The name lives on, but the ownership has changed at Frank’s Restaurant and Pub, at 2 Main St. in Lisbon. Camdan Poisson and Jordan Ott purchased the building and business from Matt Kenny.
While they are new to restaurant ownership, Ott said she worked at Frank’s as a waitress for about a year and will focus on the front-of-house operations, while her fiance, a real estate agent, will focus his attention on the business side of things as they work in tandem.
Part of their motivation, they said, was to “keep it local,” when they learned Frank’s was for sale.
“We want to bring it back to how it used to be, but also put our spin on it,” Poisson said Thursday. They said that means more of an emphasis on a local, family gathering spot, which is also the direction the menu is taking — away from the pub food and more emphasis on family and healthy.
For now, they plan to keep the hours and menu as they are and evaluate as time goes on.
Andy Sellers, brought on as the chef in 2017 by then-owners Traci and Tony Austin, is credited with developing the current menu and will continue to shepherd its direction, while much of the rest of the staff remains the same.
New nail salon and spa opens on Sabattus Street
Lux Nail Salon and Spa has opened at 519 Sabattus St. in Lewiston in the former Wing Sing space.
Owners Lina Thecan and Quoc Le had planned their grand opening for Wednesday, but snow and then Thursday’s ice didn’t help much, so they wanted people to know they are open.
The salon has eight chairs, and Lux will offer manicures, pedicures, facials and waxing by appointment or walk-in. Prices for manicures start at $25 and pedicures start at $35. Nails are a little more complicated with acrylic full set with gel starting at $50, depending on the services people want.
The salon is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
Le said they are not on social media yet. The salon phone number is 207-241-7475.
Mill House Pub in Mechanic Falls closes permanently
Owner Steve Perry has called it quits and closed the Mill House Pub at 128 Lewiston St. in Mechanic Falls permanently. In a Jan.17 post on the company’s social media page, Perry wrote: “As of today the Mill House Pub is closed. We will not reopen short of an act of God.”
The post makes several references to financial difficulties, including: “My lease didn’t run out, my money did.”
Perry and former business partner Yvonne Franklin bought the former Shooters Sports Pub and reopened it as the Mill House in February 2018. It was a popular locale, especially for area musicians and dancing.
A patron and friend of Perry’s said he was floored by the announcement because the venue was always packed on the weekends. He said the COVID-19 pandemic was especially hard on the owner.
As of Thursday, more than 230 comments were posted in reaction to the closing, many of them musicians offering up compliments and thanks for being so connected with the local music scene.
Perry wrote: “The musicians are better than they think they are… you should be playing in bigger venues for more money.”
He apologized for the suddenness of the closure, adding, “I literally ran with the opportunity until they turned out the lights.”
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