Midcoast Entrepreneurs: Bright Ideas, Creativity and Enterprise

ROCKPORT—On a cold, wintry day in 2018, Isaac Remsen was driving to work when glancing across the Rockport Harbor, he was compelled to slow down.

“I noticed the inner part of the harbor was completely frozen and there were about five lobster boats stuck in the ice,” he said. “I literally called my boss right then and there and said, ‘I’m going to be a little late; I need to take a shot of this.”

He took his DJI Phantom 4 drone out of the back of his car and sent it flying. The…

OWLS HEAD — Michele LeGris, an Owls Head resident residing in an old cottage by the water, is an enthusiast of old books, which propelled her to an appreciation of paper marbling. 

Since 2009, LeGris has been the proud owner of an Etsy store named Red Cottage. 

LeGris’ inspiration to open an Etsy store to start sharing her passions with customers around the world stemmed from a…

NORTH HAVEN—Whoever said punk is dead hasn’t been to North Haven in awhile. Not exactly considered the gritty underground mecca for the post-punk scene, this lobstering community with only 400 year-round residents, holds its own when it comes to three riot grrrls who live and play music there.

Fiona Robins is the owner of Island Apothecary and her job entails gardening and making organic skincare products on North Haven, which have…

STOCKTON SPRINGS — Stockton Springs artist and entrepreneur Chelsea Porter has found a quirky way to breathe new life into old books poised to be thrown away, turning the books into distinctive pieces of art. 

Four years ago, Porter learned how to fold words and designs into the pages of books from her mother and aunt, who were the first in the family to learn the skill.

Porter is able to create nearly any design imaginable — much of the inspiration for her designs stems from her…

ROCKLAND — The soon to be launched Dark Harbor Barber Company bears a name designed to intrigue the Midcoast community, according to its owner Sam Weldon. 

The name behind the new barbershop, slated to open Nov. 16 on Union Street in Rockland, also holds sentimental value to Weldon (one of his favorite novels is Stuart Woods’ Dark Harbor) and is a nod to beautiful Islesboro village bearing the name. 

Weldon is returning to the Midcoast with the launch of his…

THOMASTON — With an affinity for using planners to boost her towards achieving her goals, and a fervor for fueling personal growth and productivity, Thomaston resident Dominique Woodward decided two years ago to create a YouTube channel as a way to share her passions. 

Her channel, The Pixie Planner, boasts more than 6,300 subscribers and has accumulated more than 465,000…

ROCKLAND — Lexi Zable, owner of Port Clyde’s The Dip Net and The Barn in Port Clyde, has secured a new Rockland location for a third establishment, taking over The Eclipse and The Speakeasy on the corner of Park Street.

The Grey Owl Bar & Brill comprises both spaces and is currently in the midst of renovations, not only to improve the eatery’s aesthetic, but also to provide more partitioned space between diners per the COVID-19 mandates.

With The Dip Net and The Barn closed…

ROCKPORT — Carving wooden life size sculptures of sports figures has been a passion for Rockport artist Jon Moro, who recently departed from sports figures to crafting a life size sculpture of two Biblical figures. They were unveiled Oct. 17 at Barnswallow Books, in Rockport Village.

“I’m fascinated by the challenge of creating a sense of movement, and emotion from a still, inanimate object,” Moro said, on his…

ROCKPORT—Italian born-and-raised restaurateur Sante Calandri was not about to let a pandemic stop him from opening his new restaurant, Ports of Italy, in Rockport last week.

With a sister property in Boothbay Harbor, he’d always had his eye on the Midcoast and when the Helm restaurant came up for sale, he jumped on the opportunity. For the last year, he set to work on redesigning the place, adding two decks that overlook the forest-covered river in back. Set originally to open this…

CAMDEN—Patrons looking for your garden variety dogs and burgers will be pleasantly surprised to see what’s on the menu at the newly opened roadside takeout shack just outside Camden Hills State Park. Deirdre’s Roadside, co-owned by Chef Ean Flanagan, former owner of Ebantide and Kenny Corson formerly of the catering/banquet department of Point Lookout, are putting out an elevated comfort food menu with the emphasis on high quality, eclectic tastes.

After only being open two weeks, the…

ROCKLAND—Something sweet has come out of the Summer of 2020 and it has rolled out in a pink-and-white food truck with a logo of the Eiffel Tower.

Eric Boyce has always had the dream of opening a breakfast spot; it just has taken awhile. 

