Piscataquis County Locals Open New Spot In Old Bissell Brothers Brewery Location In Milo, Maine

There's been a flurry of activity in the old Bissell Brothers Three Rivers location in Milo, Maine.

The restaurant and brewery, which was the second location opened by the Portland-based brewing company, a location that held a special spot in the hearts of the family because it was in their hometown, opened in 2018.

Sadly, the facility at 157 Elm Street closed just six years later, in the summer of 2024. The owners said that the economy made it impossible for them to keep the business afloat at that location.

Read More: Popular Piscataquis County Brewery To Close At Summer's End

The building sat shuttered for a while, until a pair of Piscataquis County natives, one a local brewery owner, the other a 30-year veteran of nursing, saw potential to give this old spot a second chance at life.

John Riitano, brewmaster and co-owner of Two Knights Brewing in Sangerville, and his business partner, Tracy Bonney-Corson, who worked as VP of Nursing at a local hospital and has been in the nursing profession for 30 years, recently closed on the property. They have plans to transform the place into a restaurant and brewery called Rail Yard Brewing and the Rusty Rail Taproom, a nod to the special rail-related history of this specific area of Maine.

"The railroad industry played a significant role in connecting the great state of Maine and its lumber industry to the rest of America. Rail Yard Brewing and the Rusty Rail tap room will do the same for the breweries, wineries, and distilleries of Central and Northern Maine. Highlighting some of the best beverages from the Maine Highlands and beyond. Join us in the tap room for a true taste of Maine."

Bonney-Corson says the partnership started as a joke between the two.

"After a difficult week, we joked that we should buy the place up in Milo and go into business.  Then, as time passed, we got more serious about it.  It was an opportunity for me to do something different - outside of nursing.   I have been a nurse for over 30 years and have no intention of giving that up.  This is just another way I can get involved in the community where there is currently a void."

She says it's also an opportunity for Riitano to expand a bit on his passion for brewing.

"The partnership allows John to explore other brewing options that may not fit perfectly at his TKB location while at the same time allowing him to expand the volume brewed for TKB through contract brewing at The Rail Yard Brewery’s larger facilities."

While he'll be lending skills he honed in connection with his duties at Two Knight, Bonney-Corson says this new brewery in Milo will be its very own beast, so to speak.

Get our free mobile app

"It was important...that this Rail Yard Brewing was a distinct brewery and not a TKB 2.0. While John is a shared brewer, Rail Yard Brewing, home of the Rusty Rail, will be a unique destination for the community of Milo and those traveling by."

Riitano says the Milo community has really embraced the idea of having a new brewery open back up in town. In fact, the patriarch of the Bissell Brothers family has even been helping lead the cleanup operation at the site with a whole team of community volunteers.

"Overwhelming support. Jensen Bissell, the father of the Bissell Brothers, has been a huge help. He put together a volunteer team of Milo residents and local people from that area to do a big cleanup. The amount of help we’ve had so far... An amazing group of people cannot thank them enough.  I’m speechless."

The pair says that while they don't have a firm opening date yet, the hope is to have the place up and running before the end of the year.