Category: Under Construction

Linden + Front in Bath

| Posted in Maine, Under Construction

A new restaurant called Linden + Front (instagram) is under construction in Bath in the former Relish/Salt Pine Social building at 244 Front Street. Owners Zac and Khristine Leeman are renovating the 3,535 sq ft building and hope to launch the 85-seat restaurant in February.

The Linden + Front menu is still under development but the overall plan is to serve modern takes on classic comfort food with a wide selection of small plates and entrees including woodfire dishes, steak and chop, and dishes for vegetarian and vegan diners. The bar program will offer local draft beers, wine and L+F takes on classic cocktails. Linden + Front will initially be open for dinner but they do hope to eventually add brunch/lunch service too. They’ll have a 20-seat patio open seasonally.

Zac Leeman grew up on nearby Orrs Island and is a graduate of Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island. The Leemans met in Minnesota where they were both worked in the restaurant industry.

They opened their first Maine restaurant, Sundrenched, on Bailey Island in 2022. Sundrenched will reopen for the season in May.

Another Round – Board Game Bar and Cafe

| Posted in Under Construction

A board game bar and cafe called Another Round (website, instagram) is under development at 549 Congress Street in the storefront between Nosh and Regards.

Another Round will have around 250 board games available to play. Owner Harry Sultan hopes to have something for just about everyone with games for people playing in groups, in pairs and solo. Another Round will have classics like Monopoly (including the Portland edition) and Uno, games like Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride as well as perhaps less well known ones like Brass Birmingham, Scythe and Twilight Imperium.

Sultan envisions Another Round as “laid back place to relax with great games, specialty coffee, excellent beer, and a welcoming community”. The 36-seat cafe (see floor plan below) will have a variety of seating options including a bar, couches and tables for gaming and a banquette along the right wall. Sultan is working with Woodhull to designer buildout the 1,397 sq ft space. The interior is expected to make use of natural materials with wood running throughout the space accented by an abundance of greenery. He hopes to launch Another Round by the start of summer.

Another Round will be serving brewed and espresso-based coffees, local beers on tap, wine, a selection of cocktails as well as nonalcoholic options. Sultan hopes Another Round will eventually be roasting its own coffee, but he will initially be sourcing from independent Maine roasters and from Coffee Project New York. Another Round will also have a light food program including pastries for their morning coffee customers and light fare throughout the day.

Sultan (linkedin) attended the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies and has a background in digital media and audio/podcast production. He most recently worked as an executive producer at Food52.

Leisure Time Cocktail Company

| Posted in Under Construction

A new 50-seat bar called Leisure Time Cocktail Company (instagram) is under construction on Thompson’s Point. Leisure Time will feature draft cocktails and freezer cocktails using local ingredients and premium spirits. A future phase of the business will see Leisure Time expand into selling canned and kegged cocktails.

We are dedicated to using the science of botany and molecular gastronomy to make craft cocktails accessible to a wide audience while also adhering to the longstanding traditions of mixing a good drink you can sit back, relax and have fun with.

The Leisure Time food menu prepared by chef Emma Reed will include pierogis and hand cased hotdogs/sausages as well as a rotating selection of soups and salads. Vegan and gluten free options are expected to be on the menu.

Leisure Time is being launched by Kai Parrott-Wolfe and his business partner Matt Noyes. Parrott-Wolfe grew up on Peaks Island and after working at a number of NYC bars launched his own establishment in Brooklyn—the now closed Post Office Whiskey Bar. He returned to Portland in 2019 and has been working as the bar manager at Luke’s Lobster.

Leisure Time will be located in the back right corner of the building Bissell Brothers is in. The space was originally a Cellardoor event room and most recently was a Rwanda Bean cafe. Noyes and Parrott-Wolfe will be renovating the 1,400 sq ft space to add banquette and table seating and reconfigure the space behind the counter with equipment needed for the bar. They envision a space that is “a mix of 60’s lounge, your grandparents’ camp and a botanist’s lab” which is a “cozy space at lunch for professionals to do work or families from the children’s museum and a cocktail lounge at night to have snacks or dinner at before a show down at the Point.”

