Category: Closings

Original Portland is reporting that the Oak Street burrito shop Herb’s Gully “is gone for good.”

The Press Herald interviewed O’Naturals CEO Mac McCabe about the closure of the eatery’s Old Port location.

McCabe said the business fell victim to changing eating habits because of the economic recession, bad weather and the closing of The Movies on Exchange and other Old Port businesses that would draw diners into his restaurant at night.

Also quoted in the article is Jeff Buerhaus, Chef/Owner of Walter’s, who pointed out that “competition is growing fierce in the Old Port”.

According to a post on Portland Psst!, the Portland O’Naturals is planning to shutdown for good on July 25.

The Press Herald has also published some additional details.

According to an article in this week’s Portland Phoenix, one of Portland’s oldest restaurants, the Roma Cafe, quietly closed its doors a few months ago and its downstairs neighbor, the Bramhall Pub, has recently closed as well. The Phoenix writes of the Bramhall that “there’s talk it may reopen after renovations“.

Don & Beth Morrison, owners of Portland Coffee Roasters, sent out an email today to announce that as of today “As of Thursday, June18th, Portland Coffee will no longer be open”. They thanked “all our loyal customers, outstanding employees, wonderful musicians and devoted friends”. They indicated that Maine Bean Bakehouse and Deli will be taking over the space. According to Portland Fodder, Maine Bean hopes to open in a couple weeks.

According to an article from The Bollard, “The Freaky Bean Coffee Company is closing its two remaining locations, in South Portland and Scarborough, today, and has opted not to fight an involuntary bankruptcy action a group of creditors initiated in late February.”

According to the Westbrook Diarist, two of Freaky Bean’s locations have closed. Both the store in the Cabela’s mall, and the store on Main Street in Westbrook (which houses their roasting operation) were closed “due to ‘unforeseen circumstances'”. This comes just a few months after Maine Roasters Coffee demerged from Freaky Bean and resumed operation as a separate business.
The Bollard has also published a report on the closings at Freaky Bean and confirms that the location in South Portland and Scarborough are still open.

Granny Kirkwood’s Shortbread, a South Portland company that sold shortbread to raise money for Maine Medical, has gone out of business according to this article in the Forecaster.

“Gibson said his Wallace Avenue business was still growing and had a loyal following, but wasn’t growing fast enough to justify staying open. He predicted it would have taken another three years to turn the corner.”

According to a report on Original Portland, The Kitchen is closing for good as of 2 pm on December 24. The owners are moving their commercial falafal business, Papou’s Kitchen, to Woodford Street where they will also sell a limited menu of falafel and gyro wraps. The space on Woodford Street used to be the headquarters for Daily Thyme.