Take a leap! Come work and live on island time this summer at Frye's Leap General Store and Cafe!
We are a popular business located on Frye Island on the beautiful waters of Sebago Lake Maine. Frye Island is a vibrant summer community of approximately 550 homes in a peaceful, rustic environment. Our establishment, Frye’s Leap General Store and Café, provides general store and restaurant services to both the residents of the community as well as people who are boating on Sebago Lake.
Sebago Lake and Frye Island are located approximately 45 minutes northwest of Portland, Maine. Within a few hours of Acadia National Park and Boston by car, and of New York City by airplane.
About Frye's Leap General Store and Cafe
Clear lake waters and starry summer nights. A place for folks to relax and unwind, and a place where almost everybody knows your name. That's life on Frye Island. And located there, about 45 minutes outside of Portland, Maine is Frye's Leap General Store and Cafe. Frye Island is an island town located on Sebago Lake in Cumberland County, Maine and is a seasonal community open from late April to early November. The General Store and Cafe were initially built in 1986 to service the residents of the island but over the years the business grew to serve not just the island residents but also boaters and vacationers on the lake. And in the process it has become a destination location for folks in the area.
Under previous ownership, overall service at the store and cafe were inconsistent at best and the business was not achieving its potential. In late 2011, new ownership (us!—Amy and Dave Wagner) acquired the business with an eye towards improving service and having the business achieve its potential. We are happy to say that it has been quite a success story and business levels have more than tripled since 2011, and we've built a remarkably loyal and satisfied customer base. We attribute this to our management philosophy which is based on promoting outstanding customer service, quality food, an outstanding selection of local craft beers, and fun for both guests and employees. For our employees, we offer a dynamic work environment where you can take on additional responsibilities commensurate with you performance. As we grow, we encourage you to grow with us!
The Employee Experience
We strive to put our employees in a position to succeed and to provide a respectful, harmonious, and engaging work environment. We are considered a destination location on the lake and have been featured on “New England Boating” (NESN) and highlighted as one of “10 Great Dock & Dines” in New England. While our management philosophy has been key, we would not have been able to achieve this without our team, who are the ones that make it happen and bring it to life. Each season we employ between seventy and eighty people. Many of our team members (about 75%) are ones that are returning from the previous summer. A number of them are high school and college students who spend their summer break working on the island. We also have a cadre of seasoned employees who help to bring the maturity and leadership that our young team needs. This maturity and leadership is extremely important because despite being an existing business with a large number of returning staff, each season is a new season and brings with it the excitement and opportunities of a start-up environment. This has been especially true of late as we have had to re-invent ourselves and adapt to the conditions of the pandemic.
At Frye's Leap General Store and Café, we are looking to add to that cadre of experience and leadership to help us tackle the opportunities of the new season, enhance the capabilities of our team, and boost the success of the business.
Here is what you can expect when you come to work for us:
- A rewarding work experience in a fast-paced and busy restaurant environment in a beautiful setting. There is a lot of fun to be had on the job, and there is also a lot of work, especially when it is busy.
- An existing team of employees who are welcoming and supportive of newcomers. We are sure that when the season is over, you will leave with new friends and lasting memories!
- A management team that loves to teach new skills and is also appreciative of what you can bring to the table. We are always open to suggestions and new ideas.
- A 40+ hour work week, most likely 5-6 days per week. There is also the option to cross-train in other roles and to pick up shifts that become available.
- Swimming, kayaking, golfing, tennis, lounging on a beach and stargazing are activities that are readily available on a daily basis on Frye Island.
- The ability to meet new people and make friends as our restaurant is frequented by both tourists and locals. You can even get involved in community activities on the island.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will bring a positive attitude to the workplace. We understand that life has its challenges, and we will go out of our way to support you, but we expect you to put on a smile when you show up at work, even though you may be having a bad day. The successful candidate will master the responsibilities of their role and be willing to jump in and help where appropriate, keeping the customer experience at the forefront of their mind whether preparing food or serving it.
As owners, you will find us (Amy and Dave) to be hard working with attention to detail. We pay our employees competitively and expect a solid work ethic in return. We care about our guests and want to please and delight them. We prefer to hire individuals who are just as concerned about our mission and goals. Success is a team effort, realized by everyone succeeding in their roles and pitching in to help wherever needed. We want our establishment to be a meeting place for locals as well as a destination for tourists, and we want to be known for our personal service as well as our food. A positive and fun work environment is crucial to us as the energy created by this sends ripples out into everything that we do.
Room and Board
A potentially difficult aspect of working in a vacation locale is finding affordable housing due to the inflated pricing offered to tourists. In order to make things easier, we have secured a large fully furnished home in order to house our out-of-town employees. The home is on the island and within approximately 1.5 mile of the business. The home has kitchen facilities, washer and dryer, TV, linens, towels, and internet. All rooms are double occupancy. The rental cost for this is $125 per week and includes utilities and basic weekly cleaning. There are no pets allowed and smoking is not permitted in the homes. The closest town to Frye Island is about 20 minutes away for access to grocery and retail stores such as Walmart.
Employee Perks
Working at Frye’s Leap General Store and Café can give you the opportunity to make good money while having a memorable summer, living in a beautiful and fun location. We schedule staff to work 5-6 days per week, 40-50 hours total. We will try to split up shifts in order to make sure that everyone has the ability to have some day shifts off to enjoy the activities the island has to offer, such as swimming, boating, golfing, tennis, etc. Employees will have the opportunity to cross-train and possibly pick up extra hours and shifts as they become available.
Compensation is competitive and negotiable, and hard work will be rewarded with raises, and possible bonuses or promotions. If you are cross-trained in service positions, there is also the ability to earn tips.
Kitchen employees do not pay for meals while on duty. Other employees pay ½ price. Work t-shirts are provided at a nominal cost.
If you are interested in exploring beyond the island on your time off, amazing destinations like Portland, Freeport, Boston, the White Mountains, Mount Washington and Acadia National Park, are all within reach from the island.
Getting Here and Getting Around
If you are bringing your own vehicle, just plug Frye Island into your GPS and you are all set. It will take you right to the ferry landing where you will cross Sebago Lake to Frye Island on an automobile ferry.
Coming by plane, train and/or bus? Well then get yourself to Portland, ME and we will take care of the rest, meeting you at the airport or bus/train terminal and bringing you to the island. Flying to Boston offers the most options and is typically the cheapest alternative. From Boston's Logan Airport, Concord Coach Lines runs a bus that brings you directly to Portland for less than $30 one way.
Once you are on the island, a car is not necessary to get around. Housing is a walk or bike ride from work and there is easy walking access to the island's 12 public beaches. While having a car on the island is not necessary, it is a plus in that it opens up the state of Maine and the surrounding areas to travel and adventure when you are not working. The White Mountains in New Hampshire are a short drive away, Portland is less than an hour's drive from the mainland side and downtown Boston can be reached in a little over two hours.
How to Apply
We want to talk to you! Please send a cover letter along with a resume and contact information to fryesleapcafe@gmail.com. From there we will schedule a Zoom interview. We would like to learn as much about you as possible and also why you think you would be a good fit for us.