Request for Proposals to Lease and Operate a Seasonal Restaurant and General Store in Harpswell, Maine
The Holbrook Community Foundation (HCF) owns a commercial wharf & dock, a pier and dock for pleasure craft, a general store, a waterside restaurant and kitchen, and a two-unit dwelling. The HCF invites applicates to submit proposals to operate the seasonal restaurant and the store, which may be operated year around, as a joint or separate entities as lessees of the HCF.
Description: The HCF owns the above-described properties in Cundy’s Harbor in Harpswell, Maine. The address is 984 Cundy’s Harbor Road, Harpswell, ME 04079. The store and wharf have operated continuously since the late 19th century, and each are anchors of the community. The HCF seeks operators who will strive to have these properties be vibrant attractions to seasonal visitors and residents. The restaurant, known as the Grille, shares the wharf with active commercial fishermen and has a fully equipped kitchen and a 2,500 square foot seating area with seventeen tables offering customers classic views of an active Maine commercial fishing harbor.
Over the past five years, gross sales for the store and grille have ranged from $389,000 to $137,000, the latter due to Covid. The store complements the Grille by offering customers beer, wine, ice cream, and essentials for boaters and year-round residents.
Prospective operators are invited to express their interest to HCF Board members:
Mike Williams at mike@openroadcrew.com or 207-841-2790
Sarah Beneke at swbeneke@mac.com or 330-414-4825
Your RFP response is not limited to but should address the items below. Restaurant:
Vision: Provide your vision for the restaurant (2+ sentences).
Open\Close Dates & Daily Hours of Operation: Outline your plans for the 2025 season.
Communication: How you will inform the public about your operating hours (2+ sentences).
Staffing: Provide a high-level staffing plan to ensure you remain open as scheduled, even in the
event of unforeseen circumstances (3+ sentences).
Peak Hours: Outline how you will staff to maintain reasonable wait times (2+ sentences).
Management Staff: List management staff with relevant experience.
Chef Qualifications: Include the qualifications and experience of your chef(s).
Food Quality Plan: Describe your plan to maintain the quality of food offerings (2+ sentences).
Inventory: Explain your strategy to prevent running out of key food items (2+ sentences).
Community Involvement: Outline your plan to engage and serve the local community (2+
sentences).
Menu and Pricing: Provide a draft menu with prices.
Marketing: Include a high-level overview of your marketing strategy (3+ sentences).
Social Media Strategy: Outline your social media plan (2+ sentences).
Event Schedule: Include a proposed schedule of events at the restaurant.
Store Operations: Indicate whether you also plan to operate the Store.
Collaboration Plan: If an independent Store operator is selected, describe how you would
collaborate with them (2+ sentences).
Store Staffing Support: State whether you would be willing to staff the Store occasionally to
cover gaps in coverage.
Store - Please provide the following:
Vision: Provide your vision for the restaurant (2+ sentences).
Open\Close Dates & Daily Hours of Operation: Outline your plans for the 2025 season.
Communication: How you will inform the public about your operating hours (2+ sentences).
Staffing Plan: Provide a staffing plan.
Items for Sale: Provide a high-level list of the types of items you plan to sell.
Community Involvement: Outline your plan to engage and serve the local community (2+
sentences).
Marketing: Include a high-level overview of your marketing strategy (3+ sentences).
Social Media Strategy: Outline your social media plan (2+ sentences).
Event Schedule: Include a proposed schedule of events at the restaurant.
Collaboration Plan: Describe how you would collaborate with the restaurant (2+ sentences).
Note the following requirements for the Store:
Obtain a liquor license by 3/1/2025 to sell beer and wine.
Sell ice cream.
Staff the store during restaurant hours of operation (or allow the restaurant to staff the store when there are gaps in coverage).
