Legacy Sandwich in Bangor avoids closure

A longtime sandwich shop in Bangor has avoided closing after new business partners stepped forward to keep it alive.

The Legacy Sandwich was scheduled to close Sept. 30 but local residents Robert Kearns and Christy Spencer stepped in to stop the closure. Kearns and Spencer are leasing the space and Legacy name to keep the sandwich shop operating.

They answered Diane Bernosky’s prayers, the owner said in a Facebook post on Monday, a week before the closure was scheduled.

The shop at 163 State St. serves sandwiches, soups and desserts, including Bangor’s iconic “coffee pot” sandwich. It’s inspired by sandwiches served for decades at the Coffee Pot, a lunch spot that originated the sandwich.

The sandwich features, in this specific order, chopped white onion in a sub roll, chopped green pepper, red pepper flakes, oil, slices of tomato, cheese and meat, topped with slices of dill pickle.

Legacy Sandwich will have the same menu and Bernosky will work three days a week and train Kearns and Spencer so everything is “just right,” Kearns said on Facebook.

Staffing troubles, increased costs of doing business and the pandemic closure lead Bernosky to decide to close Legacy’s doors. Kearns and Spencer will face those same challenges, so they need the community’s support to make it work, Bernosky’s Facebook post said.

Legacy will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.