Parrott-Wolfe and Noyes hope to open Leisure Time this spring.

To get caught up on all the new restaurants, bars, breweries, bakeries and other hospitality businesses in development visit the Portland Food Map Under Construction List.

Catface Cafe in Biddeford

| Posted in Maine, Under Construction

Sur Lie owner Krista Cole and business partner Tyler VanScoy have leased the space being vacated by Part & Parcel in Biddeford where they plan to open the Catface Cafe (website, instagram).

Catface will be serving breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. Chef Mimi Weissenborn is planning a seasonal Maine-inspired menu with “elevated modern flare.” The cafe will have a specialty coffee program, beer, wine and “fun boozy cocktails” to go with the food. Weissenborn is the executive chef of Sur Lie and Gather.

Cole and VanScoy want Catface to be a community gathering place. The location includes a back patio which can host warm weather events or be a spot to hang out solo or with friends. They plan to hosts monthly special events at Catface for the people of Biddeford to gather and socialize.

Cole is a co-founder of Sur Lie which opened for business in 2014. In 2023 she was a James Beard Awards semifinalist in the Outstanding Restaurateur category and Sur Lie was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Hospitality category. In 2022 Cole took over ownership of Gather in Yarmouth from the restaurant’s founder, Matt Chappell. VanScoy has worked in the hospitality industry in a variety of front and back of house roles for over 10 years.

Part & Parcel owners Danielle O’Neill and Ali Preble announced on November 25th that they plan to close their market/cafe. Their last day in business is December 23rd.

The Chametz in New Vineyard

| Posted in Maine, Under Construction

A new fine dining restaurant called The Chametz (website, facebook, instagram) is under development west of Skowhegan in the town of New Vineyard, Maine. The restaurant promises to bring “Michelin-level dining experiences” to Franklin County.

Founders Lina Mamut and chef Jared Rudnick plan to source all their ingredients from within a 100-mile distance from their restaurant and in 2023 planted a biodynamic garden to augment the produce they’ll have available from Maine farms and from foraging in the local area.

When it launches the 20-seat restaurant will offer a 10-course tasting menu served at a communal table (see architect’s rendering above). The Chametz will have both alcoholic and non-alcoholic pairings to go with the meal and with a full liquor license will also have a cocktail program. The menu is expected to showcase seasonal ingredients and Rudnick’s skills in whole animal butchering and fermentation/preservation techniques.

The couple met while working at Journeyman in Somerville, Massachusetts. They have extensive front of house and back of house experience at a variety of restaurants in the Boston area. Rudnick’s resume includes Craigie on Main and No. 9 Park as well as being the chef de cuisine at Journeyman. In addition to their hospitality experience, Mamut also has MS in Data Science, and has worked in the food tech startup world.

For Mamut and Rudnick how they operate their business is perhaps as important as the food and dining experience they and their team will create.  The Chametz will be run as a collective that gives all the team members a voice in decision making and an approach to compensating staff that reflects that shared responsibility.

The build out of a commercial kitchen for The Chametz is underway with the hope the restaurant can launch in early June. To support the launch of The Chametz, Rudnick and Mamut have set-up a $150k Kickstarter campaign. The campaign has already raised $25k towards its goal.

If you are in the Sugarloaf area on this Saturday December 16th you may want to stop by at Cork & Rind for an event featuring tastes of Rudnick’s cooking.

Credit: Image courtesy of The Chametz.

Sacred Profane on Thompson’s Point

| Posted in Beer, Under Construction

Sacred Profane Brewing (website, instagram) has leased the former Stroudwater Distilling space on Thompson’s Point where they plan to open a second brewery, tasting room and eatery. It’s slated to open early next year.

According to the cover letter that accompanied their license application, the demand for their beer has outpaced the capacity of their brewery in Biddeford. With the launch of this new location they plan “to double our production through this space and create the country’s second tankpub on the tourist hub of Portland, Thompson’s Point.” The new location will also bring their Czech-style lager beer closer to their Portland customers and beer enthusiasts visiting the city.

