Rolling Fatties
Partners Polly and Rob MacMichael met while working at a restaurant, and after pursuing divergent career paths they decided to start their own restaurant business so they could work together, spend more time together, and have fun together!
Given the challenges of starting a new restaurant, they decided to start with a food truck, by restoring and retrofitting a 1970’s Airstream. The following year after seeing initial successes, they bought their property in Kingfield and have been continuously improving on it ever since – adding a dining room and bar, then a second kitchen, and now setting up a backyard area, to name a few of their projects. They have done much of this work all by themselves, including the entire Airstream project.
So why the term “fatties”? “Everyone loves a good burrito. Burritos are like pizza – just a fun food! You can put anything you want inside a tortilla and roll it up!” Calling them “fatties” doesn’t limit it to burrito fillings, broadening the options. The cheeseburger fatty and falafel fatty are popular menu alternatives to the classic Mexican-style burrito. The offering also includes the excellently-named grilled cheese “flatty,” bowls, and a variety of other wholesome and delicious foods and drinks.
They use all good, local food, sourcing from within Maine wherever possible. Certain ingredients that cannot be found locally are sourced from nearby ethical producers, such as select cheeses sourced from Stonyfield and Cabot in Vermont.
The silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic for Rolling Fatties has been that it helped Polly and Rob to view the business in a different way. For example, their limited parking, once seen as a challenge for the business, has been helpful during the pandemic for people quickly stopping by to pick up takeout orders and to regulate crowds on the premises.
Their initial target market was the community of active, health-conscious local people and, but the onset of the pandemic has led to a shift toward more outsiders, including visitors to the area’s many outdoor attractions; it has been a confidence booster for them to see so many outsiders coming back for more and giving positive feedback. They are hoping to see more of this group as well as a resurgence among local customers in the coming months and years.
Successes, Strategies, and Vision
The experience of building and operating Rolling Fatties has been overwhelmingly positive for Polly and Rob. Running their own business allows them to take more time off and spend more time making the most of the Kingfield area’s outdoor beauty. The strong, sustainable community of Kingfield has supported Rolling Fatties, and they consider the engagement of the local community to be a key aspect of business success. They also believe that local governments and organizations can uplift local businesses through outreach, networking, addressing the needs of the business community, and bringing businesses together.
In terms of successful business strategies, Polly and Rob highlight the importance of caring for themselves, their customers, and the environment. Trying to do the right thing environmentally, getting plenty of exercise, eating healthily, and serving healthy food to others are all a part of their business practice. They also see their open concept kitchen as an important aspect of their success; people like to be sitting in the room where they’re preparing their food and seeing that everything is very clean. Furthermore, starting small and bringing their image and products to their customers, like they were able to do with their food truck.
Rob and Polly believe that Kingfield has a lot of untapped potential as an outdoor destination that often gets overshadowed by the nearby Sugarloaf ski resort. Among the many outdoor activities in the Kingfield area, Rob and Polly recommend Bigelow Preserve for hiking and camping and Carrabassett Valley Trails for biking. The Carrabassett River passing through Kingfield is also great for paddling, trails along its banks, and some great sneaky swimming holes. One real “hidden gem” is the Freeman Ridge Bike Park, which is a super fun undiscovered destination for bike riding and enjoying happy hour.
They are looking forward to continuing the journey, and they are especially excited about the sidewalks that are getting built soon in downtown Kingfield, which will make the area so much more friendly for pedestrians and bicyclists. This will also hopefully encourage drivers to slow down and look around as they pass through town.
That being said, there is so much to look forward to, and it is easy to become sidetracked by dwelling on the future, so the Rolling Fatties team tries to concentrate on the present moment. When asked what they’re looking forward to most, Polly said “well, we’re going skiing this afternoon so we’re looking forward to that!”
Visit Rolling Fatties’ website, Facebook, and Instagram pages for more information.
Address: 268 Main St, Kingfield, ME 04947
Phone: (207) 399-9246
~Nick Gredin, Undiscovered Maine Project