The Spartan Grill, a Greek specialty food cart on Monument Square for the past three years, sets up shop in the Public Market House

PORTLAND, MAINE

The Public Market House on Monument Square is adding a new vendor as the Spartan Grill, a Greek Specialty food cart on Monument Square for the past three years, is moving inside.

Mike Roylos, owner of Spartan Grill, is excited with this development. “I’ve wanted to move in to the Market House as soon as I heard they would be moving to the square during the Summer of 2006.”

The Public Market House was formed by vendors from the old Portland Public Market who conducted a much-publicized search for a new space in 2006 that ultimately concluded with four vendors moving in to the old Surplus Store on Monument Square. Of the four vendors, K. Horton Specialty Foods, Big Sky Bread Co. and Maine Beer & Beverage Co. remain while A Country Bouquet, the market’s florist, closed last November upon the retirement of its owner.

Even though the remaining vendors were sad over the loss of A Country Bouquet, it opened up the possibility of Spartan Grill moving in. “We are all about moving forward,” said Kris Horton, owner of K. Horton’s Specialty Foods. “It is very exciting to have another local food vendor in the Market House, serving great Greek food like gyro, lamb, Moussaka, falafel and even breakfast foods. It’s a nice compliment to Big Sky’s sandwiches on their homemade bread and my wraps and bagels using local smoked seafood and the best cheese selection in Northern New England. But even more importantly, it’s incubating a new business and allowing Spartan Grill to grow, which is part of our public market philosophy.”

Along with the vendors in the Market House, in 2007 over 30 small business people rented day tables to sell goods that they grew, made or produced themselves on Monument Square through a license agreement with the City of Portland.

Also last year, a half dozen local businesses rented the community kitchen located in the lower level of the Market House, a licensed and equipped commercial kitchen designed to help small business start ups. “A true public market is all about sharing resources with small, local businesses to help them grow and reach their potential,” Horton said. “We had a good start in 2007, and we feel Spartan Grill’s involvement with us as just the first step in what we hope will be a great 2008, building on what we started.”