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Ohana Market comes to Kittery: Tastes of Hawaii is expanding

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KITTERY, Maine — Ohana Kitchen is expanding to Maine this summer with a marketplace edition of its Hawaiian-themed concept.

Business growth along Shapleigh Road in Kittery continues with the expected arrival of Ohana Market, a grab-and-go version of Jay and Stacy Krecklow’s businesses in nearby Portsmouth and Exeter, New Hampshire. Ohana Market will take over the space at 7 Shapleigh Road that was last occupied by Toast, a sandwich shop that closed in early April.

The nearly eight-year-old Kittery business comes as the Krecklows are actively searching for available commercial space in the Dover, New Hampshire, and North Coast Massachusetts area to potentially open more locations.

The flagship Ohana Kitchen opened in Portsmouth in December 2017, followed by the Exeter location the following year, and the now-closed Newburyport, Massachusetts location in 2019. The couple, residents of Rye, New Hampshire, hope Ohana Market will attract beachgoers , people shopping along Shapleigh Road, shoppers at outlet malls, employees of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and residents of all ages.

“Expansion was always part of the plan, and it still is. It doesn’t necessarily end soon,” Jay Krecklow said.

“We were all busy at the same time, and then the pandemic hit. We were still very busy, but the pandemic gave us time to look and regroup, and now we are focusing on growth again,” said Stacy Krecklow.

Ohana’s poke bowls are available for delivery in Kittery

Ohana Market will offer poke bowls – including signatures like the spicy crispy ahi tuna and miso salmon dishes – in addition to sushi burritos, musubis, crudos and bento boxes. Delivery will be offered.

The food is made on site in Kittery, where there is parking in front of the building, nearby parking lots and along the busy roadway.

“It’s going to be an exciting move,” said Stacy Krecklow, former regional manager of the Flatbread Company restaurant. “We want it to be something we enjoy eating. If I can get nice sushi and a really nice salad for lunch, I would choose that every day.”

Toast is saying goodbye for now

Toast, which opened in fall 2021, announced in March that it would close this spring. The company’s last day of work was April 6. The business was opened by baker Nina Holland, who stated that Toast could reopen under new ownership in the future.

“Thank you for your continued love, kindness and support,” her closing message on the company’s Instagram profile reads in part. “Your deep love for all things toast has truly fueled my passion and made it possible for me to intentionally and thoughtfully fuel you over the years.”

Ohana owners happy with Kittery’s location

The Krecklows are grateful to Holland for making the easy transition to the 7 Shapleigh Road unit following the recent closure of Toast.

“I jumped all over it as soon as I saw this because we were talking about a market. We knew we really just needed a smaller space, and we thought, ‘Oh, this would be absolutely perfect,’” said Stacy Krecklow. “We already have such great community connections, and it just seemed like a perfect fit. It very much sets the tone for us, for this whole area.”

The April 18 announcement of Ohana’s expansion into southern Maine came less than a week after the Krecklows closed their Newburyport location.

“It is difficult to put into words our sincere gratitude for your support and support over the past five years,” the company’s April 2 social media announcement said. “We would like to share that our lease at Port Plaza is expiring and that we will be closing our (Newburyport) location on Saturday, April 13… We love this community and hope to find a more permanent location near you soon!”

How Ohana was born

The former owner of the old Radici Restaurant in downtown Portsmouth, Jay Krecklow, sold that business in 2015. Based on Stacy Krecklow’s family and work ties to Hawaii, the couple took time after selling Radici to open the Ohana concept and scour the area to find the right place to bring their vision to life.

More: Oar House restaurant is celebrating 50 years on Portsmouth’s waterfront

More than seven years after opening in Portsmouth, the Krecklows are feeding many locals with their menu of poke bowls and more.

“In Hawaii, when everyone is on the beach, they eat poke bowls. They pick them up in the morning at the grocery store or the gas station…I thought if they can do that there, we can have a nice little place to take this to a faster level,” Stacy Krecklow said.

The Ohana Market is expected to open in Kittery in June. Opening hours are still to be determined.

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