“I’ve been in aviation for 58 years, both as a helicopter and airplane pilot and as an aircraft maintenance engineer, and lived in Alaska for 21 years, but with COVID-19 happening, and losing my job in April, this seemed like the right time…

MIDCOAST—A barbeque restaurant and a food truck serving Middle Eastern street food have opened on the coast in recent weeks. Here’s the skinny on both.

RasDal Falafel — Belfast

Canaan Jordan recently opened his new food truck, RasDal Falafel on Front Street by the footbridge earlier this month. Specializing in Middle Eastern street food, which is mostly vegetarian and vegan, Jordan said, “I’ve been cooking for almost 20…

Like most restaurateurs, Jordan Benissan expected he’d be running his popular restaurant Mé Lon Togo in Waterville this spring, but the pandemic had other plans for him. Not able to keep the restaurant open, and falling behind in rent, his landlord evicted him. These setbacks led to his announcement to close his restaurant in March.

An acquaintance, a food blogger, who followed…

ROCKPORT—With restaurants continuing to navigate seating challenges during COVID-19, one brick and mortar eatery has the perfect solution to stay operating—and the perfect location.

The Big T Snack Shack food trailer, co-owned by husband-and-wife Mark Senders and Rebecca Neves, was approved by the Rockport Select Board to set up full-time operations in Rockport Harbor this summer and fall.

The couple, who also own the Bagel Cafe in Camden, have operated The Big T Snack Shack at…

SOUTH THOMASTON—A new food truck opened May 8 to complement Waterman’s Beach Brewery, and fans of the old Waterman’s Beach Lobster,  will be thrilled to know that the new venue has some unique ties to the old. 

Joshua and Charmen Spearing are heading up “On A Roll,” a traditional lobster shack on wheels in the same spot where Waterman’s Beach Lobster shack originally operated for the last 30 years,

Joshua, a lobsterman who fishes out of Spruce Head, and Charmen, a former…

BELFAST — While people might be familiar with Alicia Gaiero’s remarkable athletic abilities, she is remarkably creating her own path in the business world, beginning with her ski accessories business, Gnarly Neckies. 

Gaiero, a 2016 Belfast Area High School graduate, is majoring in environmental policy and planning at the University of Maine at Farmington and recently obtained a certificate from the University of Southern Maine in geographic information systems. 

Gaiero, as a…

SEARSPORT – Splendiferous is a word. It means stupendously beautiful, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, at any rate. It’s a newer word. It’s only been around since the mid-19th Century, but its usage has dramatically increased since the 1950s. This brings us to the Splendiferous Sweet Shoppe, an “Alice in Wonderland” themed chocolate shop at 21 Main Street in Searsport.…

ROCKLAND—We first encountered Rachel Jones at a beer-drinking knitting group called “Unraveled” several years ago in a story, “Women who like to knit with a brewski.”

Since then, the fiber artist from Owls Head has taken over an annex studio at Lincoln Street Center in Rockland with her successful shop making and selling unique hand-dyed yarns called…

WARREN—University of New England college student William Cox, 19, has found a novel way to offset the cost of his college books and materials. He’s offering custom hand-drawn portraits to the Midcoast community.

Without a website or professional presence, he recently posted on Midcoast Message Board, a FB group with almost 26,000 members, that he was looking for commissions in order to pay for his college supplies.

He posted some of his recent portraits and the response from…

MONTVILLE—Artist Felicia Cinquegrana lives in the deep woods of Montville, but she doesn’t even need to venture outside for inspiration. Trees are all around—her house, her studio, and in her art.

Her hand-engraved jewelry and paintings are only part of her collection, but they all share the same quality: A bare etching of a tree, its branches in stark movement, giving the impression of reaching out.

“My husband and I moved to Montville, Maine, from Rhode Island five years ago…

Giving someone the gift of services or an experience this season is one way to free the world of extra stuff and clutter, but it also supports many of the hard-working businesses in our community at the same time. It’s a win-win! So each week, until Dec. 25, we will bring you this series until you can’t take it anymore. Ready. Set. Go.

Traveling Escape Games

Edgecomb, Maine (But…

For the month of December, we continue our series to shine the spotlight on local craftspeople who make things by hand. It’s important to shop local and to support the innovators and entrepreneurs who keep the creative economy alive in the Midcoast. So each week, until Dec. 25, we will bring you this series until you can’t take it anymore. Ready. Set. Go.

…

Each December, we shine the spotlight on Maine craftspeople who make products by hand. This week, we focus on those who work out of their homes, farms and kitchens to make quality products, using unique Maine flavors and ingredients. Best of all, all of these items can be picked up locally and shipped.

