Bucksport bistro focuses on community while raising funds for those in need

Verona Wine and Bistro in downtown Bucksport is raising funds to help local nonprofits provide food, heat, housing, vehicle and appliance repair to those in need this holiday season. Photo by Emily Baer.

By Emily Baer

Some say you must try the mussels, others the tiramisu. Or the French onion soup or the shepherd’s pie. But what if one of the best things on the menu at Verona Wine & Bistro isn’t something you can order?

For as much as Chef Kelley Barrett is growing her restaurant, she is also building a community– one that prioritizes comfort, creativity and collaboration.

“We’re infusing our schedule with more community building events,” Barrett said. “Group activities that are open to the public and allow for conversation and relaxation.” 

On Dec. 13, the bistro is hosting an outdoor Courtyard Christmas Market from 10 am to 3 pm to showcase local artisans and crafters. The event coincides with activities surrounding the Bucksport Parade of Lights and various other fairs and fundraisers taking place in town that day.

Like many events at the bistro, the pop-up is an experiment. With a small patio, including a covered tent and heat lamps, this year’s inaugural effort will be small but festive.

“We’re thinking that we will probably have five or six vendors,” says Nancy Hughes-Delprete, who works at the bistro and who originally dreamed up the winter market idea.

“People can come in while they’re in town shopping or for the parade, to get something warm to drink or pick up a stocking stuffer,” she said. “It’s nice to have places to hop in and out of while you’re downtown.”

While the final group of vendors hasn’t been finalized, Hughes-Delprete anticipates a wide variety of offerings–everything from customized flannel jackets to 3D printed ornaments.

More than anything though, she and Barrett are hoping to create a warm and lively environment where folks can gather.

“We want people to come in and enjoy themselves,” says Hughes-Delprete. “It’s about community.”

Barrett welcomes collaboration on events and has hosted everything from Sip N’ Stitches to a pop-up sci-fi/fantasy book fair. But her intentions for serving her community go beyond simply creating a comfortable space. 

“I recently started the Warm Hearts Fund,” Barett said. “When it hits $500, the money will get donated to a local nonprofit helping our neighbors with food, heat, housing, vehicle and appliance repair, and so on.”

The fund’s first $500 will be donated to H.O.M.E Inc, in Orland, with future donations going to the Downeast Woodbank and the Bucksport Community Concerns Food Pantry.

So far, the response to the fund–and the community-building events–has been robust. Barrett said she plans to continue expanding what she offers at the restaurant and doing everything she can to support her community.

“It's a real blessing to be surrounded by good humans all the time,” Barrett said.