A new bar and lounge called Karibu Kwetu is under development at 263 Saint John Street in the space adjacent to Burundi Star Coffee. Karibu Kwetu is a Swahili expression that means “welcome to our place”.
The owners are Antoine Bikamba, Thierry Mugabe, and Bertrand Muguberi. Bikamba is from Rwanda and is a co-founder of 207 Bar and Restaurant on Cumberland Ave. Both Mugabe and Muguberi are from Burundi.
A new restaurant called Keg and Kraken (instagram) is under construction in the former Kushiya Benkay spot at 653 Congress Street. Owners Jiraphon and Steve Richards along with Nisachuan Young plan to do some light renovations and hope to open in July.
Keg and Kraken will continue to serve sushi and the menu will be augmented to include Thai dishes and tiki-style cocktails.
The Richards own a laudromat in Biddeford. Nisachuan Young has experience in the hospitality business in Thailand where she was the assistant director of food and beverage at the Four Seasons Hotel in Samui as well as the manager of Luca Cafe in Maine.
Kushiya Benkay quietly shut down operations in late May.
A new 40-seat restaurant called Riverton Station (facebook) is in the final stage of construction at 1569 Forest Ave. As part of the cover letter for their liquor license application owners James and Peter Hoglund shared
The restaurant will bring a great open, safe and convenient atmosphere for all ages to enjoy…The menu revolves around pizza and grill type offerings. There will be a mealoption for everyone in the family to enjoy at a price point that they can enjoy often. We hope this will bring some of the history and life back into Riverton and help it evolve into the focal point or center of the community for years to come.
Here’s a look at the draft menu for Riverton Station.
Maine beer fans will have two more breweries to choose from.
Newscapes Brewing (website, facebook, instagram) recently launched in Portland. The brewery was launched by Jeff Curran and is located at 163 Washington Ave. You can learn more about their line-up of beers on their website. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 8 pm.
A new brewery called Idiomatic Brewing (website, instagram) is under development. The founders have a decade of combined industry experience in Maine and elsewhere. Their first three beers will be Ninety in the Shade (4.6%, lager), Missed the Boat (6.2%, American IPA), Sliced Bread (6.3%, dubbel-style ale). Launch timing and location details are still TBD.
In the last few days the Press Herald has published updates on Queenie’s Castle and the sale of Town Landing, and on changes in Portlander’s coffee habits.
Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram reports on the 15-year anniversary of The Green Elephant, and on Portland food and donut tours.
A new business called Queenie’s Castle is under construction in Deeering Oaks Park. It will have indoor seating and tables outside on the front and side decks.
Owner Victoria Queenie Thayer is launching a deli and soft serve ice shop in the historic building and has applied for a wine and beer license.
The draft menu supplied with the liquor license application (see pages 146-148) include items like lobster rolls, grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers and kid’s lunch boxes. The ice cream menu includes soft serve dish and cones plus sundaes, parfaits, frappes and a banana boat supreme.
Welcome to the June 2022 edition of the Portland Food Map restaurant real estate listings sponsored by The Boulos Company. This monthly column gathers in one convenient place the spaces available in Portland that could be potential sites for restaurants and food producers/retailers to locate their next business.
Even during the pandemic many people are pursuing their dreams and opening new food businesses. Finding the right spot is one of the crucial early challenges in launching a new business and hopefully this new resource will make that step just a little bit easier.
West End
156 State St – 5,250 sq ft of space on the first floor of the Portland Club is available for $14/sq ft (NNN).
235 Vaughan St – the 700 sq ft space most recently occupied by Other Side Deli and which had been the longtime home of Vaughan Street Variety is for lease. Call (207) 650-0846 for more information.
Arts District
554 Congress St – 1,621 sq ft former Dunkin’ Donuts space with hood for $2,301/month (NNN).
642 Congress St – the former Ada’s space is available to sublet; 2,569 sq ft (MG).
643/647 Congress St – 1,107 – 5,016 sq ft of space near Longfellow Square is available for $20/sq ft (MG).
