Maine
Historic tavern straddling 2 western Maine lakes is up for sale
HARRISON, Maine — A historic tavern right here that when served as a playhouse, roller-skating rink, faculty fitness center and American Legion corridor was put in the marketplace this week for $849,900.
The Olde Mill Tavern, the one restaurant in downtown Harrison, caters to locals and vacationers on this southwestern Maine resort city of two,500 folks. In its varied iterations, the constructing has continued to be a middle of exercise for the city.
The present constructing, which has housed a number of earlier eating places, dates again to 1923, making it one of many oldest restaurant areas in Maine. Waco Diner in Eastport, inbuilt 1924, is the oldest restaurant within the state, with Moody’s Diner in Waldoboro, the Palace Diner in Biddeford and The Fundamental Tavern in Bangor all amongst eateries in buildings courting from the Twenties.
Olde Mill Tavern co-owner Chris Searles is fast to say that the restaurant won’t shut, however will probably be handed alongside to a brand new proprietor that he hopes will retain its aesthetics.
“Enterprise has been extremely good,” stated Searles, who owns the restaurant along with his father, Gary. “We’re not closing. We’re ready for a purchaser.”
The household additionally owns an area excavation firm and a campground, the place Chris Searles stated he’ll flip his focus as soon as the restaurant sells.
Itemizing agent Sarah Noble of Maine Actual Property Alternative stated she has had curiosity within the restaurant, however there have been no presents but. Shoppers embody boaters from the close by lakes and snowmobilers from the path behind the constructing.
Sitting on Fundamental Road between Lengthy Lake and Crystal Lake, the 1,078-square-foot, wood-framed constructing has been house to 3 different eating places since 1960, The Kubby Gap, The Spherical Desk and The Cracked Platter. The restaurant and bar seat 125 folks.
The present house owners purchased the restaurant in 1996 and rehabbed it. Earlier buildings on the location had been destroyed by fires in 1907 and 1921. The present submit and beam construction was inbuilt 1923. An outsized Adirondack chair sits close to the entrance door, making a photo-op for guests.
Identified for its hand-made steak ideas and rooster tenders, the restaurant sells American fare together with burgers, steaks and seafood. It additionally hosts dwell music. One among Chris Searles’ favourite reminiscences was having the ability to play saxophone with one of many bands on the restaurant.
The restaurant was capable of do effectively through the pandemic by providing takeout meals and cocktails and establishing exterior eating when indoor service was restricted by COVID-19 restrictions.
Gary Searles and his authentic enterprise associate had meant to promote the restaurant all alongside, and with a robust actual property market and restaurant gross sales, the Searles’ determined now is an effective time to promote it. However there isn’t any rush.
“We’re trying to decide a purchaser with the identical model and taste as us,” Chris Searles stated.