Some welcome news for the new year. After announcing that his Newtown seafood shop, Lobsta Bakes of Maine, would close at the end of 2021, owner Kevin Smith has already found a trio of buyers who plan on sticking to the original concept while adding a few touches of their own.
According to a post Smith wrote on the market's website, the new owners are husband-and-wife team Phillip and Emma Jones, as well as long-time Lobsta Bakes manager Jim Radcliffe, who’s in charge of the market’s catering operations.
In December, Smith told The Enquirer it was time for him to retire. "I've got things I've got to catch up on from the last 25 years,” he said. "My wife has been a lobster widow for 25 years, I worked all weekends for 25 years ... So, she's excited for me to get through so we can do things together."
According to Smith, who grew up in Maine before moving to Cincinnati, the Joneses are originally from the United Kingdom but have lived in the Newtown area for the past three years. Emma also co-owns the Merry Mare, a luxury mobile bar business.
On the Lobsta Bakes website, Smith said the couple will be adding a “British ‘fish & chips' cultural tradition” to complement the current offerings at Lobsta Bakes, which include fresh fish, shellfish and premade specialties such as New England clam chowder and cioppino.
He said Lobsta Bakes will close during the first two weeks of January, with a tentative reopening date of Jan. 18. After that, Smith will stay on board, helping the new owners with the transition, which he thinks should be complete by March.
"I'm proud of what I've built," Smith told The Enquirer last month. "I'm hoping maybe I can keep the legacy going. I don't have kids, but I'm hoping somebody will come along that can just keep it going.”
Thankfully, someone came along and did just that.
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