Taste of Maine in Woolwich finds buyer after years on market

The giant lobster on the roof may still greet drivers on Route 1, but Taste of Maine in Woolwich is headed for new ownership after years on the market, with Candy and Scott Gregory saying the handoff is expected in late August or early September. For a Midcoast landmark that has long helped steer tourist traffic, seasonal jobs and spending toward nearby businesses, the sale carries consequences well beyond one dining room.

The Gregory family has run the restaurant since 1978, and the pair first said in 2023 that they planned to sell and retire. At the time, the 16,310-square-foot property was listed for $4.5 million, with the sale described as a retirement move and the owners saying they were willing to help make the transition smooth. More than 200 patrons weighed in on that announcement, a sign of how deeply the restaurant is woven into local routines and summer travel patterns.

Now, the question for Woolwich is continuity. Reporting on the sale says the new owners will keep the same menu and crew, a detail that should reassure regulars who come for the familiar waterfront stop as much as the food. Still, the change in ownership raises the same questions that come with any long-running landmark: whether staffing stays stable, whether hours remain the same, and whether the next owners preserve the restaurant’s identity or remake part of it.

That identity is unmistakable. Taste of Maine says it is family owned and operated, open Friday through Tuesday, and overlooking the Sasanoa River and Pleasant Cove. It has also promoted ample parking for RVs and buses, along with live music and comedy events, making it more than a place to eat. It has functioned as a roadside attraction, an event stop and a recognizable marker for drivers heading through Sagadahoc County.

The building’s best-known feature, Larry the Lobster, became part of the restaurant’s lore in 2018, when News Center Maine described the rooftop inflatable as 70 feet long and 12 feet high. The giant lobster was created for the restaurant’s 40th anniversary after Dina Gregory suggested doing something big for the milestone, and it has helped turn the place into one of Midcoast Maine’s best-known visual landmarks. Earlier coverage also tied the restaurant to oversized lobster rolls, including a 24-inch version and a “world’s largest lobster roll” claim.

For Woolwich, the sale marks the end of nearly five decades of Gregory family ownership and the start of a transition that will be watched closely from Arrowsic to Bath. If the new owners keep the same formula, the restaurant may continue to anchor that stretch of Route 1. If not, the change could alter one of the Midcoast’s most familiar stops.