The new owners of the former Estes Lobster House at the south end of Harpswell Neck have big plans to convert the property into a haven for local artists to create and display their works.
Andy and Liz Ziegler, seasonal residents of Harpswell who live the rest of the year in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, bought the property in late August and began renovations in September. They plan to convert the former eatery’s second floor into multiple art studios for rent, while the first floor will have a gallery and event space with a commercial kitchen and a small retail store. The business will be called Harpswell Collective.
The former property owner, Larry Crooker’s Estes Properties LLC, had sought permission in 2023 to demolish a portion of the former restaurant, which closed in 2020, and convert the rest into a 5,000-square-foot home, but that project stalled. It was his second attempt to redevelop the site after being denied permission to convert it into two waterfront condominiums in 2022.
The purchase price for the former restaurant at 1906 Harpswell Neck Road was not yet public as of Oct. 21, but its assessed value for tax purposes is $801,600. The last stop on the Neck before the causeway to Potts Point, the property boasts sweeping views of Potts Harbor to the west and Merriconeag Sound to the east.
The Zieglers bought a seasonal home in Harpswell in 2018, and Andy was born in Brunswick.
“I have very fond memories of this place from when I was a little boy,” he said, adding that his family visited Harpswell regularly.
Liz works as an executive at a marketing and financial services firm. Andy also worked in financial services, but was laid off recently and is pivoting to other interests, which include landscape photography.
“We made a living from financial services, but I’ve been trying to move more into the creative and give-back side of the equation over the last few years,” he said.
Liz said she and Andy are “very focused” on helping the community in Harpswell, adding that they hope to eventually live in the town year-round.
“This place has given so much to us,” she said. “We love this community.”
Harpswell artist Nancy Grice, co-founder of the annual Harpswell Open Studio Tour, said she only learned recently about the Zieglers and their project.
Grice said Harpswell has a vibrant community of independent artists, but there hasn’t been much coordination among them — something she said is fairly common in creative circles.
But the recent success of the Studio Tour, which saw participation double from its inaugural year in 2024, is evidence that local artists and art lovers have a “huge appetite” for more opportunities to connect, she said.
“If they hold events that sound like fun — and really, really work it — I could see it (being successful),” Grice said about Harpswell Collective, adding that it might take some time to build momentum.
Artist Liz Stamey, the Open Studio Tour’s other co-founder, said she was also unfamiliar with the Zieglers and their plans, having only met Andy recently during the July tour.
She agreed with Grice that Harpswell has demonstrated a clear demand for more opportunities to bring artists and the public together.
“I think any addition to the Harpswell art scene will be welcome,” Stamey said. “The Open Studio Tour uncovered a pretty deep well of interest in art and fine craft here that apparently hadn’t been tapped in a while.”
She added that there seems to be an unmet need in Harpswell for those who want to create but don’t necessarily have space or resources of their own. “I hope the Zieglers’ plans will help fill some of that need, and also provide space for exhibition as well,” Stamey said.
The Zieglers hope to complete the upper-floor studio renovations by the end of the year, and the downstairs gallery by summer 2026. Liz Ziegler said the former eatery’s waterfront location should provide the perfect backdrop for creative endeavors.
“If you can’t be inspired here, I feel like something might be wrong with you,” she said with a chuckle.
