The  Doors at 18 Echange Street Need to be Replaced says the City’s Historic Preservation Office.

Frank Kimball, 86, Who Grew up on Peaks Island, Was Looking for a Petition to Sign to Keep the Same Doors in Place This Afternoon.

The news that the city’s historic preservation office is requiring PAPI, a popular restaurant at 18 Exchange Street to replace its antique front doors, spread across the Old Port like wildfire today.

When it was first known that the city might require the popular Puerto Rican restaurant to replace its front doors, there was a public outcry from those who wanted them left in place.  From Puerto Rico originally, how much more authentic could the front doors be many asked?

Today was no different.  “To replace these doors will be significantly costly because it will be a custom installation without an existing historic door,” said Sarah Hernandez, an architect, visiting the New England area from Pensacola, Florida, with family members.

“What the heck is wrong with these doors?” asked Frank Kimball.  Kimball, who served in the US Navy, was looking for a petition to sign to keep the current doors in place.  “Don’t ask me about Donald Trump because I have nothing but vulgarity to say about him,” he said laughing.  He was enjoying a rum drink at Blythe & Burros an upscale bar near PAPI. KImball served overseas “everywhere” he said –  from  Puerto Rico to Vietnam.  Kimball remembered Exchange Street when it was a run down area that people avoided out of fear for their safety.  “This is still my neighborhood.  I’m here a lot,” Kimball said. Chad LeBlanc a bartender at Blythe & Burrows, owned by Josh Miranda, said:  “If there isn’t a petition, there should be one.”

Tim Timson, visiting Portland friends from Tennessee said:  “They are the best doors on the street.”  He was enjoying a drink in the outside bar at PAPI. “Why would anyone wantd to replace them?”

Josh Miranda, of the MIranda Restaurant Group, was not available for comment at PAPI, this afternoon.

This space was formerly home to LuLuLemon until it moved out to the Maine Mall in South Portland.   The space was empty for an extraordinarily long-time causing some to wonder if the new restaurant would ever open.  For more background information on PAPI and its opening in March, please visit post herein dated March 18, 2023.