Mike Martin and Mamie (Dugas) Martin both grew up in Gorham. Mike, on a farm in West Gorham, the second youngest of nine kids, and Mamie nearby Robie Park, the fourth of six kids. Mike remembers his family’s nineteen-acre farm with horses and cows, while Mamie remembers playing at Robie Park. She remembers the counselors that kept them busy all day, except when it rained. The kids played outdoors all day, making plaster of Paris figurines, knotting gimp into keychains or necklaces, playing ball, or spending the day at Sebago Lake. They both remember the little league games at Robie Park. It seemed to them at the time the whole town was there to watch the kids play. Mike remembered the winning team got free ice cream at Graffams on Main Street. Little did they know then that they would someday have a restaurant in that very same building.
Growing up in Gorham they went through first communion together and graduated from Gorham High School together. They lead their busy lives and did not see each other for the next 25 years. Mike was in the food industry and Mamie spent time working for lawyers as a legal secretary in Gorham, Honolulu, North Carolina, and Portland. They met again at their 25th high school reunion and have been together ever since.
They have three children. Jessica Bryson lives outside of Boston and is a controller for Jumpstart, a national non-profit. Philip Bryson lives in Yarmouth with his wife and two daughters and works for KES Machine as a field service engineer. Michael Martin lives in New Hampshire with his wife, two sons, and one daughter. He works in the Admissions Office at UNE.
Mike and Mamie are the owners of Ocean Gardens Restaurant which happens to be located in the former Graffams Restaurant building where they would get free ice cream after winning little league games. They have renamed the restaurant 309 Main Street to let people know they are more than a seafood restaurant. Ocean Gardens was known for its seafood under the previous owner. They still have fresh seafood, haddock, lobster, and scallops, that are never frozen as Mike was quick to point out, but they sell more beef, prime rib, and rib eye.
“If you want to have good food you come here. We have a family menu that includes, burgers, wings, honey-baked haddock, lamb chops, pasta dishes, and more. We also have a tavern section with the least expensive and coldest beer in town,” Mike said. Mike and Mamie are hands-on owners and have a staff that has been with them for a while. If you want to support a local business give 390 Main Street a try.
Mike and Mamie enjoy what they do and have a local following that enjoys the restaurant and food. They wanted to make sure the community knew how much they appreciated their support during COVID-19 They said they would not have survived without curbside takeout during COVID.
They also said they learned a lesson during COVID, “You can do less and still be happy.” Before COVID they were open seven days a week, they are now closed on Monday and Tuesday.