Wicked Pickle brings largest indoor pickleball facility in Maine to South Portland

A new pickleball facility called The Wicked Pickle is coming to South Portland.

The Wicked Pickle has leased a 25,500 square-foot facility scheduled to break ground this month. The location is at 2401 Broadway in South Portland. Tony Miner, the entrepreneur behind this new business states, “It’ll be really cool place where people can just come and relax and play some pickleball.” Miner, a former baseball star, currently coaches softball at Thornton Academy in Saco as well as coaching baseball. Miner is hoping that the facility will give pickleball players an easier way to enjoy the sport in the harsh winter months.

The pickleball craze has recently boomed in the last few years. It is the country’s fastest-growing sport with close to 9 million people paying the game nationwide. Invented in 1965 as a children’s backyard game, pickleball is played with a baseball sized wiffle ball and is described as a mix between tennis, ping-pong and badminton. Pickleball is very user friendly, being slower paced, since there is less ground to cover. It’s easier to learn than tennis. It’s a sport all ages can enjoy and can be as competitive or as casual as you want!

The Wicked Pickle facility will be equipped with six professional courts and two practice courts. It will also include a full-service bar with beer and wine, as well as a smoothie bar and lounge area. Miner states that with a brand-new building, “we can pretty much do whatever we want.” So, stay tuned for more updates on the facility and what they will offer!

Andrew Ingalls of Malone Commercial Brokers brokered the lease. “It’s the weirdest thing, this pickleball phenomenon,” Ingalls states. “My wife and I are one of three couples in Cape Elizabeth who don’t play pickle ball. We feel like outcasts.”

Get your paddles ready, because Wicked Pickle aims to open by November 1st this year!

Read the full MaineBiz article HERE!

The Future of Freeport

0 Depot Street (pictured above) & 45 Depot Street in Freeport are listed for sale

It’s no question that Freeport is one of the most visited places in Maine. L.L. Bean flagship in Freeport is the second most visited attraction in the state behind the ever so popular Acadia National Park. However, with brick-and-mortar retail struggling, especially post pandemic, Freeport needs a new wave of change. Freeport Chamber of Commerce executive director Tawni Whitney and the Downtown Visioning Leadership Team are looking to execute this change. Whitney states, “Many of the towns the consultant groups are dealing with have lost their one main industry, like when a mill closes down, and they’ve got to start from scratch. For us, we have a well-appointed Main Street, we’ve got a great reputation, we have lots of natural resources, and we have a great school system.”

The key to the proposed plan is to bring housing and locally owned businesses back to Main Street. Parking is also on their radar. Current residents are in support of housing, but hope that the proposed apartment buildings have enough parking associated with them. “If you want a vibrant downtown, you have to have downtown living,” Whitney says. “It’s extremely exciting to think about that coming back.” More people living in the center of town would be great for local businesses with the consistency of business year round, and not just tourist season.

MCB has some exciting opportunities in Freeport, including a residential redevelopment site that is on a 1.11± AC lot with a parking lot and a 1,440± SF rental property. For more information about this opportunity, contact Mark Malone!

Click HERE to view this listing.

Read more about the future of Freeport by clicking HERE!

Fork Food Lab acquires larger space in South Portland for their expanding business

Fork Food Lab bought 95-97 Darling Ave in South Portland from East Brown Cow for $5.9 million. Fork Food Lab is Maine’s only non-profit food business incubator and shared commercial kitchen. According to their website, their mission is to “support a just, diverse, and sustainable food economy in Maine, where food entrepreneurs are supported in their quest to produce high quality and sustainable products utilizing locally sourced ingredients.” Fork Food Lab is owned by a Yarmouth-based nonprofit and is currently located at 72 Parris St in Portland. Darling Ave is about eight times the size of their current location.

“Our ability to purchase the property hinged on our partnership with East Brown Cow and they were willing to grant us an unusual amount of time to put all the pieces together to make this a reality for our members,” said Bill Seretta, executive director of Fork Food Lab, indicating that the deal had its roots in 2021.

The property consists of two single-story office buildings, on 3.18 acres. Originally separate structures, the two buildings later merged into one by an enclosed walkway. Construction is already underway at the 42,000-square-foot space to convert it into a kitchen and food business incubator.

Seretta stated that the move is expected to happen on or around June 1.

East Brown Cow was represented by Joe Malone and Jennifer Small of Malone Commercial Brokers in the transaction and Brice O’Connor at the Boulos Co. represented the buyer.

Read more HERE.

Cong Tu Bot to open second restaurant, this one in Old Port

Owners of the popular Vietnamese restaurant Cong Tu Bot on Washington Avenue in Portland plan to open a new eatery in the Old Port by the end of the year.

