Kendall Delano Jr. and members of his kitchen crew are all smiles in the Delano Seafood Shack kitchen on Friday, Jan. 16. Prior moving into the newly constructed building, Delano and his crew ran the business from a 28-foot long trailer, year-round. From left: Angela Robinson, Crystal Wellman, Glendora Lash, Jessica Murphy, and Delano. (Claire Taylor photo)
A Waldoboro staple is boasting a new look after construction this fall expanded the business into a brand new building, nearly tripling its size.
Delano Seafood Shack owner Kendall Delano Jr. said plans for the new building have been in the works for years and finally came to fruition when All Aspects Builders, of Washington, completed the project in November 2025.
Delano was a lobsterman for 30 years before taking over the seafood business from his parents in 2019. He sold his lobster boat in 2021 in order to focus on the market and shack full time, investing his proceeds from the sale into the business.
The latest of Delano’s manifold improvements, Delano Seafood Shack, has been operating for six years.
Prior to the construction of the new building, Delano and his crew ran the business within a 28-foot trailer year-round. He said keeping the food service operating year round was important for him to properly serve his clientele.
“I wanted to stay open for the locals, because that’s what we’re for. We love tourists, but we wouldn’t be here without all the locals,” Delano said.
For the past six years, that dedication has meant operating within the trailer throughout the coldest months, he explained.
“Nobody does that,” Delano said. “We did it and it worked. It was cold, it was cold in the trailer, but we did winterize it, so it was pretty good.”
The new building has made a world of difference for the kitchen staff, Delano said.
“He did a really great thing for us,” said crewmember Glendora Lash, who has worked at the seafood shack since shortly after it opened in the winter of 2020. “(The trailer) definitely got its use, but oh my word,” she added while pointing out the kitchen’s expanded space.
Delano said the new kitchen was two and a half times bigger than its predecessor in the trailer,
“That makes such a big difference,” he said.
The new kitchen also boasts a 6-foot grill instead of 3-foot model and stays considerably warmer than the winterized trailer, Delano said.
“I had heated socks,” Lash said with a laugh. “I just bought a pair too, and now I don’t need them.”
In the new kitchen, she now sports a short-sleeved T-shirt instead.
The grand opening for the newly built shack took place on Dec. 3, 2025. Delano and his father, Kendall Delano Sr., manned oversized scissors and cut the ribbon together, a celebratory moment after many years of business as a family.
While Delano said that his parents will always be a part of the business, what that looks like shifted in the last year, when his father had a stroke in October. Delano closed the business for 35 days while he focused on spending time with his family.
He said he was amazed by the support he received from the community during the closure and expressed gratitude for having found such a great support system in his customers.
“A lot of the customers would message me or call me, say I was doing the right thing,” Delano said.
Delano, who works at the market and shack seven days a week, repeatedly said his efforts toward improving the business are because he wants to serve his customers well.
“We want to do more for the customers, because without the customers we wouldn’t be here,” he said.
One such improvement is the fact that with the new building, Delano Seafood Shack now also offers indoor seating.
“That’s a huge plus for us,” Delano said. “Now we have busy lunches inside.”
The new building also means Delano has enough space for equipment to serve ice cream and shakes, which will be added in the future.
Delano continues to plan upcoming improvements to the new building, such as adding a hallway to connect the dining area to the bathrooms, which are currently around the back of the building.
He is also hoping to offer live music in the expanded patio and bar out back on summer Saturday evenings and is currently exploring breakfast and delivery options for the seafood shack.
“Hopefully I won’t have too many more ideas,” Delano said.
Delano Seafood Shack is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The market is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Find Delano Seafood Shack on Facebook for daily specials and more information.
