The new owners of the former Simpson’s Ocean Fresh Seafood building at 690 Bath Road in Wiscasset plan to renovate the building and open a restaurant. (Charlotte Boynton photo)
The business partners behind the restoration of the former Musical Wonder House in Wiscasset now plan to open a new restaurant in a long-vacant building on Route 1 next to Shaw’s.
Michael Collins, Daniel Dyer, and Dana Long hope to open the Barn House Grill in the former Simpson’s Ocean Fresh Seafood Inc. building at 690 Bath Road in February 2020, according to Collins.
The trio bought the building from local businessman Norman P. Sherman and plan to renovate the exterior and interior. Their restaurant will have a menu of American and Mexican food, along with local brews.
Collins, Dyer, and Long own the Wild Burritos restaurant on Congress Street in Portland.
They previously planned to open a pub in a leased space in the Wawenock LLC building at 63 Main St. in Wiscasset, meeting with the Wiscasset Planning Board in August 2018 and April 2019 to discuss their plans for the Village Tavern.
More recently, they decided to purchase the former seafood market instead, as it will offer more convenient parking for customers and a larger space for a restaurant.
According to Collins, the partners will seek planning board approval of the change of use before they start renovations.
The goal to open in February 2020 may be set back due to the permitting process. The partners are also going to convert the water supply from a well to town water and are uncertain how long that will take.
