CAMDEN-ROCKPORT — Dear Snow Birds, when you come back to the Midcoast, you may notice the hollow, traumatized look in the eyes of the locals, who just got through winter about five minutes ago, so please be extra nice to us in this delicate transition.

Here’s our annual listing all of the new businesses and changes that occurred over the winter in Camden-Lincolnville-Rockport— what's open, what's closed, what's new and what's happening.

Pig + Poet — The Whitehall Inn

“Um, so which one’s the pig?” —Edna St. Vincent Millay. Over the winter, The Whitehall Inn has undergone extensive renovations in preparation for a summer season under new owners, Lark Hotels. As part of their transformation, they are renaming the 113-year-old inn as simply ‘Whitehall’ and introducing a new restaurant called Pig + Poet. The word is (according to the press release) the “vibe and menu will be crafted by nationally acclaimed chef Sam Talbot, focusing on Maine's farmland, fisheries and game, the restaurant will feature a raw bar, signature roast pork dishes, Sam's fresh take on lobster rolls, chowder and blueberry-sweet corn cobbler just to name few items. A charcuterie bar will offer sausages and cheese selections.” Their opening night was Friday, May 15. Stay tuned to their Facebook page.

Read more about the Whitehall changes:Under new ownership, Camden’s Whitehall Inn gets major decor facelift

At Camden's Whitehall Inn, new chef to oversee Pig + Poet restaurant

Drouthy Bear

From the Pig + Poet, we go to the thirsty bear, at least that’s what “drouthy” means in Scotland. Andrew and Shannon Stewart, former owners of Hope General Store are hard at work right now renovating The Good House at 50 Elm Street into an affordable community-minded Scottish pub, complete with traditional Scottish fare such as fish and chips and savory steak pies. The 35-seat pub will also offer craft brews along with 20 to 30 types of Scotch, representing different regions of Scotland. It’s great to see a renovation that’s benefiting the locals. See our Penobscot Bay Pilot article on them here. They plan to open in the summer.

And departing...

It’s never fun to learn that a restaurant is closing, because everyone knows how hard it is to keep a year-round business thriving and sustaining through the long winter months. Sad to see go is Seabright Pizza, a minimalist gourmet pizza place tucked in the alley by Camden Wharf. Also leaving is Valentina Coastal Maine Kitchen (what locals remember as the old Zaddik’s restaurant), which served locally sourced seasonal small plates as well as Comida Restaurant from the Camden location (stay tuned to the Rockland story about Comida’s new location in Rockland).

Bay View Street gets makeover with new hotel, storefront

Over the winter, Camden residents Stuart and Marianne Smith, along with their son, Tyler, have been renovating the historic building of 16 Bay View Street into a 22-room hotel. Locals and tourists who remember the old Peter Ott’s Restaurant at ground level and Camden’s only theater upstairs, Bay View Street Cinema as well as the iconic basement bar, Gilbert’s Publick House will see the 12,000 square foot space transformed throughout the summer with plans to open the hotel in September. Additionally, the elder and younger Smith have also purchased and are renovating 2 Bay View Street, the oddly shaped white building near the corner of Route 1 and across from Camden National Bank and Cappy’s Chowder House. That is a project that will also result in lodging quarters, though weekly and longer. The storefront there will be retail space for Swans Island, makers of blankets and other woven products. Read more of the story here.

High-end rehab center Borden Cottage opens

In March, McLean Hospital opened Borden Cottage, the alcohol and drug rehabilitation center at Fox Hill Estate opened its doors to eight clients who could pay $60,000 a month for four to five weeks of treatment. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services has issued McLean Borden Cottage a one-year provisional license to operate a behavioral health facility at the Borden Cottage on Bay View Street in Camden.The move has been controversial from the start, but McLean and Fox Hill have consistently repeated that the McLean — and Harvard Medical School — presence in the Midcoast will elevate awareness and treatment modalities. Read more of the story here.

Knox Mill changing hands? Plans yet to be revealed

Matt Orne, owner of the Knox Mill announced said in late April that is under contract with an unnamed buyer. Hearing “chatter” about its possible conversion to residences, the Camden Select Board proposed changing the parcel’s zoning retroactively, which has met with some controversy. See our latest story about it here. 

Other businesses that opened/changed owners

The Owl and Turtle Bookshop, which enjoyed a robust return to the literary scene in Camden under owners Ricky and Selena Sheaves last year went quietly up for sale over the winter. Native Mainers Rick and Elaine Knight took over the iconic bookshop in January, keeping the original staff and vowing to offer more local author talks — a move that has been integrated seamlessly. Since then, author Suzanne Massie has given a talk during the week of the Camden Conference, as well as poet Dave Morrison, food author Nancy Harmon Jenkins and local historian Barbara Dyer. See our original story on Owl & Turtle Bookshop here.

Camden Clothesline at 96 Washington Street just missed our list last year. Run by Jamie Weymouth, who returned to his Maine roots to resurrect a family business, opened last summer. They offer a sitting area, with complimentary wi-fi, and cable television.

On the Water Real Estate opened in Rockport, specializing in waterfront and waterfront village property sales along the coast Maine, as well as interior lakes, rivers and ponds.

Megunticook Family Medicine opened over the winter, accepting new patients and offering Direct Primary Care, a new concept that provides the patient with primary medical care without insurance or government involvement. The physician sets a fixed monthly fee and the patient pays this directly to the physician.

In other health news, Penobscot Bay Health Care opened the Sussman House, providing care for people whose symptoms are not well managed at home and are in need of hospice care as they near the end of their life. In addition to caring for terminally ill patients, Sussman House staff also provides support and hospitality for families who are grieving and want to be with their loved ones during their final days.

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 Camden story" and we'll add it into the list!

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com