A new burger joint is set to open next month in downtown Bangor, in the Main Street storefront that formerly housed Taste of India.
The restaurant, called Burgers & Bad Decisions, will be open from early in the morning through late at night, catering to first responders and families and filling a gap for a downtown area with few food options at those hours.
Owner Shianne Levesque said she wants to create a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere where people can grab something to eat before or after work, “Or if you’re with your kids and don’t feel like cooking, come on in and have something to eat as well.”
Levesque has managed other restaurants in the area and hopes to start welcoming customers into her own business in early November. She plans to open at 5 a.m. and close around midnight.
“It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a while,” she said.
Levesque used to work at the Penobscot County Jail and said she remembers how difficult it was to finish up a long shift and look for a convenient place to eat a meal.
She envisions people bringing their kids to the restaurant for breakfast before school and also plans to offer a discount to first responders, law enforcement and veterans.
Besides staples like burgers and chicken tenders, Levesque’s menu will have breakfast foods like waffles and breakfast sandwiches all day, and everything on the menu will have a vegetarian option, she said. The restaurant will also offer signature drinks, and a non-alcoholic version of each.
“The bad decisions [name] is because it’s not a completely healthy menu, and we are a bar as well,” Levesque said. “A lot of our signature drinks are sweet and sugary, and a lot of our signature burgers are very loaded with stuff.”
Burgers & Bad Decisions will quickly fill a storefront that’s been empty for just a few weeks after Taste of India closed in the last week of September after its longtime owners announced their retirement.
Levesque said she chose the space at 68 Main St. because she liked that its relatively small size makes it feel comfortable and homey. She’s installed new kitchen equipment and done some painting, but otherwise, the space didn’t need a lot of renovation.
She plans to add about a half dozen arcade games to the front of the restaurant for customers to enjoy.
Anyone under 18 will also eat free from the kids menu on Mondays, Levesque said.
“It hits personally, because I am a single mother,” she said, adding that she wants the restaurant to be a safe place for families or anyone in the community who’s struggling.
She considered keeping the restaurant open 24 hours a day but said she decided to start out by closing at midnight for now, although she plans to stay open a bit later on weekend nights. The storefront’s proximity to several local bars makes it a convenient stop for people looking to eat after a late night out, she said.
“This is a safe place for families and friends to hang out and just anybody, to be honest, whether you’re 2 years old or you’re 90 years old,” Levesque said. “I want you to feel at home.”
Source: www.bangordailynews.com
