BELFAST — Over the winter, Belfast opened a number of new businesses.

Why do Camden and Rockland get Snowbirds and Belfast, Snowbats? It’s because in 2013, when Pen Bay Pilot did their first spring round up of what changed over the winter, our former writer, Ethan Andrews, took the Belfast slang term for its citizens ‘Moon Bats’ and turned that into Snowbats. So, if you've been away this winter, Penobscot Bay Pilot has an update on everything that opened, closed and changed while you were gone.

What Has Opened

Restaurants

The Stone Brick Oven Kitchen, opened on Route 1 in Northport, just past Wentworth’s Grocery, on March 1 in the space that was formerly the wood-fired pizza restaurant, Pizza Permare. Two friends, Nicole Pearse and Stacy Schlensker, are running the new business which aims to provide fresh, affordable food to an under-served community. Read more of that story here.

Crumbs Provisions, a new restaurant at 2 Spring Street, plans to open Mother’s Day. Crumbs (as they will call it) will serve breakfast, lunch, baked goods and prepared meals to-go. They will have a “mid-day bites and sips menu,” and are getting their wine and beer license. They will be a small eatery, and also will offer pre-packed picnic lunches as well.

Perennial Cider Bar, a cider bar and farm kitchen has opened in April on 84 Main Street. See our most recent story here. 

Jamaican Vybz, a Jamaican food stand in the United Farmer’s Market, opened in mid-April and will now be open for lunch each week Tuesday through Friday 10:30 a.m.  to 4 p.m. at 19 Miller Street. They are planning a grand opening sometime this spring. Meanwhile, the United Farmer’s Market will still be open Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and has quite a few new vendors for the summer season.

Vinolio announced they are starting to do Test Kitchen Tuesday using their oils and vinegars such as Balsamic Mustards to marinate party wings. Stay tuned for more of their Test Kitchen recipes on their Facebook page.

Businesses

Tusk, a lifestyle store (housewares, art, skin care, music etc) is moving into the old Alder & Vine triangular shop on 9 Beaver Street. Owned by Nora Wormwood, they will be opening Saturday, May 4. For more information: Facebook

What Has Moved/Changed

The Belfast Bay Inn on Main Street underwent a change this winter after many visitors inquired about a long-term rental or a seasonal residency there, so they are now no longer a hotel, but instead, The Suites at Belfast Bay Inn, advertised as “elegant, furnished, year-round vacation rentals.” They do state however, that during their transition to vacation rentals, they will honor all exisiting reservations. (See more here) As such, they no longer needed their dining room space and that has opened space for more retail businesses. (See below).

In March, two Belfast businesses moved spaces.  Katwalk (70 Main Street), a women’s boutique, moved to the lower part of Main Street. EPOCH, (72 Main Street) a lifestyle vintage market, which had briefly closed, is now back on Main Street, as well, right next to Katwalk.

Town News

Our Town Belfast announced that they will no longer be part of the annual Belfast Summer Street Party. “After many thoughtful conversations and careful consideration, Our Town Belfast has decided that we will be stepping away from the summer street party in 2019. This doesn’t mean that the street party won’t take place. There are parties who have expressed interest in continuing the street party. Be on the lookout for further details.”  (will it?) The Annual Street Party will take place in August. Over the next few months, Our Town Belfast will finalize the details of a new event set to launch in the fall of 2019. The goal of this event is to introduce a low cost, family friendly event to our community when our Main Street is a little quieter and our downtown businesses and our community can truly participate. Read more of that story here.

If you are seeing a lot of yellow daffys all over the place, you can thank the idea of Elisabeth Wolfe and her husband, Michael Cunningham, after they conceived of a city project to plant 50,000 daffodil bulbs. After local fundraising got the bulbs delivered to Belfast in early October, the couple and a slew of volunteers planted them all over the town, where they will pop up this spring. See more of that story here.

If we've missed any new businesses that would be interesting to folks coming back to Maine, shoot us an email with the subject line"Add to Belfast story" and we'll add it into the list! Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com