ABOUT JUC

JUC on Walker Street

The Founding of Our Artist Cooperative

It was an idea that Debby Ronnquist, a Kittery Point resident and former small business owner, just couldn’t shake. She imagined a retail space dedicated to selling the furniture she loved to refurbish and paint. This vision quickly grew beyond a personal venture, evolving into an idea for a shared business with other local artists.

To bring this concept to life, Debby invited three fellow artists to join her in discussions about forming an artists’ cooperative. Their shared goal was to establish a place where local artists, working in various mediums, could promote and sell their artwork outside of traditional gallery settings. This initiative aimed not only to support artists’ businesses but also to foster a welcoming and supportive community for all involved.

When a storefront became available, the group seized the opportunity and moved forward with their plans. The Just Us Chickens Gallery officially opened to the public in November 2005, showcasing locally crafted works by its 18 members. The collection includes jewelry, ceramics, fiber arts, cards, glass pieces, framed original art, prints, and mixed media and furniture.

Since its beginning, the Coop has grown and moved several times within Kittery. After its initial opening on Government Street, it later moved to Walker Street, followed by Shapleigh Street. In 2015, the gallery settled into its current home on State Street. Throughout these transitions, the cooperative continually welcomed new artists while others moved on, embodying the ever-evolving spirit of the local creative community.

In 2017, the cooperative took a significant step by formalizing its organization as an LLC. Today, Just Us Chickens boasts a membership of 30 artists, each contributing to the vibrant and supportive environment that defines the cooperative’s ongoing legacy.

Our Name

During one of their early gatherings, Debby welcomed the group with the phrase, “Come On In! Ain't nobody here but just us chickens," a saying fondly remembered from her mother. The phrase—drawn from the 1946 hit single, Ain't Nobody Here but Just Us Chickens, by Louis Jordan—resonated with the group, becoming the inspiration for the cooperative’s name