GORHAM, Maine — Posters with messages of hope scrawled in marker on the windows of MK Kitchen in downtown Gorham are a welcome sight during this especially hard time.
"It started as an activity for our kids,” chef and owner Mitchell Kaldrovich said.
Kaldrovich and his wife, Lisa, started MK Kitchen just five years ago. But already established as a fixture in town, they knew they had to do something to spread a little positivity.
"I grew up in Gorham. I just love this community. I always have,” Lisa Kaldorvich said. "But now more than ever I'm realizing the impact it has to be a part of the community."
The restaurant, like so many others across the state, has been closed to dining for more than two months.
They have taken the time to make some repairs, do some deep cleaning and, of course, maintain a new take-out system.
With a reworked menu, the cozy but sophisticated restaurant has been able to keep its most loyal customers coming back.
All of its staff wears gloves and masks as they prepare meals to be delivered to cars in the parking lot each night.
Another boost has come from the collaboration with other local businesses, through the #GorhamStrong campaign.
Together they have run a split-the-tab program that allows community members to purchase a $20 gift card to a participating business for just $10 dollars.
The Gorham Village Alliance and the Gorham Business Exchange match the other $10 in an effort to pump money into the town’s small businesses.
For the Paldrovichs it shows the importance of community strength—something they believe will help carry them through this challenging time.
“We all want to rally together and get through this together,” Lisa Kaldrovich said.
MK Kitchen’s dining room remains closed, as it is located in Cumberland County. However, they are open 2:30-7 Tuesday through Saturdays. You can order online at MKkitchen.net.
At NEWS CENTER Maine, we're focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the illness. To see our full coverage, visit our coronavirus section, here: /coronavirus
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