The new Buck’s Naked BBQ (and what it could have been)
There is a lot to love about the new Buck’s Naked BBQ. But my favorite thing is that it is not the Applebee’s that almost located in the same spot.
If you haven’t checked out the new Buck’s since they moved to the old Dexter Shoe Outlet next to old Maggies, go NOW. The parking lot’s been packed since they opened in early April and for good reason. Alex and Wendy Caisse and their team have done an incredible job creating a genuine roadhouse where the atmosphere is fun, funky and authentic. I’m not sure I’ve seen a restaurant/bar anywhere that does such a good job of balancing adult friendly and kid friendly. A waiting area bar at one end somehow coexists with the custom built kid house at the far other end. The food has always been good, especially the signature BBQ cooked in a genuine wood-fired smoker, but the new menu is expanded and has lots of options, including plenty of choices if you’re not a BBQ freak. The team is energetic and clearly enjoying their early success.
Few people know that the national chain, Applebee’s, looked hard at the same location. What an awesome victory for Freeport that Buck’s succeeded over the “largest casual dining restaurant concept in the world.” Why? Because, there is only one Buck’s Naked BBQ, and it only exists in Freeport, Maine. You can find one of nearly 2000 Applebee’s just about anywhere. Buck’s elevates Freeport. Applebee’s would have genericized us.
Let’s just hope the other chain restaurants that have been circling Freeport–like Ruby Tuesdays–also decide against locating here.
Buck’s is the latest in a growing cluster of great, locally-owned, genuine restaurants that strongly differentiate Freeport as a place and destination. We should be doing more to encourage them, including the possibility of a ban on any more chain food businesses, as Portland has done.
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[...] Cold River Vodka; an exciting array of great, authentic, locally-owned restaurants and bars (see my prior post about Bucks Naked BBQ and the restaurant sector); a terrific free summer concert series with major national acts. And there are lots of future [...]