Toddy Pond Farm Fromage Blanc

Monroe, Maine

BELFAST—If you’re shopping at the United Farmers Market of Maine in Belfast and happen upon Mike Raven’s booth, “Grandpa’s Specialty Smoked Meats,” you don’t have too far to walk for table service, as he recently opened a tiny restaurant next door.

Last month, Raven opened Grandpa’s Kitchen, an offshoot of his smoked meats business, in the kitchen annex attached to United Farmers Market of Maine formerly used by Jamaican Vybz.

As the family cook, Raven grew up observing his…

BELFAST — When the Gothic Building in Belfast became available for use it left a void downtown. The storied building, owned by Todd French, was once the home of now world-famous eatery The Lost Kitchen, followed by several other establishments. Now, a new sushi restaurant has filled both the space and a niche in town. Satori opened on September 20. 

Satori is the work of three talented restaurant professionals who were brought together by happenstance and a combination of each of…

TENANTS HARBOR — Many locals, and those versed in the Maine food scene, know Malcolm Bedell either from his writing, which includes co-authoring a book and regularly contributing to a variety of print and online publications, or his popular and cleverly-named Rockland-based food truck ‘Wich Please. 

Now, Bedell is back with a new project: a modest eatery in his home town of Tenants Harbor called Ancho Honey, housed in a converted residence at the heart of the village. An attractive…

SOUTH THOMASTON—It may be the end of the summer season for tourists to Maine, but Waterman’s Beach Brewing is just getting started.

General Manager Heath Curtis just opened the oceanfront brewery for Labor Day weekend to an enthusiastic crowd of locals, visitors and fans of Waterman’s Beach Lobster.  But first, a little back story, so it all makes sense.

Three years ago, Waterman’s Beach Lobster, a family-owned lobster pound, announced it was closing for good after 30 years in…

BELFAST—She works hard for the money, that’s for sure. Captain Sadie Samuels catches lobster all week on her own boat, FV Must Be Nice. 

The afternoon I’d stopped by her new lobster shack, located right on the Harbor Walk in Belfast, she’d already been up at 4 a.m. to go haul.

“The bait guys were late this morning, like 5 a.m., so I got a late start,” she admitted. Yet, by 10 a.m., when most of America…

BELFAST—Was it a coincidence that the day I decided to check out The Only Doughnut, a new shop in Belfast, there was only one doughnut left?

Well, to be accurate, one kind of doughnut—a coconut glazed—was left. The entire racks of doughnuts had been sold, cleared out by 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Owner Sally Jaskold was kind of surprised herself. Jaskold, who co-runs the business with Matt Wheeler, began making doughnuts from a commercial kitchen in Belfast and sold them at the…

MONROE — Jeff Barrett, a Monroe-based artist, takes pride in not only his art, but also the source materials of his art. 

The former Colorado resident spent the 1980s and 1990s working in a well-known art glass studio in Denver, Colorado, where lived for two decades during a time he described as a “wonderful and unique time in American craft.” 

As an artist for most his life, Barrett noted he has always worked in media other than glass, despite the two decades spent working in…

BELFAST — While the 24th annual Arts in the Park drew artists of all types from far and wide, one local artist whose work is featured in landscapes far and wide has been coming back every year for decades. 

Ron Cowan, 76, is the man responsible for the intricately…

Gary Oliver, the former co-owner of Mt. Battie Take Out at the base of the Camden Hills State Park, has a message for the shack’s loyal patrons who were disappointed to learn it was closing this season: “Don’t fret. We’re back and better than ever.”

The Beloin family, which owned the property the roadside restaurant was situation on, retired last October and sold their iconic lodging, Beloin’s to a young couple, as written about in a PenBay…

ROCKPORT — For Rockport resident Amanda Amoroso, being environmentally friendly is a way of life and is at the center of her ceramics company, Honey Bee Hill. 

Though she is now a skilled ceramics creator, she did not start her journey through the art world dedicated to ceramics. 

When enrolling at Pennsylvania State University to pursue a bachelor’s of fine arts, Amoroso possessed an initial interest in industrial design. 

“I have always enjoyed thinking about the…

WARREN—With the monster success of Maine Brew Bus tours in Portland and Boston, it was only a matter of time that all-inclusive minivan tours to Midcoast breweries, distilleries and wineries would materialize.

Larry and Rose Bull, of Warren, have envisioned a new service for locals and tourists to capitalize on the Maine Wine, Beer and Spirit Trails by doing all of the driving.

