29 Wharf Street, the former location of Dancing Elephant II, has been leased where business owner Richard Binet is planning to open a brew pub. The name of business is Portland Mash Tun, LLC.

As expected, the seafood restaurant Dana Street and Sam Hayward have under development on Commercial Street will be named Scales.

The Portland Phoenix reports that Josh Soley’s project to open Trouble, an “old fashioned theater-bar”, is on hold because Soley is 20 years old and so too young to hold a liquor license.

The Urban Eye has published an update on Figgy’s,

Behind Yordprom Coffee on Congress Street something tasty is taking shape. Figgy’s, a take-out spot featuring fried chicken, wings and high-end comfort food, is rising from the ground up.

Mike Keon and Anthony Allen, owners of Otto Pizza, have leased 656 Congress Street. It’s a small space formerly occupied by Jazeera Market.

Keon and Allen intend to use the space to launch a new food venture. They’ve not yet settled on what the concept of the new business will be.

Pete Sueltenfuss has leased 164 Veranda Street where he plans on opening the Otherside Delicatessen(facebook). An updated take on a neighborhood market, the Other Side will sell house butchered and cured meats, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, prepared meals to go and market staples. Sueltenfuss hopes to have The Otherside up and running by the end of January. 164 Veranda Street is the former home of Quatrucci’s Variety.

Since moving to to Maine from Massachusetts, Sueltenfuss has worked for Fore Street, Miyake, Rosemont and helped launch District. For two years until early 2014 he was the executive chef at Grace.

No matter where he’s I’ve always enjoyed Pete’s food. I expect I’ll be making plenty of trips over to Veranda in the this year.

Orenda and Peter Hale have announced that they plan to open the new wine shop on Tuesday January 13. Located at 63 Washington Ave, Maine & Loire (website, instagram, facebook) will focus on organic and biodynamic natural wines.

[T]he store will offer a laid-back, unhurried feel for shoppers. “I always loved going to record stores and talking to the folks working there” says Peter. “You could chat, every time you went in — about what you were into — and get turned on to new stuff that, somehow, complemented what you had been listening to already… it was an ongoing conversation.” This kind of energy is what Maine & Loire (Wine Shop) hopes to encourage. Adds Orenda: “the store is as much about learning new things as it is about selling or buying wine… for our regulars and us to learn about each other, and for everyone to get into cool, undiscovered wines.” These wines come from recognizable areas like Burgundy, Napa and Tuscany and many other places less well-known, but equally compelling. Places like the Ardeche, the Jura, and Swabia will be well-represented.

The shop is named for the Maine-et-Loire region of France. It will be open Tuesday -Saturday 12 -8, and on Sunday 12 – 6.

Photo courtesy of Maine & Loire.

The name of the new restaurant that chefs Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier will be opening is M.C. Union.

Gaier and Clark’s restaurant will be located in the first floor of the Press Hotel(web, facebook, instagram) which is currently under construction in the former Press Herald building at 390 Congress Street.