J. J. REVERE
P.0. BOX #2279 HO HUM COTTAGE OGUNQUIT, MAINE 03907
Mayday 2007
Dear Friends,
In the summer of 1979 I owned a weekend condo at "The Lookout". I would drive up from Connecticut to spend time in Ogunquit. I had always loved piano bars when I lived in Manhattan and looked forward to my time spent in Ogunquit where there was a piano bar know as "Valeries". It was a "straight" place, but the owner, "Tiggie", always made the gays feel welcome. We would gather around the piano after dinner to sing-a-long but had to be careful not to touch each other. If you put your arm on a friend's shoulder Darling Tiggie would say, "Don't touch Doll, don't touch". Having come of age in an era where society forced you to hide your sexual orientation, I longed to see a time and place where I and others could be comfortable in our own skin. My longing became reality when I opened the doors of "The Front Porch" in the spring of 1980.
Music, Laughter, Cocktails, Good Food, and above all Camaraderie were to become the "Signature" of "The Front Porch". I never catered exclusively to the gay community, but was very careful to bill it as a place where everyone is welcome. To this day, that environment remains. To my great pleasure, over the years multitude of lasting friendships between "Straights" and "Gays" were formed around the piano at "The Front Porch". It was no longer a matter of "Tolerance" it evolved into a place of "Acceptance".
When I retired in 1995, I passed the baton to Andy who had been with me since the day we opened the doors. I had always considered him to be the best bartender and manager in Ogunquit and trusted him to continue the tradition. Last year he decided to move on and passed the baton on to Wayne.
"Woody" has given the place a long overdue face-lift. He has a great eye for design, wonderful people skills, a huge reservoir of talent and energy, and is pleasing to the eye. The renovations and expansion of the dining room are "Spectacular". I like to say that, musically speaking, he has created a very new variation on a very old theme. I am confident that this all creates a fool proof formula for "SUCCESS".
I hope to see you all from time to time at "The Front Porch" as the 28th Season unfolds, and I remain a "Very Happy Old Party".
Jon "Mother" Revere