B&M Baked Beans Looses It's Iconic Smoke Stack

I've always found old, tall, brick smoke stacks rather fascinating.   They once spewed various emissions that today would be frowned upon, but they also are a symbol of what America once was... a manufacturing powerhouse.

Through August 2021, the B&M Baked Bean factory in Portland Maine lost its brick smokestack.

Built in 1956 by the Burnham & Morrill Company, the stack measured 145 feet tall and 14 feet at the base.  The company stated that the reason for it's removal was safety, having stood unused for over 20 years by the Atlantic Ocean.  

Now, I myself have only seen it a handful of times from I-295.  That doesn't mean I won't miss it.  It is bad enough the rail bridge that once carried the Grand Trunk RR across Casco Bay past the plant has been out of service, and barely standing, for years.  Add insult to injury the fact ALL rail service to the plant ended recently as well. 

Hopefully we will at least have the 1913 factory itself to remind us of a time when New England used to actually manufacture useful (and yummy) things for the world to enjoy.  

According to the B&M website:

1867 - Burnham & Morrill Company is founded by George Burnham and Charles S. Morrill. Burnham brought meat and fish packing experience from his days with Rumery and Burnham, a company he helped establish earlier... B&M’s first products included canned meats, vegetables and fish. Their offerings included canned roast beef, mutton, pork, lamb, roast chicken, roast turkey, carrots, turnips, corn and other vegetables, plus herring, clams and lobsters.

1920 Ad showing the original smokestack location

UPDATE:  Unbeknownst to me, B&M beans ceased being made in Portland at the end of 2021.  A true end of an era for Maine, and New England...

Stores That Are No More in Massachusetts... an Incomplete List

With more and more stores closing down or leaving Massachusetts, I decided I better make a list so that even I don't totally forget them!  These are ones I personally knew, but by no means a complete list. Perhaps you will remember some yourself!

Ames - Department Store (replaced Zayer) - Waltham, MA (2002)
Ann & Hope - Department Store - Arsenal Mall, Watertown MA
Bailey's - Ice Cream & Candy - Belmont Center, MA

Baskin Robin - Ice Cream (shops)

Bed Bath & Beyond - (2023)

Ben Franklin - 5&10/craft store - Belmont MA, etc

Bildner's - Food Store - Belmont Center, MA

Bradlee's - Department Store - Burlington, MA (2001)

Bugaboo Creek - Restaurant - Watertown, MA (2016)

Building 19 (etc) - Closeout Items (2013)

Carvel - Ice Cream (shops) - Woburn, MA
Caldor - Department Store - (1999)

Chadwick's - Restaurant - Lexington, MA

Child World - Toy Store (1992)

Christmas Tree Shops - (2023)

Cottage Crest - Restaurant - Waltham, MA

Dandelion Green - Restaurant - Burlington, MA 

Dexter Shoes - Shoe Stores (Maine)

Durgin Park - Restaurant (1827-2019) 

Filene's - Clothing/Department Store  (2006)

Filene's Basement - Clothing

Finest - Supermarket

Fotomat - photo processing 

Granite State Potato Chips - Salem, NH

Grossman's - Home Improvement - 

K-B Toys - Toy Store - (2009)

K-Mart - Department Store (none in Massachusetts)

Heartland - Supermarket

Hilltop Steak House - Restaurant - Saugus MA

Jordan Marsh (became Macy's) - Department Store

Lechmere - Electronics, Appliances, etc (1997)

Leewards - Crafts (became Michael's)

Lord & Taylor - Clothing

Magic Pan - Restaurant (crêpes) 

Moe Black's - Hardware Store, etc - Waltham, MA

Old Oak'n Bucket - Restaurant - Westford, MA

Papa Razzi - Restaurant - (1 location left as of 2024) 

Paperama - Woburn MA

Pewter Pot - Restaurant 

Purity Supreme (was Heartland) - 

Rotman's Furniture - Worcester MA (2022)

Sage's - Food Market - Belmont Center, MA

Sears - Department store - (11 stores remaining nationwide as of 2024)

Service Merchandise - Electronics, Appliances, etc - Burlington, MA (2002)

Spag's - Discount - Shrewsbury, MA (2004)

Strawberries - Record Store (sold 1989)

Toys R Us - Toy Store - Winchester, MA

Tweeter - Electronics (2008)

Videosmith - Movie Rentals 

Quarterdeck - Seafood Restaurant - York, ME

Wal-Lex - Bowling Alley - Waltham, MA

You Do It Electronics - (2024)
Zayer - Department Store - Waltham, MA (1990)

Toys R Us, Winchester MA 7/2/19

Sears, Leominster MA 11/22/22

Bed Bath & Beyond, Leominster MA (2/26/23)

Below are some stores that turned online-only, out of Massachusetts, closing stores, or on their last legs (a shame, too)

Arthur Treacher's - Fish Restaurant - Woburn, MA

Bed Bath & Beyond - home goods (now online only)

Bob's Stores - (2024)

Boston Chicken (now Boston Market) - Lexington, MA

Circuit City - Electronics, appliances, etc (2009)

Friendly's - Family Restaurant (most Boston area locations closed)

Office Depot - Online only

Papa Gino's - Pizza Restaurant 

Radio Shack - Electronics

Tower Records - Record Store

Rotman's Furniture, Worcester MA 12/11/22

Papa Razzi, Concord MA (6/30/23)

Papa Gino's, Bedford MA 7/26/21