MARS HILL, Maine — The Rusty Crab, a popular seafood and burger shack on Route 1 in Mars Hill, has burned down and is a total loss, according to its owner Rusty Johnston.
Johnston said he received a call from the local fire department at around 1:30 a.m. Monday telling him that his business was on fire. By the time he had arrived on the scene, firefighters had extinguished the blaze, but it was too late for the restaurant to be salvaged.
“It was a complete loss,” Johnston said. “The fire marshal is investigating it now and we should know more after that, but unfortunately we had no fire insurance.” The cause of the fire was still unknown Monday evening.
While fans of the crab shack, which also serves whole claims, haddock nuggets and lobster rolls, may despair at the loss of the Route 1 landmark, Johnston says there are already plans to revive the Rusty Crab. He said he is closing on purchasing property on a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Mars Hill, with plans for it to be completed by winter and serve food year round. He is also looking into a way to build a new stand in the meantime.
“[We] want our customers to know this setback won’t slow us down,” Johnston said. “The restaurant is still a go.”
