Gather Changing Hands

Krista Cole, the owner of Sur Lie in Portland, has bought Gather in Yarmouth from the restaurant’s founder, Matt Chappell.

Cole shared on instagram,

I met Matt at Gather many years ago for an industry event. When I learned that he was selling Gather, I reached out. I learned over the next several months about Matt and Gather’s steadfast commitment to buying local and to their community. I got to meet a team that cared equally as much about the relationships they had with their regulars and the impact that supporting local had on their community. The values were identical to that of Sur Lie. Having a sister restaurant was a dream that seemed far away, and here was an opportunity to take over and continue the important work that Gather has been doing.

I am so stoked to share the work that the Sur Lie and Gather teams have done over the last few weeks. We’ve done some minor touch ups to the space to make it our own, and the chefs have been hard at work collaborating on a menu that we kick off this week! We look forward to connecting with you and contributing to the Yarmouth community.

Chappell also shared thoughts on the transition.

Ten years ago, I started Gather Restaurant so Yarmouth could enjoy fresh Maine food in a friendly, neighborhood environment. This month, I’m proud to pass the reins to Gather’s new owner – Krista Cole. Through her success as owner of Sur Lie, Krista has demonstrated her commitment to Maine farms and shown that she can thrive in this challenging industry. She shares the values that have made Gather what it is today, and I can’t wait to see how she will make it her own.

I am forever grateful for my staff, and for all the supportive customers.

Gather opened on September 21, 2012 with Chad Conley as its original chef. At the start of the pandemic Chappell and his team have been active participants in Cooking for Community, a program that brought Maine restaurants and social service organizations together to fight hunger. Chappell announced his plan to sell Gather this past August.