The bad news is the Thai Golden Restaurant at 65 Gardner Rd., in Wiscasset has closed it doors after being open for less than a year.
The good news is that a new business opened July 22, in the former Tuxedo Junction building located at 424 Bath Rd.
Motorcyclists will be happy to hear the new business, Twisted Iron Customs, is owned by Michael Benner of Friendship. It is a unique business to the area, according to Darron Pierce, an employee.
Twisted Iron Customs builds custom motorcycles, hotrods, muscle cars, and does repairs and custom fabrication on those vehicle types. “We also service all makes of motorcyles,” Benner said.
The new business employs about seven people, most of them local.
Pierce and Greg Williams both had custom shops of their own, and decided to come and work at Twisted Iron Customs, according to Benner.
Other employees include Shirley Bertram, Lynn Williams, William Hicks, and Jason Simkins.
Another service the business offers is motorcycle winter storage.
“We know this is a tough time of year to jump into a new business, but there is nothing like this in the area, and it beats going to a dealer for everything,” Pierce said.
Apparently he is right, because they already have some motorcycles to work on in the shop, and old cars to restore outside the building. The business is also in the process of getting a state inspection license that will allow them to inspect vehicles and increase visibility and business.
The business hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Benner is the manager of Rockland Ford, and has owned and operated a paint and body shop for 20 years in Friendship. “This is not a hobby with us, it is what we do to service everyone’s ride,” Benner said. “We can build just about anything.
Benner invites motorcyclists to stop in and see the custom built motorcycles in the shop.
