This summer, the popular seasonal restaurant and adjacent general store at Holbrook’s Wharf in Cundy’s Harbor will each have its own proprietor. That’s a change from recent years, in which one person managed both businesses.
Cundy’s Harbor resident Alison Hawkes is returning to operate the restaurant, which has been renamed Harborside Grill @ Holbrook’s. Hawkes operated both the eatery and store from 2020 through 2022. Devon Gogan, also of Cundy’s Harbor, ran the two businesses in 2023 and 2024.
But this time around, Hawkes won’t be going it alone. Bailey Island resident Liza Rowland, who decided to quit her corporate marketing job a year ago, will operate the former Holbrook’s General Store, which has been renamed The Holbrook Store.
“We complement each other really well,” Hawkes said. “We both have kind of the same vision, so it’s nice that we’re going to be working together.”
The nonprofit Holbrook Community Foundation owns the restaurant and store, as well as an apartment building and a commercial wharf on the property. It purchased the site in 2006 to save it from redevelopment.
The property has a long history as a center of commerce and daily life in the village. The first wharf on the property was built in the 1830s. The store opened in 1898 and was once home to a post office.
“This is an ecosystem,” Rowland said. “This store is not going to thrive without the restaurant, so it’s really important that Alison and I have a really productive, good working relationship, which we do.”
Hawkes and Rowland have big plans for the summer. The restaurant was recently upgraded with a new sound system, as well as a pager system for customers awaiting their orders. Hawkes said she plans to host musical acts and a variety of other community events.
“Liza and I have talked about how we want to have a lot more community engagement,” Hawkes said. “We’re going to have a little garden out back and maybe get some kids (and adults) involved with growing some stuff.”
Rowland plans to showcase local artists inside the store, including an installation by Brunswick treasure diver and artist Rick Carney that features found objects collected from New England lakes, rivers and ocean harbors.
Both proprietors said they will focus heavily on locally sourced foods and products. That means locally caught lobster and seafood dishes at the restaurant, and locally made beers, pies, ice cream and gifts at the store.
Hawkes said she is adding fish tacos to the menu, as well as some non-seafood options including panini sandwiches. Both proprietors said they want the businesses to appeal to locals as well as summer visitors.
Holbrook Community Foundation board member Mike Williams said his organization “could not be more excited” to have Hawkes and Rowland running the two businesses.
“It ties into our mission to protect and preserve the waterfront, support commercial fishing and the local community,” Williams said. “So far, we’ve been tremendously successful in protecting the wharf. Bringing in the passion and the vision of these two new operators will just take us to the next level.”
Hawkes, who owns the adjacent Hawkes’ Lobster wharf and retail shop with husband Gary Hawkes, expressed her gratitude to the foundation for buying and preserving Holbrook’s Wharf and its businesses.
“I’m thankful that there was a group of people who were willing to stake their time, money and effort into saving this (wharf), because this would have been condos,” Hawkes said.
The restaurant will open on Sunday, May 11, and will operate Thursday through Sunday of each week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the duration of the season.
The store will open Saturday, May 10, and will be open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. until July 4, when its hours will expand to Wednesday through Sunday.
Rowland said she plans to keep the store open through October, while Hawkes said she expects the restaurant to remain open through September, depending on how busy it remains.
“As long as people are coming, we want to stay open as long as we can,” Hawkes said.
