Portland Lobster Co

What Portland Lobster Co does

Portland Lobster Company is a privately held, seasonal waterfront seafood restaurant and e-commerce operator headquartered at 180 Commercial Street in Portland, Maine's Old Port district. The restaurant serves a full menu of fresh Maine seafood — including lobster rolls, steamed lobster dinners, clam chowder, crab cakes, steamers, fish and chips, fried clams, and steamed mussels — alongside local beers and wines, and operates daily from 11AM to 10PM during its season. Lobsters are sourced directly from the company's own pound on Bailey Island, Maine, providing vertical integration on its core ingredient. The restaurant's outdoor deck and dock overlook Portland Harbor and host nightly live music performances featuring rotating local and regional entertainers, an offering that has won it "Best Music Venue" recognition in Portland.

Beyond the physical restaurant, the company runs a Shopify-powered e-commerce operation (shop.portlandlobstercompany.com) that ships live Maine lobsters directly to consumers nationwide in three tiered packages — the Duo Delight ($40, two lobsters), Family Feast ($75, four lobsters), and Downeast Feast ($100, six lobsters) — available in 1 lb, 1.25 lb, and 1.5 lb sizes. The same Shopify storefront also carries a branded merchandise line that includes men's and women's T-shirts ($20+), a lightweight pullover hoodie ($45), trucker and bucket hats ($25–$35), plus novelty items (stickers, keychain/bottle openers, collapsible dog bowls, bandanas), and a growing FLYN "Sid the Seagull" character merchandise sub-line. Gift cards are sold through a third-party SwipeIT platform in denominations from $25 to $500.

The company serves three distinct customer segments: tourists and visitors to Portland's Old Port (its primary segment), local Portland-area residents, and remote nationwide e-commerce customers purchasing live lobsters or merchandise. Its go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer across both physical and digital channels, with online ordering for takeout via Toasttab. The business is independently owned with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or funding rounds, and is operating at a single physical location, accepting employment applications from May through October to support seasonal operations.

Name

Portland Lobster Co

Legal name

Portland Lobster Company

Website

https://portlandlobstercompany.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Portland Lobster Company is a privately held, seasonal waterfront seafood restaurant and bar at 180 Commercial Street in Portland, Maine's Old Port district, serving tourists and locals with fresh Maine seafood, live music, and harbor views, while also shipping live lobsters and branded merchandise nationwide via e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant

NAICS

Fish and Seafood Retailers (44525), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (424460)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Live Seafood & Tank-Based Distribution Wholesale (AFAIADAI)

Keywords

• Waterfront seafood restaurant
• Live lobster shipping
• Maine seafood dining
• Lobster roll restaurant
• Seasonal restaurant

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in and Takeout Restaurant: Traditional restaurant revenue from dine-in meals and takeout orders featuring fresh Maine seafood including lobster rolls, lobster dinners, clam chowder, fish & chips, and other seafood items.
2. Live Lobster Shipping: E-commerce sales of live Maine lobsters shipped directly to consumers nationwide. Products include Duo Delight (2 lobsters), Family Feast (4 lobsters), and Downeast Feast (6 lobsters).
3. Gift Cards: Gift cards sold through SwipeIT platform in denominations from $25 to $500.
4. Merchandise and Apparel: Branded merchandise including apparel (t-shirts, hoodies), hats, accessories, and novelty items sold through Shopify store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Portland Lobster Company runs a seasonal, full-service waterfront seafood restaurant on Commercial Street in Portland, Maine's Old Port (May–October), serving lobster rolls, lobster bakes, chowder, and related seafood fare alongside live music. It complements the restaurant with a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store shipping live Maine lobsters to the lower 48 states, branded apparel (T-shirts, hoodies, hats, tanks, shirts), souvenirs (stickers, keychains, lobster-themed dog items), and gift cards, with live lobsters sourced from its own Bailey Island, ME lobster pound.

