🔒Sale of Wells diner still on the table as foreclosure auction looms

The Maine Diner in the York County town of Wells is set for a foreclosure auction in June as the owner holds out hope of selling the establishment, which remains on the market for $3.3 million. "I am doing everything that I can to keep the business open," owner Jim MacNeill told Mainebiz in a phone interview this week, adding that the diner is open and ready for the tourist season. It is scheduled to go to auction on June 4, with previews on May 21 and May 28. The auction is being managed by Keenan Auction Co., which is based in Portland. With plans to retire after 30 years of ownership, MacNeill listed the restaurant and adjacent gift shop for sale five months ago with Portland-based Daigle Commercial Group. At the time, he talked about a longstanding plan to retire at 60 to spend time with family. MacNeill bought the business in 2018 when the previous owner retired. This week, he said that "the business is still actively for sale" while declining to comment on the auction. Founded in 1960, the Maine Diner is a roadside landmark that has received national attention through an episode of the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" series. The eatery is located at 2265 U.S. Route 1 in Wells.

About the diner

According to the auction company, the Maine Diner sits on 3.58 acres and includes an 80-seat restaurant, a two-story gift shop and 75 parking spots. The auctioneer did not immediately return a request for comment. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, featuring signature Downeast dishes such as lobster pie and seafood chowder, complemented by seasonal produce from its on-site garden. Summer traffic generates peak volumes. With the gift shop, the business expanded the brand into retail, selling apparel, packaged goods and Maine-made products, both in-store and online. It also ships signature menu items nationwide.