Good day to All!
I thought last week was busy, it was nothing compared to this week! I'd go into detail about what I've been doing, but it would look like a list of tasks for someone that has lost their mind. Let's just leave it at,
the China Dine-ah Too will be opening at 11 am on Monday June 24th,a date that I set 8 months ago. WE DID IT! Or maybe I should say, we are going to do it.
The contractors are 99.9% complete with the exception of the striping of the parking lot, which is scheduled for this Saturday at 10 am. You all have been amazing to work with and next week I will make an attempt to list each of you with your specific role in the project.
Our first food delivery is coming tomorrow morning, with all equipment tested and running. I have my occupancy permit from Scott Pierce (China Codes Officer) and I will tell you he has been a tremendous help throughout the project. The thing that I realize is that Scott does not set the codes, but rather he is charged to enforce them. I have a sign off from my third party inspector, Richard Dolby. Dick has also been a huge help in moving these projects along. We have passed our State of Maine Health food inspection and we have our license. We have received our approval from the Maine Drinking Water Program as a public water supply. To receive any one of these licenses or permits requires a tremendous amount of attention to details, as it relates to each specific item. Each and every one of these regulations has the safety of you, the consumer, in mind.
We will be doing a practice run Sunday from 5 to 7 pm for all of the contractors who worked on the building. So if you see the parking lot full of cars, please resist the temptation to pull in, for as I said, this is a "practice run" so that on Monday, everything will be just right for you!
I would like to thank everyone who who has been involved in the building of the China Dine-ah Too. Because I'm late on getting this newsletter out, I will not list all of the contractors, however I do want to mention one person who has been there the entire project. Harry Langis is my full time building and maintenance supervisor, maintaining the several properties, that I currently own. For the past year, Harry has been working almost every day, performing 95% of all the carpentry work in our new facility. He has also helped answer questions from the 15+ sub contractors that have been on site throughout the project and whenever they needed something, Harry was there to provide it for them. Thank you Harry, from the bottom of my heart, for all the effort and great work, that you have put into this project. Your name is all over the China Dine-ah Too from the finish work inside to all the structural upgrades that no one will ever see, other than the inspectors during their periodic inspections. Come Sunday night, you and I will have a tall vodka and cranberry and toast a job well done!
We have a very loyal and faithful following, but this past week, I met Fred Sawyer at the Dine-ah on Father's Day. He writes in often from the newsletter and informed me that he brings his family in on Father's Day each year.
The remarkable part is that they all live in the Windham area and make the 70+/- mile trip each year. Thank you Fred for choosing the China Dine-ah for your special day and thanks to the entire family for making the trip and for supporting a small locally owned business.
Fred Sawyer (third in on the right) & family from Windham celebrating Father's Day
Also thanks to all of you, our loyal customers and followers for the past 5 1/2 years and we look forward to giving you all another dining option during the summer season, as we service and attempt to educate the many travelers headed Downeast, that have no idea that the China Dine-ah exists.
I hope to see you all at either of our establishments and I apologize for the lateness of the newsletter this week. I try to get it out to you by 4 o'clock each Thursday afternoon.
Norm
