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The owner of the Mackerel Cove wharf Glen’s Lobsters has bought the Angie’s Lobster wharf next door, a move that brings a piece of Bailey Island’s working waterfront back under local ownership.
Shawn Baumgartner said he plans to do some repairs to the Angie’s dock and buildings and keep that wharf operating for the foreseeable future.
The lobstermen who had been selling to Angie’s will continue to use the wharf’s bait shed and workshop, and will still access their boats from the Angie’s dock, according to Bernie Johnson, the manager at Glen’s. But they will now sell their catch at Glen’s.
The Angie’s wharf last changed hands just four years ago in 2022, when an Arizona-based fast food restaurant bought it after the 2020 death of longtime Bailey Island Lobster Co. owner Doug Pilon.
Angie’s Lobster was part of an ambitious plan to buy lobsters directly from fishermen in Harpswell, pick them at a plant in Richmond, and sell lobster rolls to drive-thru customers in the Southwest for as little as $9.99.
The company paid $800,000 for the wharf in 2022. Baumgartner did not disclose the price he paid.
Angie’s owner Tony Christoffelis did not respond to voicemails or a text message from April into July. In response to emailed questions, a customer service representative for Angie’s said a company spokesperson would contact the Anchor, but they never did.
Baumgartner said he bought the wharf to maintain water access for commercial fishermen. He said Harpswell needs to ensure fishermen have docks so they can get to their boats.
He hopes to complete some repairs this year. Several pilings beneath the dock are rotten, and broken boards have left gaping holes around the wharf’s buildings.
Rumors began circulating in April that Angie’s was planning to sell the wharf and abandon its focus on lobster. The Richmond processing plant was almost entirely empty when an Anchor reporter visited in early May. The lone employee there said he had instructions not to comment on the company’s plans for the plant.
The Anchor reported in 2023 that 15 boats were selling to Angie’s wharf. Employees at Glen’s Lobsters estimated in May that eight boats were left. Lobstermen at Angie’s wharf declined to answer questions both before and after the sale.
Angie’s Lobster has rebranded as simply Angie’s and added other fare, such as hamburgers and salads, to its menu.
