Y-Knot on the Water Ties into Downtown Damariscotta

Mother-daughter duo Carol Heaberlin and Mindy Jones, of Alna, have talked occasionally about finding a permanent home for their restaurant Y-Knot since first opening the business in an orange food trailer alongside Route 1 in Newcastle in 2017.

Since Route 1, Y-Knot has been at 590 Main St. in Damariscotta and operated out of the Wawenock Golf Club.

But last January, when the building at 85 Parking Lot Lane in downtown Damariscotta went on the market, the two felt it was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up.

“We asked the family what we should do, if we should give Y-Knot a good home, and so that’s what we did,” Heaberlin said.

After buying the building that formerly housed Maine Booch and Van Lloyd’s Bistro in March and renovating, Heaberlin and Jones opened the doors July 7 to the latest iteration of their restaurant: Y-Knot on the Water Gourmet Eatery.

“Every time we try to do something new on the menu,” Heaberlin said. “This time we’ve got fish tacos and they’re a big seller.”

Y-Knot’s menu lists a selection of sandwiches, like the Big Foot Knot, consisting of ham, turkey, mortadella, bacon, melted provolone, and lettuce, as well as the Seahorse sandwich, which consists of tuna, avocado, sprouts, and melted Swiss cheese.

Those customers looking to skip Y-Knot’s savory selections can go straight to dessert by stepping up to the ice cream window facing Taco Alley.

“We are more than just sandwiches,” Jones said.

Y-Knot also has a full bar, which has both domestic and imported beer available. From 8-11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, the eatery offers breakfast.

The business’s curious name comes from Carol Heaberlin’s mother, who, whenever she was asked to go out to eat, would reply, “Why not?”

The Y is also inspired by Carol Heaberlin’s maiden name, Yereance, and her mother’s maiden name, Young.

When Y-Knot began in 2017 as a food trailer on the side of Route 1, just past the Sherman Marsh rest area, Carol Heaberlin and Mindy Jones had been discussing the idea of opening their own business.

That’s when Heaberlin’s son, Nick Heaberlin, found that the Rotary Club of Westbrook-Gorham had a trailer for sale.

“They gave us a great deal,” Carol Heaberlin said.

It was there on the side of Route 1 that the legend of Bigfoot started to intertwine with the lore of the business.

Rick Heaberlin and Jones’ son came up with the idea to create a step-up platform to the food trailer’s ordering window with two big feet on it. The Bigfoot idea gathered momentum from there.

“We thought it’d be funny to say Bigfoot eats here,” Jones said. “It’s a fun, light-hearted thing.”

Today Bigfoot is the mascot of the business, making an appearance on menu, sign, and murals painted inside of the restaurant at 85 Parking Lot Lane.

“It’s exciting to be here,” Carol Heaberlin said.

Heaberlin and Jones said that much of the decorations in the restaurant pay homage to the history of businesses that have resided in the building.

“We still have the light fixtures from Van Lloyd’s, as well as some bottles left from Maine Booch,” Carol Heaberlin said. “We even bought chairs from Que Rico, the Mexican restaurant down the street.”

The walls are additionally adorned with art and finds from family members, including a large lobster that has been mounted on the wall.

“We try to get the family represented here,” Jones said.

Jones and Heaberlin expressed an interest in acquiring an old phone or telephone booth to represent the buildings time as the old telecom building.

Y-Knot on the Water plans to be open year-round, with planned schedule changes after Labor Day and as winter approaches.

The current hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, find Y-Knot on the Water Gourmet Eatery on Facebook or call 563-6797.