Category: Under Construction

Here’s a look inside the new Maine Craft Distilling tasting room and distillery under construction at 123 Washington Ave. The 10,880 sq ft space includes a spacious tasting room, greatly expanded distillery space filled with new equipment, and a large barrel ageing room that will be available for special functions. Davidson will be launching a CSA-like program (community supported distillery?) to sell single barrels of spirits in advance.

The MCD crew are in the final stages of getting the tasting room ready and will be announcing an opening day shortly. MCD is co-located in the same building where the new Island Creek Oyster Bar is in development.

According to the Sentry, Omi’s Coffee Shop is hoping to move from its current location in the West End to Meeting House Hill in South Portland,

The change will allow the conversion of office space at 372 Cottage Road to retail food service. Cape Elizabeth resident Gail Bruzgo requested the change in hopes of relocating her business, Omi’s Coffee Shop, from Brackett Street in Portland. Bruzgo said she did not realize until after buying the building that a business like her coffee shop would not be allowed in the Residential Transition Zone, which was limited to residential housing and office space.

and the Press Herald reports that the Daily Grind coffee drive through in Westbrook is planning to expand into a traditional sit down coffee shop.

They knew it was time. The Daily Grind will open a sit-down shop next door to the drive-thru, which will stay open.

“When that building sold, we knew that Maine Med was going to be there for the long term, and we really needed to jump on this opportunity quickly,” Sue Salisbury said.

699 Forest Ave, the former Thurston’s/KFC in Woodfords Corner, has been purchased by the Nguyen family where John Doyon from Malone reports “[t]hey will serve an Asian infused cuisine and operate a bakery”.

Kind Stack (instagram) owner Parker Auger has announced he’ll be launching his new food cart on Saturday August 12th.

A new food cart called Mainely Hot Dogs (facebook, instagram, twitter) has launched is under construction. According to the press release, the cart are serving Snap Dog from New York and are located on the corner of Silver and Commercial Streets.

Big Fin Poké (website, facebook, twitter, instagram) has signed a lease for 2700 sq ft of space at 29 Western Ave in South Portland where they’ll be opening a second location.

Here’s a look at the Toast Bar that Scratch Baking has under construction on Broadway.

We’ll be toasting up our amazing bread and famous bagels and offering an array of toppings including Casco Bay butter, homemade jams & jellies, our delicious plain and herbed cream cheese, Myrt’s pimento cheese, as well as many other intriguing options and combinations. We’ll be pouring Coffee By Design, Speckled Ax and Rwanda Bean Co. coffee as well as making our fantastic espresso drinks.

Parker Auger is developing a new food cart, the Kind Stack Sandwich Company (instagram).

Kind Stack’s menu will “focus on Italian grinder style sandwiches” like a classic Italian (capocollo, mortadella, slami, sopressata, prosciutto, pepperoni), and a Muffuletta (sopressata, mortadella, capocollo, olive relish). Auger plans to locate on Commercial Street and make the brewery circuit.

Auger has been on the bakery staff at Scratch Baking Company, and prior to that worked as the pastry chef at Local 188.

Bolster Snow & Company (instagram), the new 40-seat under construction at 747 Congress Street, has applied for a liquor license application.

The restaurant and bar will be located on the first floor of The Francis hotel:

Here’s a look at chef Nick Verdisco‘s draft menu (page 76) for the restaurant (click to enlarge):

The Forecaster has published an update on second bakery Union Bagel has under construction on Veranda Street.

“We’re opening a second location primarily to accommodate growing demand from wholesale customers,” Farrell said. “The shop on Cumberland Avenue is too small to handle that and our increased retail business.”

Farrell said the Veranda Street shop, near Washington Avenue, would be “very similar” to the Cumberland Avenue operation and the hope is that it will be open by late August.

Union Bagel is also in the process of rebuilding their patio on Cumberland Ave.