File photo / Tim Greenway
Charlie Mitchell, owner of Bayside Bowl in Portland.
Updated: July 11, 2023
Bayside Bowl rolls out expansion to South Portland
Photos / Tim Greenway and Renee Cordes
Bayside Bowl, located in Portland's West Bayside neighborhood, is expanding to South Portland, adding a second location in a space formerly occupied by Sea Dog Brewing Co. The new place will be called Broadway Bowl.
Portland's Bayside Bowl is gearing up for its Broadway debut — at 725 Broadway in South Portland, that is — in a space formerly occupied by the Sea Dog Brewing Co. restaurant with bowling lames.
"We are under contract with an expected closing date in late August," Bayside Bowl owner Charlie Mitchell told Mainebiz on Monday.
The expansion comes 13 years after Mitchell started Bayside Bowl, a bowling center and entertainment venue in Portland's West Bayside neighborhood, with Justin Alfond. In 2020, Mitchell became the sole proprietor after buying out his former business partner. The Bayside venue is located at 58 Alder St.
"Over 13 years, we have built up an amazing pool of staff, with many of my managers having been with me from the beginning," Mitchell said Monday. "I have often considered expanding just to be able to take advantage of the talent and find room for growth."
He also said the South Portland location is perfect because it's close by and because of "uncanny" similarities to Bayside structurally and with a sunset patio similar to Bayside's sunset roof, "even down to the bar layout that looks like our original side," he noted.
"While I wasn't actively looking," he said, "the opportunity fit what I wanted, and I have deep confidence in my employees that we can do something special."
The plan is to open the new Broadway Bowl by the end of October. With a number of Bayside Bowl's 36-strong staff set to take on dual roles at the new space, Mitchell said the business will likely bring on between six and eight new hires.
'First and foremost' a bowling alley
Asked about plans for the new venue, Mitchell underscored that "first and foremost, we are a bowling alley, and we embrace that."
In practice, that means well-maintained lanes with “challenging oil patterns” on lane surfaces for competitive bowlers. In addition, "we will have fewer dining seats inside as we focus on bowling and other activities to give folks things to do while they are waiting for their lanes," he said.
As for other plans, "we will put additional focus on making the patio a much more comfortable, lounge-like space to enjoy the magnificent views," Mitchell added. And while the menu is still being planned, he said it "won't stray too far" from Bayside Bowl's successful offerings.
Mitchell is bullish on business in 2023.
"Bayside is on track to beat all sales record this year, even in spite of the huge hit we've taken to our rooftop business for the last eight weeks," he said. "Still, a little sunshine would be nice."
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