Krista Cole, the new owner of Gather in Yarmouth, plans few changes, but says an event space could be in the restaurant’s future. Rachel Vitello / The Forecaster
A Portland restaurant owner is continuing to offer the locavore menu Gather patrons have come to expect after taking over the farm-to-table restaurant at 189 Main St. in Yarmouth.
Krista Cole said she was interested in purchasing Gather because it shared the same business values as Sur Lie, her tapas restaurant at 11 Free St. in Portland.
The new owner says the interior of Gather will be “reinvigorated,” but no major changes are planned. Rachel Vitello / The Forecaster
“I quickly realized it was very much focused on cooking with Maine ingredients and supporting local vendors and also very much ingrained in the local community,” Cole said. “The same is true for Sur Lie, so the values aligned perfectly.”
She’ll keep Gather’s name and its image as a “cozy neighborhood restaurant,” she said.
“I love the location, the beautiful space and it’s also such a different market that it hits, even though we’re not far from Sur Lie. I just fell in love with Gather and its whole concept.”
She’s “reinvigorating” the interior, but no major changes will be made in the foreseeable future. The staff will also remain the same, with no new hires or layoffs.
“Once the pandemic someday subsides, we definitely want to focus on being an event space for people as well,” Cole said.
Gather’s menu, which includes dishes such as mushroom toast, lamb sausage and pepperoni pizza, fish tacos and mussels, will generally be the same as before, although the teams at Gather and Sur Lie will begin collaborating on ideas for new dishes. Cole said she hopes to “elevate the cuisine” and make the menu more cohesive.
Prices will likely stay the same as well, she said, since Gather’s previous owner, Matt Chappell, was already using local ingredients and she plans on doing the same.
Krista Cole took ownership of the Main Street restaurant in January. Rachel Vitello / The Forecaster
Since the transfer of ownership in January, “we’ve had lots of warm reception from the community and regulars who are excited to see the next chapter for Gather and are grateful that it will continue to be a staple in the community,” Cole said. “I think lots of folks also know of Sur Lie’s reputation and are excited to see what the two teams can do.”
Chappell, who opened Gather in 2012, said he thought about selling a couple of years ago, but then the pandemic hit and it didn’t make sense to make a big transition at that point, for himself or his staff.
He put the restaurant on the market last October because he’s “ready for a new challenge,” he said.
“I would love to see (the business) carry on. That’s what was appealing about Krista, is she wanted to keep it Gather,” Chappell said. “I really hope she finds a way to make it her own. That’s one of the most important things in any business, is creative expression. I’m pleased that we share a lot of the same values and at the same time, I’m excited to see how she does it differently.”
The executive director of the local chamber of commerce praised Chappell for supporting the Yarmouth community.
“Along with having front row seats to (Yarmouth) Clam Festival and supporting numerous local initiatives, Gather has been home to our annual Spirit of Excellence event, pre-COVID years,” said Adrienne Nardi of the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce. “We wish Matt the very best and welcome Krista Cole to the neighborhood.”
Moving forward, Cole said she fully intends to be active locally, both as an individual and as a business owner.
“I’m very involved in the Portland community; I sit on a few boards of directors for local nonprofits,” Cole said. “I would like to get involved in the community and continue to support local charities, nonprofits and groups within Yarmouth and continue to provide a positive place for people to work and thrive.”
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