Gritty McDuff’s | 11
people from all walks of life feel comfort-
able sharing a meal and a beverage.
And while that general concept is or-
ganization-wide, each location has devel-
oped a signature feel.
“Pubs traditionally tie into their com-
munities, so rather than fitting the com-
munity to a pub it was our aim to fit the
pub to the community,” Pfeffer says. “At
Freeport, there’s an outside lawn and a
playground, so it’s not unusual to see par-
ents sitting on the deck while their kids
are playing. It’s really an inviting spot for
a family to come out.
“In Portland, you’re seeing a lot of
business lunches, and in both Portland and
Auburn there’s a nightlife crowd as well.
The priority is the enjoyment of both the
food and the beer, because it’s our view
that you can’t enjoy a good beer unless
you have some good food in front of you,
too.”
As for the future, the co-founders in-
sist growth is on the agenda, but at the
same measured pace that’s been a calling
card for the initial 25 years.
“Ed and I go back and forth on that,”
Pfeffer says. “When we decide to do
something we do it as a mutual agree-
ment, and things take longer because of
that. My vision right now is to spend time
getting better at what we do and getting
the team as solid as it can be.
“We’ll keep our eyes open to oppor-
tunities as they present themselves. I’d
certainly like to have a couple more pubs,
and if the time is right we’ll probably go
ahead and do it.”
