Radici Closing in November

Washington Avenue pizzeria Radici has announced they’ll be closing in November. Their last day in business will be November 18th.

Over the next month we’re going to take a look back at some of our favorite pizzas like this Parsnip, Castelfranco and Lemon number because they’re delicious, and we’re feeling sentimental as we’ve decided to close Radici.

Owners Randy and Ally Forrester launched Radici on July 2, 2020. They had moved to Portland from Allentown, New Jersey where they had operated Osteria Radici which was a Jame Beard Awards semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Banded Closing in Bayside

Banded Brewing has announced that they’ll be closing their Bayside taproom. Their last day in operation on Hanover Street will be this Saturday.

We’ve made this decision with Banded’s sustainability and growth at the forefront. We believe that closing our Portland space will allow our team to better use our resources to support our home taproom and kitchen in Biddeford, and our production brewing operations. Biddeford has always been our home, and we’re excited to continue to elevate our taproom experience by providing the best beer, food, vibes, and service that we can.

The Danforth Closing

Owners of The Danforth have announced plans to close their West End bar and restaurant.

We love and believe in everything we’ve done. The unfortunate reality is that we have been unable to find a path that would sustain the business financially and ensure its future. Our priority during this transition is supporting our teams with financial provisions in the short term, and beyond that, helping them to secure future employment.⁠

Thank you to everyone who stopped by for a drink, meal, or just to say hi over the last year.

The Danforth opened July 22, 2022. Their last day in business will be Saturday, September 23rd.

For additional reporting, see this article in the Press Herald.

The Maker’s Galley Closing

Owner Rachel Sagiroglu has announced she’ll be closing her business The Maker’s Galley which is located near the corner of India and Commercial Streets. The last day of operations will be September 27th. Maker’s Galley opened on November 13, 2021.

After careful consideration, I have come to the difficult decision to close The Maker’s Galley. The Maker’s Galley was created to bring together local makers and food enthusiasts as the brick-and-mortar location for Experience Maine. Sadly, the last year has been increasingly difficult to manage two growing businesses and maintain work life balance. In addition, I can no longer carry the burden of the rising costs impacting restaurants in Maine and the constant staffing challenges. As Experience Maine continues to grow, it has also become clear that I need to focus my energy on this business and the greater impact it can have on Maine’s hospitality and tourism industry.

Sagiroglu plans launch a new catering and private chef business called Experience Maine Culinary to carry on some of the services and events that Maker’s Galley produced.

Petite Jacqueline

Owners Michelle and Steve Corry have shared a statement on instagram about the future for their Old Port restaurant.

After several months of careful consideration, we have come to the very difficult decision to sell our beloved Petite Jacqueline. As of now we plan to continue to operate through September and hope that someone that is equally as passionate about French food and culture will continue our vision.

As most of you know, this restaurant has always been special to us as it was created in homage to my grandmother Jacqueline Derasse. Thanks to the skill and dedication of our staff we weathered COVID, however, this last year has been extremely difficult with rising costs and equipment issues.

Steve and I attempted to remain open as long as possible but have realized that we can no longer focus on the business as much as we once did. We want to put our family first. We are extremely grateful to our loyal customers who have been incredibly supportive over the past 12 years. We will miss the daily interaction with our friends of Bistro PJ and, especially, our team – some of whom have been with us for many years.

Our staff has been EXTREMELY dedicated to this special place and it is the thought of not seeing them and our guests on a regular basis that will be the most difficult part of this decision.

Again, we cannot thank the community enough for the past 12 years, it has been a truly special experience.

Petite Jacqueline opened in Longfellow Square in 2011 to rave reviews. The Corry’s moved the restaurant to its present location in 2016. They opened a new rendition of their restaurant Five Fifty-Five in Brunswick in 2022.

 

Rick’s Lobby Cafe Closing

Today’s Press Herald reports on the closure of Rick’s Lobby Cafe.

But their gracious presence in the building soon will come to an end. In May, as the couple were celebrating the cafe’s eighth anniversary, the building owners informed them that their lease would not be renewed, and that they would need to vacate by the end of October. The Woods have set Friday, Sept. 1, as the cafe’s last day.

Auction, Closure, Sale

Here are updates on three businesses that are in transition:

Tiqa Temporarily Closing

Tiqa owners Deen Haleem and Carol Mitchell have announced plans to close the restaurant while they “consider all possible future options.”

Over the past three years, since COVID started, we have faced an exhausting ever changing set of dynamics that we have yet to figure out how best to handle – because of this – we have decided to close TIQA and consider all possible future options. We will continue to be closed until a new direction is determined and we do not know how long that will take.

Tiqa opened on January 21, 2015. In 2016 they also opened the Tiqa Cafe in the Deering Oaks Castle.