The prospect of running a bed-and-breakfast in coastal Maine is so dreamy. The blue waters. The scones. The awkward morning chats about scones. Well, everything but the awkward chats. But let us dream.
Now, a visionary buyer can realize those first-meal fantasies by the bay. The Youngtown Inn & Restaurant in Lincolnville, ME, recently went on the market for $1.4 million.
With nine bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, the white clapboard-farmhouse also includes a dining room that can seat up to 70. It was the area's first fine-dining restaurant, coaxed along by co-owners MaryAnn and Manuel Mercier (a chef from Paris), who snapped up the inn in 1991.
Oozing with historical charm -- the 8,200-square-foot property dates to 1810 -- there's a Vermont Castings wood-burning stove, multipaned windows throughout, and leather-bound books in the parlor. All of the inn's guest rooms are on the second and third floors.
The inn's located on a 5-acre country lot in Lincolnville, next to the touristy town of Camden. "Camden is what we call the jewel of the Maine coast," explains listing agent John Burgess with Camden Hills Realty. Camden has a lovely harbor, adorable restaurants and shops, and Camden Hills State Park, he adds.
The owners -- who gave up a life in New York City (MaryAnn worked on Wall Street) to pursue a dream of owning and managing a B&B, and raised their children in a residence attached to the inn -- are retiring, says Burgess.
"They took the plunge and have been at it for 25 years," he says. "It served their purpose and their family well."
All a buyer needs to do is continue that legacy. The restaurant, which serves dishes including escargots de Bourgogne and Long Island duck in a port sauce, inspired by Manuel's French heritage, is a huge draw particularly during high season in July and August when local folks don't want to compete with tourists for tables in Camden.
Who might be the ideal buyer? "It's going to have to be somebody who has some food experience," says Burgess. The Youngtown Inn is unique in that it offers a restaurant in addition to overnight accommodations, a rarity on the Maine market.
Burgess adds, "There's a bit of a generational change going on right now" with many B&B owners retiring. The path is being set for the next generation of dreamers to follow their breakfast-based bliss.