Chef and co-owner Vien Dobui said they leased the space at 30 Market St., formerly home of Pat’s Pizza, which closed in early April. Dobui said his new restaurant will be called Lido’s 2, a reference to a former nightclub he frequented some years ago when he lived in San Jose, California.

The new space will seat as many as 70 people, considerably more than the 40-seat Cong Tu Bot, which in March became the state’s first independent unionized restaurant in more than 40 years. The larger venue, located in the bustling Old Port, “will allow us to reach a bigger audience,” Dobui said, noting that the space also will have a full bar.

The transaction was brokered by Peter Harrington of Malone Commercial Brokers.

To read the full article from The Portland Press Herald, click HERE.

East Brown Cow and Malone Commercial Brokers arrange a 10-Year lease at Zero Canal for Baja-style taco restaurant

Taco A Go Go, a Baja California-style restaurant, has signed a 10-year lease with East Brown Cow to occupy a 1,350 square foot space at Zero Canal Plaza in Portland, Maine. Taco A Go Go will use fresh, locally sourced ingredients in its menu of tacos, tortas and rotating specials. Taco A Go Go comes from the owners behind Nosh, CBG, Bramhall, Paper Tiger, and Roma, all popular staples in the area.

The exciting lease was brokered by Joe Malone and Jennifer Small of Malone Commercial Brokers.

“Taco A Go Go combines distinctive recipes from the West Coast with local ingredients from the East Coast,” said Mike Fraser, owner of Taco A Go Go. “We are excited for the opportunity to bring this coast-to-coast concept to Portland, where our surfer-inspired restaurant will offer a fun, vibrant twist on the city’s culinary scene.” The new restaurant will open at 11 am, offering lunch, and remain open until 11 pm to cater to the downtown office demographic while elevating Portland’s thriving food and nightlife scenes.

The opening of Taco A Go Go coincides with the announcement that East Brown Cow and Malone Commercial Brokers are looking to lease a ground-floor retail space at One Canal Plaza, adjacent to Zero Canal. One Canal is under development through the work of internationally renowned architect Moshe Safdie through a $10 million-plus capital improvement investment. This development and the opening of Taco A Go Go will bring new life to this area of Portland. Tim Soley, president and CEO of East Brown Cow states that it “will add to the vibrancy of the Canal Plaza block and will soon become a popular dining destination for locals and visitors alike."

Stay tuned for more updates on the opening of Taco A Go Go and development of the Canal Plaza block!

Read more HERE!

Brickyard Hollow Brewing adds seventh location with New Gloucester deal

Brickyard Hollow Brewing Co., founded in Yarmouth in 2017, bought its seventh location, in New Gloucester, and is restarting a brewing facility there and adding a kitchen, pub and disc golf course.

“We’ll have a craft beer vibe,” said the company’s president and owner, Brad Moll. “You’ll be able to eat there and walk out back and play disc golf. We’ll have a lot of outdoor seating.”

Brickyard Hollow Brewing Co. bought 437 Lewiston Road from NU Property LLC for $1,620,400. The property was listed at $1.9 million and included a brewery and taproom on about 8 acres, with all furniture, fixtures and equipment. Cheri Bonawitz and Karen Rich of Malone Commercial Brokers brokered the transaction.

The property consists of a 7,640-square-foot building on about 8 acres that was the location for a business called Nu Brewery. 

“This was a strategic for us, because the brewery is all set up,” said Moll. “We can start brewing beer immediately.” Moll said he had been looking for a facility to expand his brewing operation for a couple of years. 

To read the full article from MaineBiz, click HERE.

Malone Commercial Brokers Wins 2023 CoStar Impact Awards in Two Categories

From left to right, Joe Malone, Luke Malone and Mark Malone

Malone Commercial Brokers is pleased to announce they have received the 2023 CoStar Impact Award in two categories. CoStar’s Impact Awards highlight the commercial real estate transactions and projects that have transformed their markets over the past year. The winners are chosen by independent panels of industry professionals who work in the markets they judge.

The sale of Union Station Plaza to MaineHealth earned Sale/Acquisition of the Year due to the buyer’s commitment to improving the neighborhood. Joe Malone and Mark Malone of Malone Commercial Brokers represented the buyer and John Gendron of Gendron Commercial represented the seller in this transaction.

“In MaineHealth we had a local buyer with a positive impact on our community and a vision for the future that benefits all Mainers. I am pleased that I could work with MaineHealth, Gendron Commercial and Malone Commercial Brokers to complete this transaction,” said Bob Connor, former owner of Union Station Plaza.

Mark Malone, left, and New England Cancer Specialists’ CEO Edwin T. Graham

New England Cancer Specialists leased a 5-story, 200,000± square foot medical office, currently under construction, that will anchor the Rock Row medical research campus in Westbrook, Maine. Mark Malone of Malone Commercial Brokers brokered the transaction.

