A new Jamaican eatery plans to open in a downtown Ellsworth space formerly occupied by Mexican cuisine restaurants.
The new business will be called Acadia 876, according to a banner posted on the porch at 191 Main St. The banner simply says “coming soon” and that it will offer American and Jamaican dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Additional information about the planned restaurant was unavailable Friday. The business does not seem to be active on social media, and an online state listing of licensed companies in Maine was inaccessible.
For decades, the restaurant space has been home to cuisine restaurants.
The Mex operated there for 40 years, from 1979 until 2019, when the owners decided to close the business down.
The next year, a Margarita’s franchise opened in the building, but it abruptly closed this past spring after it ran into what state officials have described as “noncompliance” with Maine tax laws. A spokesperson for the state Department of Labor said last summer that the liens were tied to unemployment insurance tax debt, but declined to provide additional details due to confidentiality.
In July, the city threatened to cut off water to the shuttered property unless Margarita’s paid its overdue water bill.
Acadia 876 would be the second Jamaican restaurant in Ellsworth. Taste Jamaica has been in business in the city for several years, first from a takeout-only location on High Street and more recently from a bigger space with seating at the intersection of State and Oak streets.