Category: Under Construction

Joe Fournier, Managing Partner at The Farm Stand tells me that they’re making excellent progress on the build out of the space and that they hope to open sometime in mid-August. They’re currently hiring to staff the market.

The Farm Stand is a collaboration between Fournier, Penny Jordan and Ben Slayton. Fournier has been a longtime member of the Rosemont Market staff, Jordan is a co-owner of Jordan Farm in Cape Elizabeth and Slayton runs Farmer’s Gate Market which sources all its pasture-raised meats from Maine farms.

The Farm Stand is located at 161 Ocean Street in the Knightsville neighborhood of South Portland.

Two new under construction updates surfaced on Tuesday via an article in the Press Herald Real Estate section. The article (not available online) talked about the renovations to the old Nissen Bakery building at 75 Washington Ave.

New developments include:

• An Oxbow Warehouse and Tasting Room – I talked with Oxbow co-owner Tim Adams and he confirmed that Oxbow is the “well-known local brewery” mentioned in the article. Oxbow has taken over 10,000 sq. ft. of space (instagram photo) in the building—a huge increase over the 800 sq. ft. they currently operate out of in Newcastle. In addition to tanks for conditioning, aging and equipment for bottling their beer, Oxbow also plans to open a Portland tasting room. The tasting room is being designed by local artist Will Sears and Sam Gilbert.
• A New Restaurant – the article confirms the rumors around town about a restaurant going in on Washington Ave. It will be located in the retail spaces that are currently vacant. More details will no doubt emerge once they sign the lease.

Alex Steed has interviewed co-owner Briana Holt about the upcoming Tandem Bakery in the West End.

What can folks expect from the new West End shop?
It is going to be the awesome. There will be Tandem Coffee, of course, which they already serve at the East Bayside location. What we kind of want is a neighborhood joint that is focused on yummy, comforting-but-cool,  American-style baking…

Ten Ten Pié has announced that Atsuko Fujimoto will be heading up the kitchen in the new eatery.

Ten Ten Pié is proud to announce Markos´ partner: Atsuko Fujimoto of Miyake. Atsuko will be the mastermind in the kitchen, blending traditional French pastry, Japanese culinary discipline, and multi-cultural flavors to offer unique morning pastries, freshly prepared snacks, and take-out lunches and dinners.

Fujimoto comes to Ten Ten Pié from Miyake but has also worked at Fore Street and Standard Baking. Fujimoto and partner Markos Miller hope to open in August.

111 Commercial Street, the space formerly occupied by Port Bean Cafe, has been leased. The new owners plan on opening a retail craft beer store.

Update: The new store will be part of the multi-state Craft Beer Cellar chain. For additional info see this report on Eater Maine.

Here’s a little look inside the construction site of the new Tandem Coffee in the West End. There’s a long counter for displaying baked goods and coffee pick-up. There’s also a separate seating area with a big communal table. Click on the photo to see in an enlarged view.

A sign on the front of of the Hilltop Superette indicates that the store will be opening on Monday June 30.

Today’s Press Herald has a report on what’s new at the neighborhood market.

When the Hilltop Superette opens next Monday, residents of Portland’s East End will be able to get Grey Poupon, green curry paste and fresh-cut steaks within walking distance.

But those who came to rely on the convenience store formerly known as Colucci’s for cheap beer, basics like butter or a roll of toilet paper in a pinch can rest assured the new market will carry all the staples, too.

The Forecaster has published a report on the Hilltop Superette under construction in the old Colucci’s building.

Now christened Hilltop Superette, the nearly 80-year-old store at 135 Congress St. is expected to re-open as soon as June 26, according to its general manager, Nate Philbrick.

“It might be a little later, but it will definitely be before the Fourth (of July),” he said in an interview Monday afternoon. The reborn bodega will offer something for everyone, he promised, as it traditionally has.

A chef named William D’Auvray (twitter) has moved from Florida to Portland where he plans on opening a restaurant on Commercial Street. D’Auvray and business partner Angelo Ciocca, president of Nova Seafood are in the final stages of leasing the former Spread restaurant for this new venture.

In North Carolina D’Auvray ran an Asian themed seafood restaurant called Fins, and Buku which served a menu of “global streetfood”. He was also involved in Thasos a Greek restaurant in Fort Laudardale. A very thorough biography of the chef’s education and career can be found on the Eat & Critique Show.

Once the partners have decided on a name for the restaurant they’ll be releasing further details on the concept.

Sprudge has posted an interview with Tandem about the new coffee shop shop they have under construction in the West End.

What’s your approach to serving the coffee?
We’re going to emphasize high-quality batch brew but we’re still debating our exact setup for that at the moment. Pour-over may or may not happen at the new place. Coffee shots are a possible alternative—though we won’t know for sure until we get the new equipment in to start tasting.