Retro diner to open in Bucksport

From a part-time bakery opened four years ago, Sweet Cheeks sets its sights on sit-down table service with a 1950s theme

A local resident brought in this vintage gas pump for the decor at Sweet Cheeks Diner, opening Oct. 7. Photo by Jenna Lookner.

By Jenna Lookner

BUCKSPORT — A new Bucksport diner with a 1950s motif opens early in the  morning on Tuesday, Oct. 7, the latest expansion of a successful local bakery empire that started only four years ago.

Created by the owners of the popular Sweet Cheeks Bakery on Verona Island, the new Sweet Cheeks Diner in Bucksport will open its doors at 6 am.

The diner embodies the spirit of the 1950s, with an authentic jukebox, vintage advertising signs, a period gas pump and more. It is housed in the long, blue building that was most recently occupied by the family restaurant Glenn’s Place. 

Sweet Cheeks owner Jonathan Beal said he has seen no end to the creativity and excitement around his four-year-old bakery business, which began as a part-time store on Verona Island in 2021. Now, in addition to their Verona Island flagship location and the new Bucksport diner, Sweet Cheeks has an Ellsworth storefront as well as 24-hour vending machines in Holden, Newport, Ellsworth and Verona Island. 

The diner marks a segue into sitdown service for the business. 

“From when we opened on Verona we really wanted a place for people to sit down and enjoy their food,” Beal said. 

In June of this year he decided to take the plunge when Glenn’s Place became available. 

“It has always been a dream,” Beal said of opening a 1950s themed diner. 

The new diner is Sweet Cheeks first foray into sit-down service. Photo by Jenna Lookner.

The diner will be open six days a week—Tuesday through Sunday—from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., with breakfast, lunch, dinner and a full bar featuring specialty cocktails of the period with such names as Pink Poodle, Blue Hawaiian and Cherry Bomb alongside other favorite libations, including draft and bottled beer.

Beal said he eschewed the idea of a “soft” opening, opting instead to launch with a full day of service— including their first Taco Trivia Tuesday. 

“The thing is that you might as well do it,” Beal said. “You don’t know what you can or can’t do unless you jump right in.” 

Beal said he has hired a fully new team for the diner, including a bar manager and several chefs. Beal’s partner, Mike Roy, will head the culinary team. 

The menu includes local favorites as well as classic diner specialties, blending quality ingredients and approachable pricing. Beal said that a double smash burger on a brioche bun with sides is $13. 

Naturally, the diner will feature a small selection of Sweet Cheeks baked goods for purchase. 

Diners can expect a range of favorites including seafood rolls, fried delicacies, and more. The diner will also feature a full salad bar in keeping with its retro theme. 

“We’re big on breakfast,” Beal said. He said they will have items including their Irish eggs benedict, biscuits with sausage gravy, corned beef hash, and their locally famous breakfast burritos. 

Emerging from the kitchen where he was preparing dishes for staff to sample, Roy said he is “nervous as hell, but excited, too.”

Beal said that a number of items are gluten-free and the diner will have a dedicated no-gluten fryolator to prevent cross-contamination. Like the decor of the diner, attention to detail is evident in each part of Beal’s vintage vision. 

“We really want people to be transported as best as we can,” he said. 

During the Saturday morning interview with The Rising Tide, Beal prepared for the arrival of the new staff for an orientation day. He said that his previous background in healthcare administration combined with working for Friendly’s in his twenties opening restaurants nationwide has equipped him with valuable skills as a business owner. 

“It’s almost like things have come full circle,” he said as he organized staff uniforms and paperwork. 

Jonathan Beal, co-owner of Sweet Cheeks Diner, says he aims to provide stable, year-round employment for workers. Photo by Jenna Lookner.

Staff will wear 1950s-inspired uniforms in keeping with the theme of the diner. Beal said that anyone interested in a position is welcome to inquire. 

Beal said that as word has gotten out and excitement for the diner has grown, curious locals have been stopping by to check out the progress. In addition, they are returning with ephemera and photos from the period for Beal to display. One local resident brought him a fully lighted vintage gas pump to showcase. 

Beal spoke of his dedication to his employees and the responsibility of being an employer. 

“This is so much bigger than me,” Beal said. “I want to be able to provide a stable work environment that is consistent.” 

In addition to a full menu, Tuesday’s opening will feature a small display of 1950s automobiles and a pianist playing tunes of the era during the afternoon. Beal said that dinner service will end at 8 p.m., but a light menu will be available until the bar closes at 10 p.m.

“I’m so grateful,” he said. “I am so excited about being able to see what we have created. What I will really enjoy is seeing other people enjoy it.”

Visit Sweet Cheeks online here. 

Craving a 1950s-style drink like a Pink Poodle? The new Sweet Cheeks Diner has you covered. Photo by Jenna Lookner.