CAMDEN — After 45 years at the helm of the The Smiling Cow, in downtown Camden, Meg Quijano is handing the business reins to the next generation, to her nephew, David Fisher.

The Smiling Cow, an iconic Main Street gift store, has been family-owned and operated for 85 years.

Founded by Margaret Hawkey, the store was later run by Hawkey’s daughter, Margaret Hawkey Fisher and her husband Henry Fisher, and was then purchased by their daughter,Meg Fisher Quijano, in 1980.

Although neither of Quijano’s children, Chris and Lisa, felt called to carry on the family business, nephew David Fisher was thrilled to step in. Fisher, son of Quijano’s brother Peter Stevenson Fisher, will own and operate The Smiling Cow starting this season.

The Smiling Cow operates between May and October and has served locals and visitors for over eight decades with a winning formula of friendly staff, a “something for everyone” approach to merchandising, and a stunning view off the back porch of the waterfall and Camden Harbor.

Famous for its unusual name (see here for a detailed history), delicious store-made fudge, and for having a river running beneath its building, The Smiling Cow has become a beloved institution and a destination for grandparents who visited as children to bring their grandchildren to, and for multi-generational family groups and friends to shop and laugh together. 

“I am thrilled that the store is staying in the family,” Quijano said, in an April 25 news release. “Being family owned means a lot to us and I know my nephew David will continue this important legacy with his signature good humor and hard work ethic. My husband, Paul Quijano (who has worked alongside me and has been my rock all these years) and I plan to help out a bit from the sidelines along with our daughter, Lisa Utman Randall, to help David get up and running. We’re looking forward to retirement and more time spent enjoying the beauty of summer in Maine, visiting friends and family, and getting out on the golf course.”

“After decades in the music industry, I’m really excited for a totally new direction,” said Fisher, who was born in Portland, and currently lives in California with his wife Marisa and their daughters. “Memories of The Smiling Cow are a beautiful part of my childhood and I have a deep love and connection to Camden. The idea of spending more time here and also keeping the store in the family is very important to me. My Aunt Meg has done a tremendous job and I am very fortunate that I can learn from the best! I look forward to working with Meg, Paul, and Lisa and the incredible staff to learn the tricks of the trade, and to getting to know this amazing community better.”

The Smiling Cow will open for its 85th season on Thursday, May 1, with Fisher as new owner and Meg just a phone call away.

“Paul and I will be behind the counter once in a while, too,” she said.  “And we want to thank our incredible realtors, Chuck Brawn of Dwelling in Maine and Carleton Johnson of RE/MAX Jaret & Cohn for guiding us through this process in a way that was simple and friendly and fun."