The move of NECS from Scarborough is “one of the most significant achievements” in the progress at Rock Row, according to Rock Row owner and developer Waterstone Properties. The space will be the first private multitenant medical office campus in the Greater Portland market in nearly 20 years. The building is designed with a concept of wellness and prevention, not just treatment, featuring on-site healing gardens, access to a 70-mile walking trail network, and more. This significant development earned Lease of the Year in the 2023 CoStar Impact Awards.

Malone Commercial Brokers Welcomes New Executive Assistant

Malone Commercial Brokers is pleased to announce that Susan Sawicki has joined their team. With a history in real estate and real estate law transactions, Susan joins MCB as an executive assistant to Mark Malone, Vice President & Principal. Susan started in real estate in 2011, working as the Operations Manager for a highly successful residential real estate team in Virginia, where she still holds a real estate license. More recently, she worked in the real estate group of a large Maine law firm, which provided her with experience in commercial transactions. She is excited to be associated with MCB given their excellent reputation in the industry.

Susan was born in Chicago, but was raised in Norway, Maine, after her parents moved there when she was 4, giving her strong Maine roots. Travel is a great passion of hers. After completing her MA, she moved to Bangkok, Thailand, where she worked in refugee camps throughout the country. Following this adventure, she had the opportunity to live and work in several developing countries in other parts of the world. She raised her two daughters in McLean, VA, which she called home for 15 years. She also lived in Geneva, Switzerland for five years before returning to Maine in 2019. Susan loves to be active. Her favorite activities are hiking, yoga, biking, stand up paddleboarding, and XC skiing.

For more information, contact Molly McGuire at molly@malonecb.com.

How to apply for funding: 4 tips for businesses

Receiving funding is a crucial step in scaling up your business. Companies of all sizes — but especially start-ups and small businesses — frequently ask what it takes to get approved for funding in order to grow.

Business health and long-term success depend on growth — whether this means adding a new office location, hiring on additional staff or investing in upgraded technology. When you’re ready to apply for your next loan or approach a business banker, there are several items you’ll want to have in place first.

Come prepared with answers. Lenders need to know the basic information about your company’s operating cycle and industry dynamics. Important elements of your business such as your customer base, marketing strategy and competitor landscape impact your ability to thrive. How do you plan to deepen relationships with existing customers and acquire new customers? Who are your suppliers, and what is the timeline between production, sales and payments? Do you know how the current economic and political conditions will impact your success? Be prepared to answer these kind of fundamental questions when you’re seeking financial support for growth.

Streamline your financial reporting. Financial reporting is one of the strongest tools you have for demonstrating your company’s financial health. Your bank will require timely and accurate reporting in order to evaluate your businesses cash-flow, leverage and liquidity. Your reporting system should allow you to monitor your cash flow on a regular basis, project your growth and track your progress. You’ll want to be able to show that you can scale effectively without jeopardizing the quality of your work or losing revenue. Many banks offer treasury management solutions that make cash management and reporting even easier for you — be sure to take advantage of those resources.

Build your human capital. A strong management team is essential to smooth, effective transitions. It’s important to have the major skillsets covered, so that you have experts in finance, human resources, operations and sales who can lead even in the absence of your founder or CEO. Even if some areas need to be outsourced, you’ll want the foundation in place before attempting to grow further. In addition to your internal team, successful business leaders establish trusted advisors and allies. Do you have a strong CPA and legal counsel in place? Perhaps you have a board of directors, advisory group or close mentors that provide additional support. Make sure your team is strong, talented and aligned before requesting funding for a big change.

Know your banker. During both day-to-day business and periods of growth, the expertise and support of your banking team makes a huge difference. Lenders and treasury management specialists want to see your business reach its full potential. Establish a trusting relationship with your bank and always expect guidance, responsiveness and personal attention from your banking team.

Following these four steps will help set you up for success when applying for the funding that is crucial to your business’ growth.

To read the full article from MaineBiz, click HERE.

Portland board approves 179-room hotel for major project next to City Hall

The Portland Planning Board approved plans for a 179-room hotel Tuesday as part of a major redevelopment of the block on Congress Street just east of City Hall.

The board voted unanimously to approve a site plan for the hotel, which constitutes Phase I of the Herald Square project at 385 Congress St. Phase I also includes nine condominiums on the upper floors of the hotel and 75 parking garage spaces.

“I think this is a really good project and I look forward to it being built,” said Planning Board Chair Maggie Stanley.

The plan was approved conditionally with the board stipulating that Fathom Companies, which is building the hotel, also submit a handful of updates and finalize a public access easement for a pedestrian plaza prior to getting a building permit.

Jim Brady, president of Fathom Companies, which also operates the Press Hotel across Congress Street, said it’s too soon to say when construction might start.

The transaction was brokered by Joe Malone and Jennifer Small of Malone Commercial Brokers.

To read the full article from the Portland Press Herald, click HERE.