This summer the Friends of Deering Oaks is running a bake sale in the park during the Saturday Farmers’ Market. Baked goods are sourced from Standard Baking, Bam Bam, Ten Ten Pié and C-Salt and the coffee is from CBD.
The bake sale has been getting a steady stream of customers the first couple weeks they’ve been in business from farmers and market customers. Bake sale manager Norine Kotts tells me the hope to soon have some patio furniture set-up at the Castle as well.
The City and Friends of Deering Oaks also hope that having the building open and in use may inspire some local food entrepreneur to lease the space and open a year-round cafe in the park.
Mrs. D. and I ate regularly dined at this spot back in the late 90’s. Was known as the Barking Squirrel, featured a fireplace in the winter and a gorgeous outdoor patio in the summer. Drank my first Allagash White there. Fond memories!
I thought the city put out an rfp last fall for someone to set up shop there and iirc Aurora Provisions expressed interest. Anyone know what may have happened with that?
There was an RFP. I checked up with the city earlier this summer and they said that no one submitted a proposal. It’s an interesting building. I look forward to seeing what goes in there.
You would have to make it a bit of a destination for sure. But look at all the parking! 😉