PATTEN, Maine — Vona Libby is no stranger to slinging a great hamburger.
For 10 years, she operated Libby’s Mill Pond Dairy Bar in Hodgdon, a seasonal dairy bar complete with all of the fried deliciousness of hamburgers, french fries and more. In May 2017, however, she sold that business to her daughter with plans of hanging up her spatula.
“I found out retirement was not so great,” Libby said July 12. “I needed to find something to do and thought about all kinds of new ideas, but I kept going back to food. I always thought I’d like to do things like festivals, fairs and just started looking for a food cart of some sort.”
Libby and her husband, David, started looking for a mobile eatery that would fit the bill and when they found one not too far from their home in Mount Chase, they knew this business venture was meant to be.
Vona’s Lunch Wagon opened for business on July 11 with a steady stream of customers lining up during noontime. Her menu includes all the fare one would come to expect from a mobile eatery with items like: hamburgers, hot dogs, seafood, steak and cheese subs, chicken sandwiches and milkshakes. They offer three types of french fries, two types of onion rings, and also have side salads, wraps and poutine.
Serving up tasty food runs in the family as her sister Samantha Robinson has operated “The Bus” in downtown Houlton for many years.
“I really enjoy being out with the public,” Libby said. “I really missed that when I left Mill Pond. I don’t offer all of the same menu items they have in Hodgdon, as I am trying to do it in a smaller variety of items and keep it simple.”
Libby said she chose a location on Main Street in downtown Patten next to the Red Moose gift shop for its visibility.
“I’m hoping this will give not only my grandkids jobs, but also other kids in our area,” she said. “Ideally, I am trying to make it affordable for families to have an outing once in awhile for lunch or dinner without breaking the bank.”
The Lunch Wagon is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. She plans to remain open until the end of October, but weather may play a factor in that decision. To place orders by phone, call the Lunch Wagon at 521-1657 and visit them on Facebook.
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- Customers line up to order food from Vona’s Lunch Wagon in Patten on July 11. The mobile eatery is operated by Vona Libby of Mount Chase. (Joseph Cyr)