Bull On The Run Tours, a play on…

WALDOBORO—A new mobile food truck is set to open in Waldoboro this spring. Opposite Moody’s Diner at the corner of Rt. 1 and Washington Road, Ollie’s, a bright red mobile kitchen, is set to open April 22.

Owners Vickey and Ralph Jones, who formerly owned Ollie’s Place, a small grocery store and restaurant in Jefferson, had to put the business on hold in 2015 to care for Ralph’s ailing mother. After taking a couple of years after that to travel, the couple decided to move to Waldoboro…

UNION — A new chapter has emerged for a beloved Union eatery. Owners Jillian Lary and Brian Fickett, both 24, said that they are aiming to open the doors to Sterlingtown Public House in late April. 

The Public House will occupy the location that formerly housed the Badger Cafe, an established and popular community eatery known for creative comfort food, a stellar beer selection and assorted trivia nights and events.

Badger Cafe owners Christy and Michael Greer said they decided…

NORTHPORT— Friends and former coworkers Stacy Schlensker and Nicole Pearse were catching up on each other’s lives over a drink last fall when they realized they both had the same dream: to open a food truck or a small restaurant in the Midcoast that provided fresh, affordable food to an under-served community. Their dream turned into the opening of The Stone Brick Oven Kitchen on Route 1 in Northport, just past Wentworth’s Grocery, on March 1.

“Before I got married at Point Lookout in…

CAMDEN — Many in the Midcoast recognize Camden resident Thad Chilton as a Five Town Football youth football program cofounder and as the former varsity head football coach at Camden Hills Regional High School. 

While Chilton, indeed, devoted countless hours to youth football in the area, he is not simply just a football coach. 

Chilton is the proud owner of Camden Harbor Custom Guitars, his Camden-based business where he uses his skills as a luthier to hand-craft guitars. …

For the month of December, we continue our “Shop Local” series to shine the spotlight on craftspeople who make things by hand.

Temple Tappers

Mike Romanyshyn and his wife, Susie Dennison, owners of Temple Tappers, small batch pure Maine birch syrup made from birch trees.

The back story:

In 2012, Romanyshyn and Dennison, and their sons, Auley,14, and…

For the month of December, we continue our “Shop Local” series to shine the spotlight on local craftspeople who make things by hand. So each week, until Dec. 25, we will bring you this series until you can’t take it anymore. Ready. Set. Go.

Recycle Me Silly Design

Robot sculptures made with found objects and vintage tins by Bill Tozier in Augusta.

The back story…

For the month of December, we continue our “Shop Local” series to shine the spotlight on local craftspeople who make things by hand. So each week, until Dec. 25, we will bring you this series until you can’t take it anymore. Ready. Set. Go.

Mary Alice Bird’s Hat Designs

Upcycled handmade hats from old sweaters

The Back Story:

It…

For the month of December, we continue our “Shop Local” series to shine the spotlight on local craftspeople who make things by hand. It’s important to shop local and to support the innovators and entrepreneurs who keep the creative economy alive in the Midcoast. So each week, until Dec. 25, we will bring you this series until you can’t take it anymore. Ready. Set. Go.

Gourmet Maine Lobster Crackers 

Real Maine…

APPLETON — Briar Patch restaurant was a vision years in the making said owner Ben Magro, over a cup of coffee in the bright but intimate space that houses his new restaurant venture. The structure, while not new, was a labor of love. 

Magro, a longtime resident of Appleton, said that he had always admired the property that now houses Briar Patch. 

“I always eyed this property, it’s just so beautiful,” he said, referring to the early 1800s cape that has been reimagined as a…

ROCKLAND — In a long-awaited moment for brewer Rich Ruggerio, the doors of his WW II aviation-themed nanobrewery, Liberator Brewing Co., officially opened to the public Wednesday, Oct. 31.

“Back in the ‘90s, I had a brewery called Rocky Bay and over the years, I put in breweries for other people, but I just felt it was time to do something on my own,” he said. “It just felt awesome to finally open the doors.”

With a two-barrel system, Liberator opened with four beers on the…

LINCOLNVILLE—Set in the annex of the Lincolnville Beach’s Lobster Pound is a cool treat for the last days of summer: ice cream with unspoiled ocean views.

Even when the restaurant is closed, the ice cream shop is open seven days a week from 12 to 9 p.m., the only establishment to stay open that late in Lincolnville Beach.

