Here are a couple new items under construction:
A group of 5 “seasoned and passionate artisan bakers” are launching a new bagel bakery in Portland called the Union Bagel Company. Their stated goal is “to bring traditional bagels to Portland, and to create a successful enterprise that is both supportive of and dependent upon a strong regional economy.”
They’ve launched a website, set-up a Facebook page and are now raising $7500 in start-up funds on KickStarter. If you’ve wanted to see the Portland bagelverse continue to expand then you might want to visit their fundraising page, watch the video and consider helping them out with a donation.
A new restaurant named Spread is under construction at 100 Commercial Street. The location was formerly the home of Gaucho’s and before that of Oolong.
Spread’s owner is Jung Hur who has been the head chef at Fuji for several years. Spread’s menu “will consist of a blend of American and Asian cuisine.” A draft menu (page 46) was submitted along with the restaurant’s liquor license application.
Today’s Press Herald includes an update on the Blue Lobster Urban Winery which is under construction on India Street.
Christopher Gamble and Karen Rasmussen plan to operate their microwinery and wine bar out of a 2,400-square-foot space at 61 India St. It would be Portland’s, and possibly Maine’s, first “urban winery,” where grapes are crushed and fermented.
“People (in urban areas) are realizing that they have a customer base at their front door,” Gamble said. “If you can make wine in the city, why not?”
Gamble said his business plan calls for grapes to be imported from California vineyards to his winery in Portland, where they will be de-stemmed, crushed and fermented before the wine is put into oak barrels to age.
Y-Lime Gourmet, purveyor of cupcakes and other baked goods, has announced they’ll be setting up a retail shop on the first floor of the Public Market House. They hope to be open by March 1st.
A new venture called Blue Lobster Urban Winery has applied for a liquor license to operate a wine bar at 61 India Street. Take a look at this interactive presentation that the owners have published that outlines the concept for their new business. According to documents filed with the City they hope to open in May. A draft menu (page 54) was submitted as part of their application.
This week’s issue of the Forecaster reports that Gorgeous Gelato will be join Bite into Maine and 2 other vendors in running food carts in Fort Williams Park.
Giovine said he opened his Portland business on Fore Street about a week before Christmas in 2010, giving him plenty of time to create a smooth operation before the spring and summer tourist seasons. He said he is importing a cart from Italy to sell gelato at Fort Williams, and prefers to be closer to Portland Head Light because it has more foot traffic than Cove Beach.
Also in this week’s issue is an article on the challenges faced by the South Portland Winter Farmers Market.
Six month after holding its inaugural bazaar, the city’s first weekly farmers market is still struggling for customers.
If traffic doesn’t improve, organizers say the market may not survive.
Roost is the name of a new juice bar under construction on Free Street. According to their website they plan on opening this Spring and will sell:
Word surfaced today of several new businesses under construction:
Chocolatier Sweet Marguerites is in the process of setting up shop in South Portland. In addition to be a production kitchen and retail shop the new store will also offer coffee, hot chocolate and a selection of desserts.