MARS HILL, Maine — During the downtime caused by the 2020 pandemic, a local restaurant owner and crew did the only thing that made sense: they changed course.
“We pivoted. We locked ourselves in and just went to work,” Michael Stiggle, owner of Timberwolves Restaurant in Mars Hill, said Wednesday.
That work has put them on the Maine food production map, with statewide distribution of their house-made barbecue sauce and the creation of a health elixir that is among finalists in a national competition. In Stiggle’s eyes, it’s all due to divine inspiration and Aroostook County values.
Stiggle and Timberwolves’ operations manager, Chandler Dixon, who co-own the sauce side of the business, researched and worked to create homestyle, Korean and bourbon sauce recipes. Then they added a version using maple sugar and whiskey — which has proven to be a best-seller.
“We felt that it was a divine gift from the creator,” Stiggle said. “And I must give Chandler credit. As the barbecue sauce evolved, he has become the barbecue chef.”
Dixon prepares most of the sauces himself. Only he and Stiggle are privy to the ingredients and the process. Thanks to grocery business partnerships, the Timberwolves-branded products are available in stores from Fort Kent to Bangor.
“The local grocery stores have been very supportive and welcoming,” Dixon said, adding that the most memorable part for him was when they took their first case of sauce to a local store.
“To go from a customer to a business owner and partner, that was unforgettable. It was humbling,” he said.
The duo also came up with their latest food venture — elderberry syrup — during the pandemic. The berries are said to contain high levels of antioxidants and other health benefits.
“We were in a creative space, and within two or three months of the barbecue sauce, we started creating the elderberry syrup,” Dixon said. “We started taking it during the pandemic to boost our energy and immunity.”
They boiled down elderberries, sourced from a Maine farm, experimenting until they achieved the taste they were looking for.
Stiggle said the process of getting the product to market was grueling, what with all the federal and state regulations, licensing, the establishment of bar codes and marketing tasks.
It was all worth it, though, when they learned the syrup had made it to the finalist stage in the Good Food Awards contest, sponsored by the Good Food Foundation. As of Wednesday, they were among the top 15 finalists, with the winner to be announced at the end of November.
“We sent in six bottles, with no labeling, because it was a blind taste test,” Stiggle said. “There were over 2,000 applicants from all over the country. It’s an honor just to be in the finals.”
Despite COVID-19 slowdowns, like many businesses, Timberwolves is looking forward to brighter days. And that’s in no small part due to Aroostook County’s environment. Dixon favors the quieter pace of life, and Stiggle enjoys The County’s interconnectedness.
“It’s a good place to do business [because of] the resources that are available, and also the human resources,” Dixon said. “I’m able to do my work without all of the distractions there would be in a larger city.”
“For me, to be in The County is a blessing. I align with a lot of the County values — family, country and God,” Stiggle said. “Because everybody knows everybody, there’s a connectedness, a oneness.”
Stiggle envisions Mars Hill becoming a “foodie” destination. Nearby Al’s Diner offers homestyle comfort food, the Rusty Crab features seafood and Timberwolves has burgers and barbecue items.
“We believe there’s more than enough for everyone. We believe in all the businesses working together to create this ‘foodie’ community,” he said.
Part of creating that community is bringing other people to the area to see what it has to offer. And to that end, Stiggle will open an Airbnb destination on Mars Hill’s Main Street later this month.
The condo-like suite is called Mabuhay, which means “Long live life” in Filipino, and will have a view of Mars Hill Mountain. Its slogan is “Live, relax and enjoy.”
“This will be a high-end Airbnb — very clean, very sleek and brand-new,” Stiggle said. “We want people to see the value we bring here.”
The restaurant and its other ventures are a family business at heart, in Stiggle’s view.
“We want to keep this a family business, and that’s where we want to go with our brand,” he said. “People are listening and opening up their hearts. The County is home, and we really want to take care of home.”