In addition to their own lagers, Sacred Profane plans to also serve cider, wine, other local beers and cocktails like the Levitation Room currently on the menu in Biddeford. They plan to serve a food menu of oysters and Czech-style open-face sandwiches at their counter service Portland location.

The brewery specializes in producing light and dark Czech-style lagers. Their existing brewery and tankpub in Biddeford launched in September 2022.

Sacred Profane will be serving a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner next week on the 21st in Biddeford.

Bar Publica in Bayside

| Posted in Under Construction

A new bar and restaurant called Bar Publica (instagram) is under construction in Bayside. It will be located in the space in between Wilson County Barbeque and the upcoming lager brewery Argenta.

Bar Publica will serve classic and house specialty cocktails as well as beer and wine as well and Latin American-inspired small plates.

The dining room will seat ~65 inside with a bar and banquette/table seating. In warmer weather there will be space for ~60 on the rooftop and about another ~30 in the courtyard on the ground floor with a total occupancy capacity of 299 (see floor plans below). The overall design aesthetic they’re aiming for is a formica-forward mid-century feel with Latin American accents.

Wilson County co-owner Spencer Brantley is heading up the development of Bar Publica with business partners David Kelley and Ciaran Sheenhan who are the founders of Ri Ra.

Brantley hopes to open Bar Publica sometime this spring. That section of West Bayside is also home to Bayside Bowl, Coals, Leavitt & Sons, Wilson County, Batson River, When Pigs Fly, and the upcoming Argenta Brewing.

 

Pulling Corks in Belfast

| Posted in Maine, Under Construction

A new wine bar and wine shop called Pulling Corks (instagram) is under construction in Belfast. It’s being launched by David Speer and Kristin Amundson-Speer. Their vision is a place where customers can “casually drop in and have a glass and a snack, or come and celebrate a really special occasion with an amazing bottle.”

They’ve purchased the 150 year old building that was the former of Bellabooks and are in the process renovating the first floor to be the home of Pulling Corks. The building is at 31 Pendleton Street located just a block away from the center of town. The bar will seat 24-30 people with outdoor seating in an adjacent garden during warmer months.

David Speer has been in the wine industry for over two decades. In 2013, he was named by Food & Wine to their list of the Best Sommeliers of the Year. Prior to moving to Maine, he was the founder and owner of a 20-seat champagne bar called Ambonnay in Portland, Oregon. Speer also operates the Red Slate Wine Company which offers private sommelier service specializing in wines from Champagne and Burgundy.

The couple hope to have Pulling Corks open in time for the start of the summer season.

Restaurant Real Estate: December 2023

| Posted in Real Estate, Under Construction

Welcome to the December 2023 edition of the Portland Food Map restaurant real estate listings sponsored by The Boulos Company—a commercial real estate brokerage that has helped Maine’s restauranteurs buy and lease restaurant spaces since 1975.

This resource gathers in one convenient place the spaces available in Portland (and a few in the surrounding area) that could be potential sites for restaurants and food producers and retailers to locate their next business. Finding the right spot is one of the crucial early challenges in launching a new business and hopefully this resource will make that step just a little bit easier.

West End/Parkside

867 Congress St – the 3,200 sq ft former church that had been slated to be the new home of Vena’s is for sale for $775,000.

Arts District

554 Congress St – 1,621 sq ft former Dunkin’ Donuts space with hood for $2,301/month (NNN).

594 Congress St – with the upcoming close of the Congress Street Starbucks, their 2,592 sq ft space in the Upper H. H. Hay Building will become available for $35/sq ft (MG).

600 Congress St – for lease signs are in the window of the ground floor space at the corner of High and Congress. The Schwartz Building has been under renovation for a decade. For more info call (207) 773-7100.

29 Forest Ave – As part of the renovations at Portland Stage a new 2,700 sq ft restaurant space with a kitchen is being built out. Portland Stage is seeking a restaurant tenant to lease the space for $19.50/sq ft.

44 Oak St – 4,347 sq ft of space in a beautiful historic building at the corner of Oak and Free Streets is available for $15.50/sq ft (NNN).