649 Congress St – this 3,000 sq ft space is available for $22/sq ft (MG).
Bayside
15 Chestnut St – the 14,000 sq ft building that was the former home of Grace is for sale for $3,730,000.
31 Diamond St – this 2,800 – 22,034 sq ft industrial space in East Bayside is available for $16/sq ft (NNN).
178 Kennebec St – a 2,644 sq ft space on the first floor of a new building in West Bayside is available for $30/sq ft (NNN).
65 Portland Street – the beautiful restaurant space that was home to Back Bay Grill for 34 years is available; 2,750 sq ft for $25/sq ft (MG).
24 Preble St – the former Arcadia space is available; 2,835 sq ft for $20/sq ft (NNN).
Old Port
1 Commercial St – the original location of Benkay at the corner of Commercial and India Streets is available. The 2,494 sq ft is for lease at $35/sq ft (NNN).
383 Commercial St – 1,639 – 3,487 of retail space on Commercial Street for $28/sq ft (NNN).
40 Free St – the new building constructed by JB Brown has four storefronts ranging in size from 1,358 to 3,067 sq ft for $30/sq ft (NNN).
38 Market St – a 1,200 subterranean space near the intersection with Milk Street for $1,175/month (MG).
55 Market St – this 3,700 sq ft space on Market Street was formerly occupied by the Big Easy. It’s available for $24/sq ft (NNN).
75 Market St – the 5,474 sq ft space on the corner of Market and Middle Streets occupied by Rambler’s Way is for lease for $37/sq ft (MG).
1 Monument Square – 1,500 sq ft of first floor space for $3,125/month (MG).
25 Pearl St – 1,689 sq ft former Subway space available for $30/sq ft (MG).
66 Pearl St – 5,796 sq ft of space—the former Bull Moose retail shop—is available for $15.75/sq ft (MG).
15 Temple St – the 2,086 sq ft space formerly occupied by Bubble Maineia is available for $26/sq ft (MG).
41 Wharf St – the former Jager space is available; 1,107 sq ft for $43/sq ft (MG).
42 Wharf St – this 3,770 sq ft space in the Old Port includes a 2,000 sq ft patio, $45/sq ft (MG).
India/Washington Ave
100 Fore St – 1,914 sq ft of space that the listing says is “ideally suited for a restaurant use” is available for $30/sq ft.
5 India St – 1,250 – 2,500 sq ft for $35/sq ft (NNN) in a new building under construction near the intersection with Commercial St.
83 Middle St – 1,480 sq ft of retail space is available in the new building being constructed across the street from Eventide; $30/sq ft (NNN)
Forest Ave
500 Forest Ave – a 1,500 – 3,200 sq ft space is currently occupied by Starbird. It’s available for $16/sq ft (MG).
945 Forest Ave – the former Photo Market building is for sale for $995,000.
Other
441 Congress St – The 2,400 sq ft former home of Guitar Grave across the street from 1 Monument Square is available for $20/sq ft.
1020 Congress St – a 3,375 service station that is going to be “redeveloped as part a planned mixed use development”. The finished space will be available for $18/sq ft (NNN).
155 Riverside St – the Season’s Bar & Grille and Banquet Center is for lease. The 23,750 sq ft facility includes parking and all furniture, fixtures and equipment.
240 Saint John St – 2,400 sq ft in Union Station Plaza for $14/sq ft (NNN).
Northgate Shopping Center – 2,200 to 5,700 sq ft of space is available.
Westgate Shopping Center – four spaces are for lease at $18-40/sq ft (NNN).
Biscuits & Co, Biddeford – Biscuits & Co closed on October 16th and the business and equipment is for sale. Contact Biscuitsandcompany@gmail.com for more information.
Other Spaces – some vacated restaurant spaces haven’t yet been formerly listed for by the owner. Check the closing announcements for the latest information.
