Chocolate Grille is going, going, gone!
January 14th, 2007 . by Brecht PalomboSEARSPORT (Jan 4): “We went out for a little excitement, and we came back with a restaurant.”
That’s how winning bidder and Lincolnville resident Tom Sadowski described the way he and his wife, Janis Kay, became the new owners of the Route 1 building that most recently housed the Chocolate Grille.Kay and Sadowski placed the high bid of $260,000 during a fast-paced auction at the site Thursday, Jan. 4. “Our plans will solidify very soon,” said Sadowski following the auction. “Right now, we’re still talking.”
Sadowski and Kay said they are interested in leasing the space to someone who would like to run a restaurant. “We’d like to see a good restaurant over there in Searsport,” said Sadowski. “One that’s reasonably priced; that’s fun to go to.”
But Sadowski added that “nothing will be happening there for a little bit.”
Sadowski and Kay own and operate Surroundings, a home-furnishing store in Camden. Kay also owned a restaurant in Seattle before making her home in Lincolnville.
The auction, which Tranzon Auction Properties Auctioneer Thomas W. Saturley said came about as the result of a foreclosure through Camden National Bank, attracted approximately 30 potential bidders, town officials and residents.
The space was formerly home to the Chocolate Grille, a restaurant and bar owned by George and Julene Gervais. The couple closed the Searsport business in spring 2006.
The 0.9-acre property with 170 feet of Route 1 frontage and a 4,459-square-foot building was also once the site of Jordan’s Restaurant. The land and building is valued at $313,000, according to the informational packet distributed by Tranzon.
Tranzon sales director Jill Daviero said Camden National Bank hired the company to organize and promote the auction. Those bidding were required to present Tranzon with a $25,000 deposit, with the winning bidder upping the deposit to 10 percent of the purchase price within five days of the auction. The balance of the bid is due within 45 days of the auction.
By Tanya Mitchell
Staff Reporter Villagesoup.com