Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
ON THE GRILL — Samantha Robinson has enjoyed her first year operating “The Bus” in Monument Park in Houlton. The Bus will remain open with regular hours through September and may continue into October if the weather permits.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — Sometimes the twists and turns in life can take a person in a dramatically different direction.
Just ask Samantha Robinson of Benedicta who went from cleaning people’s teeth to providing iconic foods for people to eat.
Robinson of Benedicta purchased “The Bus,” from Ruth Suitter in June of this past year. For generations, The Bus has been the place to go for a quick bite to eat in downtown Houlton, whether it was during lunchtime or while enjoying a performance by McGill’s Community Band in Monument Park.
“I was a dental assistant for almost 30 years,” Robinson said. “I had a great paying job down in Lincoln, but this was always something I wanted to do. When I heard this was up for sale, I came to look at it, and three days later, I was the new bus lady.”
She thought about changing the name, but decided not to do that because The Bus is such an iconic tradition in Houlton.
Originally, The Bus was a converted school bus that had been painted dark blue with yellow lettering operated by Don Savoy for nearly 25 years, starting in the 1950s. Robinson said she is trying to learn more about the history of The Bus and is searching for any information, photographs or other memorabilia from that time period to incorporate into her business.
The staples of the business have remained unchanged for decades as burgers, hot dogs, sausages, pizza burgers and French fries continue to be the most popular sellers.
“What is really neat, is I have had a number of people who have come up to me this summer and tell me, ‘These burgers taste just like the ones Don used to make,’” Robinson said. “I had a gentleman from Seattle, Washington, come up to the window and tell me the burger tasted exactly the way he remembered it.”
So what is the secret to crafting that special burger?
“Velveeta cheese,” Robinson admitted. “Our cheeseburgers are made with Velveeta. That’s the only way to go. It is the tradition of The Bus.”
She has expanded the original menu adding items like steak sandwiches, loaded grilled chicken sub, ham-cheese-and-bacon sandwich and the “whistle dog” featuring cheese and bacon. On occasion, Robinson has made pulled pork sandwiches, chili and stews and also offers the County-favorite “poutine,” which are French fries smothered in gravy and cheese.
For those with a sweet tooth, she offers deep fried Oreos, brownie bites and cheesecake.
Buying local is important to Robinson. She buys all of her ground beef from the local grocer and the French fries are all made from locally grown potatoes. This past summer, she sold strawberry shortcake made from local strawberries.
“We have had so many loyal customers,” Robinson said. “I didn’t realize before what a treat it was for so many to come to The Bus.”
While owning a small business like The Bus is hard work, involving many long hours considering she drives nearly 50 miles from Benedicta each day, Robinson said her only regret is not doing this sooner.
I am having so much fun, I wish I had done this 20 years ago,” she said. “We have met so many wonderful people. It has been so rewarding. I have no regrets.”
The food industry has roots in her family. Her sister owns Libby’s Mill Pond Dairy in Hodgdon, so whenever she needed some cooking tips, Robinson could turn to her for advice. Her husband, Ron, also assists at The Bus when needed.
Being a fully functioning vehicle, The Bus is available to drive to different locations to provide food for events. The Bus will be serving up goodies at the Linneus Haunted Hayride, scheduled for Oct. 10-11, 17-18 and 24-25. It will also be at The Aroostook Medical Center’s health fair on Oct. 4.
Robinson leases the same parking space on Broadway, in Monument Park, that The Bus has been in since the 1970s. The space is leased from May to November. She will be at the spot daily through the month of September, and after that she may periodically be there if the weather cooperates.
She plans to do a customer appreciation night in the near future, and ideally would like to offer hamburgers at the same prices Savoy sold them for when he retired.
“I think we will also be here for Halloween night, because I want to decorate and pass out candy for the kids,” she said. “And probably some hot chocolate for the adults too.”
For more information, or to contact Robinson, call 532-2844.