Bayside

73 Cove St – a 5,519 sq ft industrial space in East Bayside is listed for $35/sq ft; it’s expected to become available in 2024.

46 Elm St – this 385 sq ft corner space in the parking garage at the corner of Elm Street and Cumberland Ave. It’s available for $500/month (MG).

52 Hanover St – On the first floor of a new building will be 1,500 – 4,500 sq ft retail space available for $30/sq ft (NNN). One spot in the building has earmarked for a coffee shop.

178 Kennebec St – 2,644 sq ft of space are available in a newly constructed Bayside building for $25/sq ft (NNN).

34 Portland St – the 3,400 sq ft building that was formerly occupied by Candy’s is for sale for $525,000. It’s also available to lease for $13.50/sq ft (NNN).

Munjoy Hill

89 Congress St – 1,200 sq ft available for $25/sq ft (MG) at the top of Munjoy Hill. Contact davit70@gmail.com for more information.

Old Port

1 Canal Plaza – 4,284 – 14,412 sq ft of ground floor retail space will be available as part of upcoming renovations; $30/sq ft (NNN).

1 Commercial St – the original location of Benkay location at the corner of Commercial and India Streets is available. The 816-2,000 sq ft is for lease at $35-40/sq ft (NNN).

100 Commercial St – 1,535 sq ft of retail space at the corner of Commercial and Portland Pier is for lease for $28.75/sq ft (MG)

185 Commercial St – a new building under construction will include 2,334 sq ft of ground floor retail space that will be available in 2024; $55/sq ft (NNN).

215 Commercial St – 2,487 sq ft of retail space near the corner of Commercial and Dana Streets is available for $65/sq ft (MG).

327 Commercial St – the former Tiqa restaurant is for lease—7,981 sq ft @ $30/sq ft (NNN)—or for sale for $3,500,000.

383 Commercial St – 1,193 – 4,805 square feet of space in a newly constructed building on Commercial Street is available for $28/sq ft (NNN).

441 Congress St – the 2,400 sq ft former Guitar Grave retail space is available for $15/sq ft (MG).

8 Exchange St – the 3,600 sq ft space formerly occupied by The Bar is available for lease for $33.25/sq ft (MG).

201 Federal St – 2 retail spaces will be available in the new 18-story building under construction at the corner of Temple and Federal Streets. The 527 and 2,300 sq ft spaces are listed at $40/sq ft (MG).

420 Fore St – the space formerly occupied by the Old Port Slice Bar is for lease; 2,600 sq ft @ $55/sq ft (MG).

446 Fore St – a 1,600 sq ft space on the corner of Fore and Union Streets is available for $30/sq ft (MG).

40 Free St – a 1,511 sq ft space in the new building constructed by JB Brown is available for $27.50/sq ft (NNN).

28 Market St – the 850 sq ft space formerly occupied by Lucky Juju is available for lease for $2,800/month (MG).

46 Market St – the 2,100 sq ft space formerly occupied by Petite Jacqueline is for lease for $42/sq ft (NNN).

55 Market St – this 3,700 sq ft space on Market Street was formerly occupied by the Big Easy. It’s available for $18/sq ft (NNN).

121 Middle St – a 2,482 sq ft retail spot is available for $45/sq ft (MG).

157 Middle St – 1,091 – 5,155 sq ft of retail space is available for $27 – 29.95/sq ft (MG).

1 Monument Square – 1,500 sq ft of first floor space adjacent to Cera is available 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).

24 Preble St – the original Arcadia space is available. The 2,835 sq ft storefront near Dutch’s and Slab is listed for $20/sq ft (NNN).

3 Spring St – the space currently occupied by the Stars & Stripes tasting room is for lease; 2,554 sq ft for $17.50/sq ft (NNN).

3 Spring St – the space currently occupied by Stage Cannabis is for lease; 2,000 sq ft for $15.50/sq ft (NNN).

144 State St – 2 retail spaces will be available in the development in the former Mercy Hospital building on State Street. The 1,100 and 2,566 sq ft spaces are available for $20-26/sq ft (MG).

