Category: Closings

French Press & Pumkinhead

| Posted in Beer, Closings

Today’s Press Herald includes a report on the closing of The French Press Eatery (see earlier news here)

James Tranchemontagne, a co-owner, said he ran out of money to keep the business going. The expansion cost an estimated $130,000.

“We have known for the last two months that it was touch and go,” he said. “It’s a wicked bummer. Food is my life. It’s everything you put your heart and soul into. For it to fail it’s hard.”

and a What Ales You article on Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale,

The spices immediately bring pumpkin pie to mind, although I don’t taste any actual pumpkin. There is a slightly sour aftertaste. It is a golden color, without much of a head. Although I like pumpkin pie, I don’t like the Pumpkinhead — mostly because, to me, that malt and hops flavors don’t survive the spices.

For additional reporting on the closure of The French Press Eatery see this article in the American Journal.

Spartan Grill –> A Victory Cafe & Harbor Scoops

| Posted in Under Construction, Closings

The Spartan Grill is expanding. Owner Mike Roylos has purchased Zarra’s, and plans on moving his sandwich stall from next door at the Public Market House into the coffee shop. The combined operation will be renamed A Victory Cafe. The change frees up some prime real estate on the first floor of the Market.
If that weren’t enough to keep him busy, Roylos is also opening the Harbor Scoops ice cream shop on the corner of Cumberland and Washington. Harbor scoops will be serving Smiling Hill Farms ice cream.

Spartan Grill –> A Victory Cafe & Harbor Scoops

| Posted in Under Construction, Closings

The Spartan Grill is expanding. Owner Mike Roylos has purchased Zarra’s, and plans on moving his sandwich stall from next door at the Public Market House into the coffee shop. The combined operation will be renamed A Victory Cafe. The change frees up some prime real estate on the first floor of the Market.

If that weren’t enough to keep him busy, Roylos is also opening the Harbor Scoops ice cream shop on the corner of Cumberland and Washington. Harbor scoops will be serving Smiling Hill Farms ice cream.

Coming, Going and Expanding

| Posted in Under Construction, Closings

Here are some under construction update:

  • Mexico Lindo has closed up shop at their location on Forest Ave. There’s a sign up promoting a turnkey ready space for a someone looking to open a new restaurant.
  • A new sandwich shop to be called Mr. Sandwich & Mrs. Muffin is under construction at 3 Deering Ave. That space was formerly occupied by Pazzano’s Coffee Shop and still has the orange facade from when Percy’s was their. In the more distant past it had been the home of Honey’s Place.
  • Shima is planning to expand into the vacant space in their building on Fore Street. From what I can determine from the blueprints, the two spaces aren’t adjacent to one another but would be joined on the basement level where Shima’s kitchen is now.
  • Local Sprouts supplied a draft menu as part of their liquor license application. You can take a look at it on page 34 of the agenda for the upcoming Portland City Council meeting.

Type A Retires

| Posted in Closings

After three years of being an active part of the local food blogging community, Type A Diversions has announced that’s she’s retiring from writing restaurant reviews to spend more time with her family. Erin wrote more than 100 Maine restaurant reviews since her start in April 2007. She plans on keeping the site up so they remain available online.

As many of might have noticed, I haven’t been blogging much lately. With the arrival of the little guy, my priorities quickly changed. So while we still eat out frequently, when I have a free hour or two at home, I prefer to teach him how to walk or build a snowman than fire up the laptop.