The family says it wasn't an easy decision, but it's time to move on.

 

Custom House Wharf along with Union Wharf are in the middle of pending sales according to Mainebiz. These two historic wharves on the Portland waterfront, have been family-owned for hundreds of years! 

A lot of favorites are on Custom House Wharf including Custom House Seafood, Coastal Bait, Harbor Fish Market, Boone's Family Restaurant, the Porthole, Gilbert's Chowder House, and Sea Bags.

Custom House Wharf has been owned by the same family for over 200 years! There is a letter of intent to sell it to a Maine group. They have indicated that they will keep it as a working waterfront. We don't know how much it is being sold for, but according to Mainebiz, it was listed on the New England Commercial Property Exchange for 11 million dollars. If all the t's are crossed and the i's dotted, it should close around the start of 2022.

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Now, just because there is a letter of intent, it doesn't mean it's a done deal. In fact, Custom House Wharf has been on the market since 2018! There have been a handful of deals that for some reason or another (including the pandemic) the sale has fallen through. Kenneth McGowan, whose family has owned the wharf since the 1800s told Mainebiz, it wasn't an easy decision - but it's time.

It’s been a family thing. My kids were no longer interested in it. It was time to sell. It’s been up and down coming to the decision. We have shareholders and most of the shareholders were eager to do this.

A lot of favorites are on Custom House Wharf including Custom House Seafood, Coastal Bait, Harbor Fish Market, Boone's Family Restaurant, the Porthole, Gilbert's Chowder House, and Sea Bags.

Meanwhile, Union Wharf is the oldest wharf in Portland, and also has a pending sale.

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There's no known time frame or price for this wharf. It went up for sale earlier this year. it has been owned by the Poole family for five generations. Buyers might want to come in and make big changes, but strict zoning regulations make giant changes nearly impossible. Plus, it's important to protect the heritage and of course the fishing community. They are, after all, working waterfronts. Fingers crossed that if these sales go through, we don't notice a thing...

 

 

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