15 Temple St – the 2,086 sq ft space formerly occupied by Bubble Maineia is available for $26/sq ft (MG).

23 Temple St – a 947 sq ft retail space in the Temple Street garage is available for $26/sq ft (MG).

110 Thames St – a 2,700 sq ft space and a 3,200 sq ft space are available in the newly constructed building in the Portland Foreside development, $35/sq ft (NNN).

53 Wharf St –a 1,600 sq ft space on the corner of Wharf and Union Streets is available for $30/sq ft (MG).

India Street Area

144 Fore St – the former VA building is near the Portland Foreside development and adjacent to several new office buildings off Thames Street. It has 1,560 – 10,620 sq ft of space available for $22-29/sq ft (NNN).

Outer Forest Ave

301 Forest Ave – the former Higher Concept space is for lease, 4,000 sq ft at $15/sq ft (NNN).

503 – 509 Forest Ave – the exterior of this building is slated to be restored to its historic design. It has 4,500 – 9,500 sq ft of space available for $10/sq ft (NNN).

634 Forest Ave – this former garage is located at the center of Woodfords Corner near Bayou Kitchen Woodford Food & Beverage, and Bird & Co. The 1,305 sq ft building has had a change of use to allow for a restaurant use, and comes with room for 8-12 parking spaces. It is available for $2,750/month (NNN).

701 Forest Ave – 3,147 – 6,405 sq ft with parking available for $16/sq ft (NNN).

Deering

476 Stevens Ave – the Elsmere BBQ building in Deering Center is for sale for $1,450,000; the sale includes all FF&E inventory.

550 Washington Ave – 2,000 – 2,400 sq ft of the former Botto’s bakery is available to lease for $18/sq ft (NNN).

Elsewhere in Portland

1339 Washington Ave – the 4,150 sq ft former Parker’s Restaurant building in North Deering is for sale for $1,995,000.

Northgate Shopping Center – 2,000 to 3,500 sq ft of space is available.

Westgate Shopping Center – three spaces are for lease at $18-40/sq ft (NNN).

Other Spaces – some vacated restaurant spaces haven’t yet been formerly listed for by the owner. Check the closing announcements for the latest information.

Outside of Portland

188 Lincoln St, Lewiston – this 2,371 – 5,554 sq ft former fire station has been renovated for use as a retail/restaurant space. It’s listed at $5-14/sq ft (NNN).

521 Route 1, Scarborough – the 9,211 sq ft former Amore restaurant is for sale for $595,000.

171 Ocean St, South Portland – the 1,500 sq ft space formerly occupied by Judy Gibson is for lease for $25/sq ft (NNN).

1637 Post Rd, Wells – the 4,000 sq ft build that was formerly the home of Joshua’s is for sale for $2,150,000.

Billy’s Chowder House – both the building and business of Billy’s Chowder House in Wells is for sale. The ~200 seat restaurant comes with a 62-car parking lot and sits on Mile Road which connects Route 1 with Wells Beach.

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.

Dos Gatos Gastropub in Belfast

| Posted in Maine, Under Construction

Adam Roberson and Jesse Soto have leased the former Perennial Cider Bar space at 84 Main Street in Belfast where they plan to open Dos Gatos Gastropub (instagram).

Dos Gatos will serve a taco-centric menu prepared with house-made tortillas. They plan to offer traditional standards as well as some taco combos of their own design (e.g. duck confit, crab, etc).  The bar program will include classic cocktails and specialize in margarita variations with an extended selection of mezcals and tequilas.

Soto and Roberson have been thoroughly renovating and redesigning the space with the aim of creating a venue that “combines vintage charm with a mischievously playful approach.” Overall Dos Gatos will seat 30 with a pair of lounge areas, a 14-seat bar and table seating.

The Dos Gatos experience will be informed by Roberson’s and Soto’s global travel and experience with and within the restaurant industry. Their aim is to create an “overall ambiance that captures the essence of a memorable dining journey”.

Dos Gatos is slated to open in December. Stay tuned to their instagram account for updates and an announcement on an opening day.