By Doug Fletcher,Staff Writer
Buckfield Inn owner says he closed shop for personal, not financial, reasons.

BUCKFIELD – On Sunday, Russell Clark closed the Buckfield Inn Restaurant, a victim of his own success.

On Monday, Clark was pondering his future. What’s next, he’s decided, is a month’s vacation.

And in that time, or sometime after, he says there’s a good chance the historic Buckfield Inn and its popular restaurant will be sold. Already, he said Monday afternoon, Daigle Associates, the realty firm he listed the place with, has someone who’s interested in the business.

That, said Clark, doesn’t surprise him.

Business has been booming. It’s up 20 percent from January through July compared with the same period a year earlier. June and July numbers show a 40 percent increase.

“I’m not going out of business because of financial reasons. It’s personal reasons.

“It’s too much for me to handle,” Clark said in explaining his decision to close the place and sell it now. “I can’t handle the stress.”

Clark opened the restaurant to the public a bit more than two years ago. He refocused the inn, a classic bed and breakfast until then, into becoming a fine dining experience.

One glance at the guest book kept near the front entrance shows his patrons appreciated the fare as well as the ambience of the early American-style farmhouse with its extensive grounds and gardens.

Recent entries showed many of those customers also lamenting the imminent closure, and wishing Clark, the business owner and chef, and his front man, Paul Burns – Woody to regular patrons – the best.

Clark, born in Lewiston, raised in Auburn, says he’s 55 now and ready to slow down in life. He’s been in food service for more years than he can remember, teaching restaurant and hotel sciences as well as cooking skills from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire and Maine.

“I’ll probably stick with food services,” he said, but not as the guy wearing the apron.

He also hopes to stay close to the area.

“I love Buckfield,” Clark said, both because of loyal local restaurant patrons as well as folks who’ve become friends over the past two years. He said he’ll stay if he can find a place, or at least stick close to the Twin Cities.

When the inn is sold, he’ll also be out of his home, an upstairs apartment that adjoins the five guest rooms.

He says he’ll miss both his employees and his customers.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate my loyal employees. They’re No. 1. As are my customers, our friends. They’re throwing us parties” to bid goodbye to Clark and his staff.

Clark said that he knows the restaurant has sold some unclaimed gift certificates. He wants people holding the meal tickets to call or come in to arrange for their redemption.

“Some people might want to wait until the place reopens with a new owner and management,” Clark said, but anyone who would rather redeem the cash value now can call him at 336-2220.