| |||
Summertime in the BelgradesContentsfor Printing Article Summaries |
The Gin Mill Is an Awesome Addition to Downtown Augusta
A stairway up from Augusta's popular Riverfront Barbeque & Grille, The Gin Mill, which opened this year in February, provides a unique niche for drinking, dining, and entertainment. It is open from 3 p.m. to midnight, Thursday through Saturday and, although it offers its own full menu, the food is the same as the delicious barbecue fare downstairs "with a twist." "Very well received," describes owner Patrick Quigg of his new venture. A familiar figure and gracious host to dining guests at the Riverfront, Patrick now is "trying to run between both venues." How does he do it? "I have great staff," he says. 
Expanding upstairs took almost a year to accomplish. Patrick, who has owned the building for ten years says the purchase was a calculated risk, but he also readily cites the many positives that are going on in downtown Augusta. A proactive mayor and council, an historic walk in place, signs to direct people to the waterfront are just a few. There's also to his advantage easy, ample parking any night of the week. The Gin Mill, which gets its name from the term used for a high-class drinking establishment (frequented by mobsters and politicians) during Prohibition, did not exist on the premises historically, but interestingly a speakeasy did. Located down cellar, it was accessed by a hidden staircase under a trap door. (Rumor has it that this was not the only speakeasy in downtown Augusta.) The new Gin Mill "drinking establishment" has no secret entrance or agenda. It features fine wines, "martinis," and over 100 brands of beer from Germany to Japan. Every Saturday there is atmosphere entertainment, usually acoustic, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., with plans to add more live entertainment as the season heads into fall. The entire facility can be rented Sunday through Wednesday for specialty shows and private parties. And, the great Riverfront Catering is available to the renters. Because of The Gin Mill, Patrick is shifting his catering business more toward big jobs for location catering. How big? 1500 in October, for example, he points out, when he will cater the October Festival, open to the public, at Cellardoor Vineyard in Lincolnville. What is highly popular with eat-at-home party planners is Riverfront's Bulk Take Out, featuring pulled pork, ribs, chicken, cornbread and other great specialties. (Call Seth Carlson Brings Wall Street to Oakland
Personal service, face-to-face, integrity: these are qualities that Seth Carlson brings to his position as Financial Advisor at Edward Jones in Oakland. "It's the old-fashioned way," Seth explains. The Edward Jones philosophy is one broker, one office, with more than 8,000 branches in all 50 states. Born, raised, and a resident in Winslow where "everyone knows everyone," Seth is right at home in Oakland where he enjoys the friendliness and the close business community. Before working for Edward Jones, Seth was in the Air Force for eleven years, serving in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. He chose financial advising because it's a good fit. "I love people," he states. "I have a way of explaining what I do. I bring it to their terms. Everybody has a little niche. Mine is making sure people have enough money to retire, when they retire." Oakland is Seth's second assignment. He trained in Belfast with his toughest competitor — his brother. In the beginning he knocked on doors. Here he knows a lot of people he went to school with. Winslow, Waterville, Oakland have a strong connection for residents and for vacationers, which means a great diversity of clients. In regard to investing, Seth is very positive. There are new options, new products for investors, Seth points out, and with Edward Jones there's a lot of personal attention. "We sit down with our clients once a year and call four times a year," he says. Located at 54 Main Street in Oakland, Seth Carlson, the "new guy in the Edward Jones office" can be reached at | ||