly hours, open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its location near Auburn’s riverfront and downtown core makes it an easy stop for anyone exploring the Lewiston-Auburn area’s dining and outdoor activities.
For collectors seeking a genuinely legendary Maine antique destination with nearly fifty years of history behind it, Orphan Annie’s Antiques remains an essential stop, one where the depth of Dan’s personal collecting is still very much felt in every corner of the shop. Orphan Annie’s Antiques is a nearly 50-year-old antique shop in Auburn, Maine, founded by Dan Poulin in 1977 and now spanning a main Court Street storefront plus a three-floor furniture warehouse on Turner Street.
