Market Basket is set to swing open the doors of its fourth Maine store next Friday, Nov. 6, at 70 Market St. in Scarborough, and the new location is expected to create about 300 jobs. The 80,000-square-foot supermarket sits inside The Downs, the sprawling development built on the site of the former Scarborough Downs racetrack, and it's poised to become the main shopping draw for a town center still taking shape around it.
The Scarborough store joins Market Basket's existing Maine locations in Biddeford, Westbrook and Topsham, according to WMTW, which also reports the store measures 80,000 square feet and is expected to create about 300 jobs. Store director Eric Beaulieu told the Portland Press Herald that the company is excited to join the community. The newly hired crew will be stocking a store expected to carry more than 50,000 products, per Mainebiz.
As News Center Maine reports, the Scarborough location will be the first retail tenant in The Downs' planned town center, a role that puts the grocer at the literal center of the development's next phase. Market Basket's reported reach varies: Mainebiz puts it at 90 stores across four states, while the Press Herald describes the company as operating more than 90 stores across New England.
A Town Center Taking Shape Around the Grocery Store
The store's role as first anchor tenant in the Town Center was echoed by WMTW, which called the Scarborough Market Basket the first anchor retailer at the heart of the Town Center project. Mainebiz reports that other businesses have also committed to space at The Downs, including Maine Community Bank, NBT Bank, Verizon and Cafe Luna. An InterMed health care site is also planned at The Downs, with construction expected to start soon and completion anticipated in fall 2026, per the same outlet.
Descriptions of just how big The Downs actually is differ depending on the source. The Press Herald describes it as a 577-acre mixed-use development built on the former horse-racing facility, while Mainebiz also describes it as a 577-acre mixed-use development. Either way, the project represents a significant reimagining of the old Scarborough Downs racetrack site into a hub of housing, shopping and services.
The Downs' Development Continues
Mainebiz reports that the project is being developed by M&R Development, led by the Risbara and Michaud families, with Shaw Brothers Construction handling site work.
With hiring complete and a grand opening date confirmed on the company's website, the new Market Basket is poised to test whether it can replicate that kind of draw for the rest of The Downs' Town Center. For now, Scarborough shoppers have a firm date circled: Friday, Nov. 6, when the fourth Maine location of the New England grocery chain opens for business.
