Page 30 - Newsletter_Winter_2021

McDonald’s County Franchise

Sold to New Hampshire Firm

By Joseph Cyr ’89
Staff Writer and Asst. Editor of the County Papers
Editor’s Note: While not exactly a Houlton High School based
article, the Houlton McDonald’s has been a source of summer
and vacation work for many alums and an integral part
of their Houlton “life” for almost 50 years. Its importance
deserves mention.

HOULTON , Maine -- A family-owned chain of five
McDonald’s restaurants in northern Maine, dating back
to the 1970s, has been sold to a New Hampshire-based
company.

The sale brings to an end a nearly 50-year family tradition
of selling burgers, fries and shakes to the local community.

The five restaurants -- located in Houlton, Presque Isle,
Caribou, Lincoln, and Calais -- have been owned and
operated by Daryl and Heidi Abbotoni of Houlton since
2008. Heidi’s parents Ed and Dawn Degenhardt, who
opened their first McDonald’s in 1974, owned the chain of Darryl and Heidi Abbotoni in front of the original Houlton McDonald’s
restaurants before that. before demolition.
Photo courtesy of Joe Cyr ‘89
The Napoli Group, LLC out of Amherst, New Hampshire
, purchased all five McDonald's franchises owned by the The company employed upward of 300 people. All managers
Abbotoni family on Sept. 15. That company already owns and crew members have been offered continued employment;
61 McDonald’s restaurants throughout New England. Napoli added.

“We have a great deal of respect Even still, selling the family business was not an easy decision
for the Abbotonis.
for all of the operators we have
known over the years..." “We had thought about it off and on for many years,” Heidi
Abbotoni said. “Our goal was always to retire early.”

“My son and I are excited to purchase the five McDonald’s A medical health event in December 2017 cemented the
restaurants from Heidi,” Peter Napoli said. “We look couple’s notion that it was time to sell the business. Daryl
forward to serving those five communities with great Abbotoni was 50 years old when he went into sudden cardiac
tasting food and excellent service like Heidi and her family arrest in the parking lot of the Houlton McDonald’s.
have done for many years.”
“That made it even more clear to us that we needed a
“We have a great deal of respect for all of the operators much less stressful life,” Heidi Abbotoni said. “It’s a 24-7
we have known over the years and would have never commitment. I have never had a vacation where I was not
considered selling to anyone that would not take care of checking my phone or my email. We knew we needed a
our people,” Heidi Abbotoni said Wednesday. change.”

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