Iconic Biddeford bar closing after almost three decades in business

When he bought a building in downtown Biddeford in 1997, and opened Mulligan’s bar and restaurant, the late George Sharkey likely had no idea it was the beginning of an iconic downtown landmark.

Now, almost 30 years later, the business is being shuttered and the building is on the market.

Jake DeLois and his father, who purchased Mulligans in November 2017, after Sharkey’s death, have been carrying on the late owner’s tradition of offering good food at great prices at 23 Lincoln St., but that’s coming to an end Sunday, May 31.

But Mulligan’s will go out with a bang, said DeLois. A “big sendoff” will include a potluck, to which all are welcome, with music by a DJ.

Back in the day, there was nothing on Sharkey’s menu that was over $4.99, including Mulligan’s famous prime rib, DeLois said.

“A good date was $20,” DeLois said. “You could get two meals, two drinks and a tip for $20. The owners understood that the business made money at the bar and wanted to give people a break on the food.”

“That model went out the window during the pandemic,” he said. “A lot say it’s an excuse, but the reality is, between 1997 and 2017, the minimum wage for servers didn’t change. You could charge $4.99, but because of inflation, gas, utilities, food, workers demand higher wages. They can’t work in places that charge only $4.99 for a burger.”

Just the cost to heat the building alone was definitely a factor in the decision to close.

“It’s impossible to keep prices from George's day,” said DeLois.

When asked what the closure means for downtown Biddeford, Alex MacPhail, executive director of the Biddeford + Saco Chamber of Commerce + Industry, said, “I think it’s a loss of an icon. There are businesses and longtime businesses. It was huge, with youth from UNE and families; it was economic as much as historic. It’s definitely a big loss on a heart scale.”

Other factors may have played a part, MacPhail said, including saturation from other venues, the loss of free parking and a new parking garage across the street where guests have to pay to park.

MacPhail said he and his wife, Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail, dined at Mulligan’s two to three times a month for years, he said.

“Birthdays, family celebrations – it was a go-to place. Truly like Cheers, where everyone knows your name,” he said.

The announcement that Mulligan’s will shutter comes about six months after Adams Street Pub, another popular downtown Biddeford bar, closed. It’s still vacant.

MacPhail doesn’t know the exact vacancy rate in the downtown area, but said “it’s smaller than a year ago, but not where it should be.”

Will it be hard to find tenants to fill those spaces?

MacPhail said right now the current market is tough.

However, “There is a renaissance on upper Main,” he added. “In some ways it’s different than lower Main Street.”

There’s been a lot of interest in buying the building, DeLois said. “It’s a great location in an old historic building, but it is too big for what we were trying to do.”

There are just around 10 people who still work at Mulligan’s, but DeLois said most of them have found employment elsewhere. The summer season is about to get started, and “luckily they're not doing this in January,” he said.

“We can’t afford to stay open and should have closed four years ago, but we didn’t close because we loved this place so much, the workers and the guests. The reality is the cost of goods; when the dust settled it was more expensive and we lost money every year,” said DeLois.

“This wasn't an easy decision for us. We kept thinking we could turn it around and figure it out,” he said. “It represents the old Biddeford. In a way that's really sad.”

“This is a very special place.”

Ann Fisher is a freelance journalist based in Southern Maine. She can be reached at 432-7483.