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March 25, 2010 Bangorbiz

Second sale a success for Bear Brew pub

By The Mainebiz News Staff

Nearly two months after one sale fell through, the Bear Brew Pub in Orono has officially changed hands. The pub, a hotspot for University of Maine students, is now owned by Bar Harbor businessman Jim Bence.

Bence, proprietor of Stillwater Brewing Co. and owner of CJ's Big Dipper ice cream shop in Bar Harbor, bought the Main Street bar earlier this month, according to The Maine Campus. Previous owner Matt Haskell had announced in January that the first-floor restaurant portion of the brewery would be sold to Tom Hashey of Orono. But that deal was never finalized, and Haskell told the paper he lost thousands of dollars on licenses, attorney and engineering fees needed to turn the building into two separate businesses.

New owner Bence approached Haskell about buying the Bear Brew after the first sale evaporated. Though Bence plans to preserve the brewpub's name and ambiance, he is making some changes. He plans to add a bakery as well as an in-house brewing operation by fall, which will offer at least two Stillwater Brewing microbrews. Bence has begun renovations on the property and is hoping to open the revamped space by April 15.

Haskell is planning to open a restaurant in Bar Harbor called Finback Alehouse on May 1, according to The Maine Campus.

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