Product overview

Portland Lobster Company operates as a single-location waterfront seafood restaurant and e-commerce business in Portland, Maine's Old Port. The core offering is its restaurant services at 180 Commercial Street, featuring fresh Maine seafood including lobster dinners, lobster rolls (claimed as Maine's Best), clam chowder, crab cakes, steamers, fish and chips, and fried clams, complemented by local beers and wine. The business extends to an e-commerce operation powered by Shopify selling live Maine lobsters shipped directly from their pound on Bailey Island in three package sizes: The "Duo Delight" (2 lobsters), The "Family Feast" (4 lobsters), and The "Downeast Feast" (6 lobsters). Additionally, the company sells branded merchandise including apparel (men's and women's T-shirts, retro shirts, PLC seal shirts, hoodies, FLYN "Sid the Seagull" branded hats and beanies) and novelty items (stickers, keychains, dog bowls, bandanas). Gift cards are available through a third-party SwipeIT platform. The company also offers live music entertainment with regular performances on its outdoor deck, featuring rotating local and regional musicians.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waterfront seafood restaurant service Full-service, family- and pet-friendly seasonal seafood restaurant on the Old Port waterfront at 180 Commercial St., Portland, Maine, offering dine-in seating, takeout, and live music for tourists, locals, and families.
• First Taste live lobster shipping package Entry-tier bundled live Maine lobster package sold online and shipped within Maine, sourced from the company's own Bailey Island lobster pound, targeted at consumers wanting an introductory live lobster shipment.
• Lobster Lovers live lobster shipping package Mid-tier bundled live Maine lobster package sold online and shipped within Maine for consumers seeking a larger quantity of live lobsters than the First Taste package.
• The Whole Maine Experience live lobster shipping package Top-tier bundled live Maine lobster package sold online and shipped within Maine, designed as a comprehensive Maine lobster experience for gift or personal consumption.
• Portland Lobster Co. Unisex Tee Branded unisex T-shirt carrying the Portland Lobster Company identity, sold online as part of the company's apparel line for tourists and brand fans.
• Lobster Bisque Unisex Hoodie Branded unisex hoodie carrying the 'Lobster Bisque' design, sold online as part of the company's apparel line for tourists and brand fans.
• Lobster T-Shirt Branded lobster-themed T-shirt sold online as part of the company's apparel line, targeting Portland visitors and lobster-themed gift purchasers.
• Portland Lobster Co. Hat Branded baseball-style hat sold online as part of the company's apparel line, targeting Portland visitors and lobster-themed gift purchasers.
• Portland Lobster Co. Tank Tops Branded tank tops sold online as part of the company's apparel line, suitable for summer Portland visits.
• Portland Lobster Co. shirts Additional branded shirt offerings sold online as part of the company's apparel line beyond the named Lobster T-Shirt and Unisex Tee.
• Portland Lobster Co. Sticker Branded sticker sold online as a low-cost souvenir or gift top-up item.
• Maine Lobster Keychain Maine-themed lobster keychain sold online as a small souvenir item for Portland tourists.
• Lobster Dog Bowl Lobster-themed dog bowl sold online to extend the brand into pet-owner gift purchases, consistent with the restaurant's pet-friendly positioning.
• Bow Tie Bandana Lobster-themed bow tie bandana sold online for dogs, extending the brand into pet merchandise consistent with the restaurant's pet-friendly positioning.
• Portland Lobster Company gift card Digital gift card sold online for use at Portland Lobster Company, suitable for out-of-town gifting and tourist purchases.
• Live music entertainment On-site live music programming running alongside the restaurant's seasonal waterfront dining experience, recognized by Best of Portland in 2020.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named Best Music Venue, Best Patio/Outdoor Bar, Best Waterfront Dining, and Best Lobster Roll in Portland

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering the company's online store for merchandise and live lobster shipping. Provides the technical infrastructure for processing online orders and payments.
• ToasttabcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline ordering platform used for takeout and delivery orders. Customers can order directly through Toasttab at order.toasttab.com/online/portland-lobster-company-portland-maine

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• J's Oyster: Iconic Portland, Maine waterfront oyster and seafood bar on Commercial Street. Competes for the same Old Port tourist and local seafood dining occasions as Portland Lobster Company.
• Eventide Oyster Co. Highly-rated seafood restaurant in Portland, Maine with strong national brand recognition. Competes directly with PLC for Portland seafood diners and tourist traffic in the Old Port area.
• Maine Lobster Now: Largest direct-to-consumer live lobster shipper in Maine, offering nationwide shipping of live lobsters and seafood. Direct competitor for PLC's Shopify-driven e-commerce lobster shipping business.
• Lobster Anywhere: Online retailer shipping live Maine lobsters and seafood directly to consumers nationwide. Comparable e-commerce business competing in the same DTC live lobster shipping category as PLC.
• Red's Eats: Legendary Maine lobster roll stand in Wiscasset. Famous for its lobster roll - comparable product offering and Maine lobster tourism positioning to Portland Lobster Company.
• Gilbert's Chowder House: Long-standing Portland, Maine seafood restaurant on the waterfront. Direct competitor for casual seafood dining and tourist traffic in the Old Port district.
• The Pearl (Portland, ME): Portland waterfront dining establishment offering seafood and oyster bar service. Direct competitor for Portland's seafood dining and waterfront dining tourist spend.
• Diamond's Edge Restaurant: Waterfront seafood restaurant in Portland, Maine. Comparable venue offering seafood dining with harbor views competing for the same Commercial Street tourist market.

Broad incumbents

• Luke's Lobster: Multi-location Maine-based seafood restaurant chain and wholesale lobster supplier with own processing. Broader scale and footprint compete with PLC's lobster roll and live lobster e-commerce offerings.

Regional players

• Saltwater Grille: Waterfront seafood restaurant in South Portland, Maine. Comparable oceanside seafood dining experience but located slightly outside the Old Port tourist zone.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnkRln9vHUwZx6T6G_K-Qng
• Facebookfacebook.com/PortlandLobsterCompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/portlandlobstercompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/portland-lobster-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Portland Lobster Co