OLD TOWN, Maine — City Park Grille has shut its doors to patrons and is up for sale, according to owner Martha Gervais of Brewer.
“We didn’t have to close, but we are closed,” Gervais said during a phone call from the restaurant Monday evening.
The Gervais family took over the restaurant about 5½ years ago when the Chocolate Grille closed because of investment problems, Paul Gervais told the Bangor Daily News at the time. The Gervaises, who owned the property but not the restaurant, opened a new restaurant, City Park Grille, a few weeks later.
Martha Gervais’ husband, Paul Gervais, passed away in 2007 and she took over the daily operations of the restaurant.
“In order to keep our family together, we decided to try to run it ourselves,“ Martha Gervais said Monday.
Business has been good, she said, and the restaurant is not closing for financial reasons.
Gervais said her sons, both in their 20s, aren’t interested in taking over the business. Since she can’t keep the business in the family, Gervais is putting the restaurant up for sale.
“The people in Old Town all support each other,” she said. “The people are genuine and they work hard. I’ve certainly enjoyed them.”
Gervais thanked the restaurant’s employees for their service and making it a “really special place” to work.
Those interested in purchasing the property, which is known for its view of the Penobscot River, are asked to send a letter of interest to P.O. Box 353 in Brewer.
“This place is absolutely gorgeous,” Gervais said.
BDN Digital Desk editor Elyse Kahl contributed to this report.
Best Dam view in town
I call b-s. If that place was a money-machine-cash-cow they would not be selling out, or they would not have shut it down while quietly marketing it.
Good call. The food has been wretched there from the get go. Whatever “Grille” incarnation it happened to be, the food was consistently bad. I said never again after the second visit. Unfortunately friends and family picked the spot a few times after that…
Poorly run and managed. changing restaurant managers numerous times with “wannabe” managers, just doesnt work. If the restaurant was truly making money, it wouldnt be closing. Everyone knows it is easier to sell a restaurant when it is up, running, and has viable numbers to show a potential buyer.
How about the number of “chefs” they’ve been through? Recently they were promoting Old Town native Matt Duque, wow they thought he would save the Grille, I don’t think so.
Can’t keep a real chef in these parts unless you are all in. Real chefs command real salaries. Can’t charge enough around here unless you are owner operator. Which, these days, is like solo private practice doctor. Rare. And to be cherished.
And no offense to Matt Duque. Lest I be flagged. I am sure he is great. And for the record I have never eaten his food.
This kid has driven every business he’s ever touched (including that Evo dump), right into the ground. Yeah, good call on that one…alienate all the former Paul’s regulars AND build an Italian restaurant RIGHT NEXT to Olive Garden…Dad could run a restaurant…guess apples don’t always hang out at the base of the tree…
Since Kosta’s opened in Old Town, a noticeable decrease in patrons at City Park was evident. Both restaurants are nice and I certainly went to City Park more than I have gone to Kosta’s over the years, but you could tell there was a shift.
I’ve never been to the Old Town Kosta’s, but the Brewer location is the bomb. Best chicken parm in the area, great pizza, chicken marsala is excellent, buffalo chicken tenders-yummy, and when they have it, haddock chowdah is great!
I have been to Kosta’s in Brewer twice……never again. The second time, they gave us half as much food, but at least the bill was higher.
I am suspicious of the comment in this article that business was great. If it was great, I would think they would keep running it until they got a buyer assuming they are selling simply because the sons don’t want to run it.
I love kostas in brewer! they have the most awesome seafood alfredo!! i can see why city park grille didn’t make it up against Kostas in old town. Kostas has better food!!
Great Alfredo sauce too!
The City did everything to accommodate the Resturant when it first opened in Old Town.. Sold them the land for $1.00 Sold them extra parking spaces to meet code. They told the Bank, there are not enough parking spaces for a Bank yet will make it work for a resturant.. LOL!!! (-: Maybe another family member will buy it at pennies on the bankruptcy dollar.. (-:
I’d hardly call it gorgeous..tacky signage out front, mediocre food, honky tonk karaoke night…please someone with some style and taste take this place over.
I’ve not been in the restaurant lately, but the last time I was I found the food to be cold and expensive and the service lousy.
That’s how I remember the Chocolate Grill as well
That place was always ‘boo’.
CPG was very good when it first opened; very good food and nice atmosphere. Since then, I’ve been in several times over the past 3-4 years and found during each visit that it had progressively gone downhill, both with their menu and their surroundings. It would be great if someone could turn it around; it’s a great location, especially in the summer.
Thank you, Gervais family, for answering the call when Old Town was trying to re-develop its waterfront, and was trying to attract a somewhat upscale restaurant for that space. Some folks thought Old Town might be on the verge of a revitalized downtown. Imagine that! Oh well, all good things must pass, and your participation was truly appreciated, at least by some.
Actually he walks, ALOT!
The Food has been consistently terrible for the last 4 years…
I can’t recall ever seeing the parking lot full, no matter what time of day I drove past. Like so many others, I’m suspicious of the reasons given for closing it because it just makes no sense. I do hope someone else buys it, as it is a great location and Old Town is a great community.
Who cares? Old Town is an awful place. Is it just me or is it always raining there? I feel depressed as soon as I cross the town line.
No, it’s just the rain following your depressed take on life, Aero …
They are not closing for financial reasons ok…… but wouldn’t one think a business would sell better (especially) a restaurant if it were up and running turning a profit?
I would think the residual from the Paul’s operation must have been substantial. That place was an institution for 35 years (1977 – ?) and must have provided the startup capital for Chocolate Old Town, Chocolate Searsport and EVO. I have fond memories of Paul’s Speakeasy. However, I knew we were in trouble with EVO the Italian Restaurant when I saw ratatouille on the menu. Ummmm, that’s French, EVO.
Place was never the same after the Chocolate Grille.
We have been going there for supper once a week for a year. We have never seen a crowd. A few bar-flies, yes, but very few diners.
ate there once and that was enough! poor poor service, bad food and expensive bill. Was freezing inside. Too bad for the workers and community, but free market won, bad=closed