Yarmouth Heritage Brewing Company employees are used to recognizing customers and remembering their orders. But thanks to The Cat, that changed recently.
When the Yarmouth-Maine ferry service resumed after four years on May 19, it brought more money and new faces to local businesses.
“For the first time, we don’t know these people,” said Gabrielle Hurlburt, CEO of Heritage Brewing.
“We’re seeing people from all over. We’ve had people from Australia and Germany and … a lot of people from Maine.”
Gabrielle Hurlburt is the CEO of Heritage Brewing Co. (Robert Guertin / CBC)
They’re often family vacations, he said, and summer vacations haven’t even started for schoolchildren.
The ferry did not sail in 2019 because the Bar Harbor, Maine terminal was being renovated. The last two years have been lost due to pandemic restrictions.
The cat is shown approaching Yarmouth. (Brett Ruskin / CBC)
The ferry can hold 866 passengers and 200 cars.
Hurlburt said many local businesses hung posters expressing their joy at seeing tourists and having a full opening hours.
“I really think it’s had a significant effect on everyone,” he said. “I’m a little nervous …. If it’s already like that and we haven’t even reached our peak moments, I’m sure I’m really looking forward to it.”
The ferry began its full summer program on June 23rd. Susanne Giebels, who runs two local hotels, hopes to have plenty of reservations.
“I feel like we’re already in high season,” Giebels said.
Susanne Giebels is ready to receive guests from all over the world. (CBC)
“July, August and September look very promising. There are a lot of guests. They decide at the last minute the boat where they are staying,” Giebels said.
He said weekends at the Lakelawn B&B Motel and NovaStar Motel On The Lake are already booked at 70% from July to October for family reunions, birthdays and other events.
It started a week after the ferry left.
“I wake up in the morning and I see reservations already at seven in the morning that were made at five in the evening,” he said.
Now he sees American and national guests arrive to spend the night, tour the city, and then return to the ferry.
Hannah Rhyno-Milot, co-owner of Gaia Global Kitchen in Yarmouth with her husband, said the ferry has seen a 50% increase in customers on days she is in town.
To prepare for the coming months, the restaurant has added a breakfast menu, opened its patio and extended its opening hours. New staff is being added.
“Everyone is excited about it. It’s what we’ve been waiting for for the last two years,” Rhyno-Milot said.