According to a report from the Press Herald, The Porthole has closed and it’s “unclear” when it will reopen.
[Owner Oliver] Keithly said Tuesday he hopes he can work out a plan to renovate and reopen, but he acknowledged it will be difficult. He said he had been planning on closing the Porthole in December and January to redesign the kitchen – which the Comedy Connection shares — but decided do the work earlier after the health inspection and subsequent press coverage.
“Business has been so slow,” he said. “Why prolong it?”
The article says Keithley has a new tenant for the Harbour’s Edge space. Is this where Harding Lee Smith is putting his new seafood restaurant?
That’s my assumption but I don’t have hard confirmation yet.
Early rumors suggested it was going to be an oyster bar, what I’ve heard it’s going to be a more general purpose seafood restaurant.
I too have heard that Lee Harding Smith is buying property at Harbour’s Edge and is planning on a multi-level restaurant, including oyster/raw bar on one level, full seafood restaurant on another and outside rooftop dining – genius!). It makes sense that Keithley would close down and wait for this big sale, rather than spend the time & money now with winter renovations. I do hope Porthole reopens at some point — I love their BRUNCH.