Mariah Lapham, 23, of Belfast, is the sole ice cream scooper, and on any given day she gives her right shoulder and hand a workout scooping nearly 50-100…

CAMDEN—Kurafuto, the long-awaited Japanese-style pub now open in Camden, completes restaurateur Matt Haskell’s vision of combining his Blaze Brewery with a menu of small plates, noodle bowls, and sushi.

“We’ve been open a week now and while sushi has been a big draw, people are really drawn to the noodle bowls,” said head chef Luigi Patelli. “The House Ramen, with Kurobuto pork shoulder pork belly, soft egg, nori and scallion, has been the favorite so far.”

Patelli, who moved…

HOPE—Long abandoned shovels, rusted chains, nuts, bolts and other broken tools that no longer have use are Wayne Twitchell’s favorite things to find when he’s out moseying around at yard sales and second hand stores. Almost 50 years ago Twitchell started a career in welding with a South Portland cement plant. He moved on after that, he honing his welding skills with Fischer Engineering and Bath Iron Works and was the recipient of the Navy’s Aegis Excellence Award for welding.

About 30…

HOPE — On Wednesday, August 1, the pastoral property at 42 Hatchet Mountain Road in Hope — formerly the Hatchett Mountain Publick House  — will reopen as the Barrettstown Farmhouse, a restaurant specializing in tasty, approachable food, fun drinks and good people, said new owner Jessica “Jessi” Wootton.

Jessi's decision to stay in her home state of Maine was not initially one she anticipated. After more than five years living on St. John USVI, she flew home in July 2017 to attend the…

THOMASTON — When Martin Farrell bought the building at 173 Main St. in Thomaston in 2014 it was initially to house the offices of his healthcare consulting business. Though the historic building started its life as Delano's Saloon, said Farrell, prior to his purchase it spent about 150 years as a bank under various names.

Now, Farrell has decided to take the building back to its roots, officially opening The Block Saloon on Tuesday, June 26.

The name for the establishment was…

STOCKTON SPRINGS — When Kirk P. Linder and Charlie Zorich decided to leave Portland, Oregon, it was New England's siren song that called them. Traveling in their 1984 Volkswagen Westfalia — affectionately called "Larri" — the pair said they were discussing their shared feeling that it was time to leave Portland.

They had been working on starting a project out there but had become discouraged and were ready to move on. What they did not yet know was that they would become the owner/…

CAMDEN — The roll out for the Camden location of Blaze Brewing Co. is right on schedule for a June opening. Maine restaurateur Matt Haskell took the winter to fine tune plans for the new microbewery, which is sandwiched between his two restaurants, Hoxbill, a casual fine dining restaurant overlooking the harbor on Bay View Landing and their soon-to-open Japanese counter-service izakaya, or pub, called Kurafuto. Joined in the center is the dramatic glass-enclosed microbrewery production room…

ROCKLAND — 421 Main Street in Rockland will soon open its doors as North Beacon Oyster. Owner and Chef Michael Mastronardi, of Port Clyde, said he hopes to open the doors of his new business in the next two weeks, and “definitely before Memorial Day.”

Mastronardi, 33, is no stranger to the Midcoast restaurant scene. A native of Hartford, Conn., he said his career in restaurants started organically when he accepted a position washing dishes and “worked really hard.”

His work…

WALDOBORO — Even though it feels remote, one of the latest breweries opening in the Midcoast area is a stone’s throw from Moody’s Diner off Route 1.

Odd Alewives Farm Brewery, founded by John and Sarah McNeil, sits on 22 acres of gardens and forest. The brewery and tasting room are a converted 1850s alpaca barn that sits next to their farmhouse. While John works with a 10-barrel system on one side of the barn, Sarah will oversee the tasting room. With quirky bowed floors, handcrafted…

HOPE—Easter has come and gone but in many homes, small beeswax candles in the shape of bunnies and Easter Eggs, made by Susie Smith, serve as the holiday’s fragrant reminder.

Smith has been handcrafting the naturally colored and honey-scented pure beeswax candles for 10 years at her home studio in Hope on property she shares with her husband, David Smith.

David is a beekeeper and the Smiths make honey, as well as maple syrup. The natural byproducts of the hive have become the…

UNION — Most are familiar with the wildly popular “farm to table” food movement that sprang to life several years ago and has continued to gain traction around the world. In Union, one family is hoping to bring a similar model to their recently purchased property on Crawfordsburn Road, aspiring to not just brew beer, but to grow the hops and botanicals for the small batch beers they will begin producing this spring.

Bill Stinson and his wife, Ashley, moved to Union from Lexington,…