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Former Muddy Rudder property in Yarmouth heads to auction

Photo / Peter Van Allen Muddy Rudder is located at 1335 U.S. Route 1 in Yarmouth.
By Alexis Wells

Four months after closing, Muddy Rudder, a Yarmouth seafood restaurant that dated to 1976, will be auctioned on Wednesday.  

The auction is expected to take place on site on Wed., Feb. 12, at 11 a.m., at the restaurant site, at 1335 U.S. Route 1 in Yarmouth. Portland-based Keenan Auction Co., which is managing the auction, held a preview on Jan. 29. 

"We expect a good turnout for the sale," Stef Keenan, the auctioneer for the sale, told Mainebiz in a phone interview. "We've had strong interest from all over New England and a number of brokers reaching out for their clients."

Photo / Peter Van Allen
A sign has been put out on the building alerting buyers of the upcoming auction.

Shortly after closing, the fully equipped 250-seat restaurant was listed for sale for $1.4 million, but no buyer came forward. 

The restaurant, which sits on the Cousins River near the Freeport town line, is in a high-traffic location, on U.S. Route 1 but is also visible from I-295. 

Long history

In October, owner Matthew Witham announced that the restaurant would close immediately. 

“With a broken heart, we have made the decision to close indefinitely. I want to thank the staff and patrons alike,” Witham said in a message posted on the restaurant's door.

“A restaurant is not about the food and drink; it is about the human interaction and our guests, especially the crew, made the Rudder what it is,” he continued. “I will miss you. You have made a man’s dream come true and I will be forever grateful.”

Witham had overseen the 6,884-square-foot restaurant since 2011.

Rudder patrons and others expressed sorrow online about the closure, with many sharing memories of the restaurant as a gathering spot for the town.

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