Glossary
MG – Modified Gross which indicates that the operating expenses (taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc.) for the property are included in the lease rate. The tenant would pay its own utilities, which sometimes includes heat.
NNN – Triple Net which indicates that operating expenses are not included in the lease rate, and the tenant will pay them separately. They are often referred to as CAM (Common Area Maintenance) charges and taxes, which are expressed as $/sf. The tenant is also responsible for utilities.
Gross – Gross indicates all expenses including utilities are included in the lease rate. The tenant would be responsible for phone and internet access, as well as interior janitorial.
Big Tree Hospitality (website) is the new owner of Town Landing Market (website, facebook, instagram) on Route 88 in Falmouth. Big Tree closed on the purchase Wednesday. They don’t expect to make any major changes to the operation of the market.
In operating the Town Landing Market, Big Tree will be taking the baton from previous owner MaryBeth Bachman and generations of proprietors who have operated the market since the late 1800’s and established it as one of the pillars of the Falmouth community. Big Tree intends to do no more or less than carry on in their footsteps, keeping the market in its current form and striving to make it the best version of itself. “We have always loved the Town Landing Market and the rich history it holds as a building and community institution and hope we can be as good stewards to the market as those who have operated it for over a century now. We look forward to bringing our love for food and local markets to Falmouth” says Co-owner Kira Butera.
In 2021 Big Tree Hospitality became the owners of the Higgins Beach Market in Scarborough. They also operate Eventide Oyster Co and Eventide Fenway, The Honey Paw, Big Tree Catering, and Big Tree Grocery.
This week’s Portland Phoenix takes a look at neighborhood bars with an update on The Continental which is under construction on Brighton Ave, and interview with owners from Samuel’s and Howie’s.
“The neighborhood decides if you’re the neighborhood bar,” he said. “You try to provide a great product, you have to want to be there every night and find good people to work for you. And the neighborhood decides, they have to show up. You’re the fortunate one if they do.”
He said there is something about knowing all the regulars’ names that sets a neighborhood bar apart. He said it makes you feel accepted, where if you see the regulars out walking around or at the store, you wave and say hello, and they do the same.
“There’s something about knowing the community is happy to know you’re there,” Barbuto said. “When that finally clicks, it’s like the business is breathing on its own.”
Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti have leased 246 Danforth Street in the West End where they plan to open a new daytime bakeshop and cafe called The Ugly Duckling (instagram). They hope to have The Ugly Duckling open by the end of July.
Our focus will be Buttermilk English Muffins with a range of flavors, freshly made tarts, Our Famous Trocaderos, Custards, Mousses and more. (There will be some Gluten free and vegan options also). It’s a Bakery/Patisserie Our way. We will serve espresso (and espresso drinks) and drip coffee from Speckled Ax beans. There will be house made preserves, spreads, jams and more for the muffins (that will also be available retail). And we will serve some breakfast style items in the morning also. Then come lunch the menu will shift and wine and cocktails will be available to pair with your charcuterie & cheese, or tinned fish, or sandwich. We will also expand on the Custom-Made Cakes or any occasion and tailor it to your tastes. And we will be open for Brunch on the weekends also. All in a great place to hang out in all day to eat and meet with friends.
Their aim is to create an inclusive space where everyone feels welcome,
This is a place where all the misfits find themselves, be you and proud. Because at the end of the day we are what we see in the mirror, and to my eyes we are all just perfect. It is our self-reflection and perception that matters, how we see ourselves that matters, we need to show up for us, we need to love us.
Lopez and Sansonetti will introduce a pay-forward system at The Ugly Duckling that will enable their customers to donate funds to feed members of the community. Funds that don’t get used by the end of the month will be donated to Maine-based nonprofits.
As you can see from the floor plan the space features a 15-seat horseshoe coffee bar as well as additional table seating in the front windows of the former PrintCraft shop. The Ugly Duckling will be available in the evening as an event space and to host private parties.
Lopez and Sansonetti also own and operate Chaval, and previously operated the now closed Piccolo.