Hawkes Plaza is a noted Maine landmark. Once home to Event records, it is a building with many stories. Al Hawkes built his TV repair business on this site, which included the Walking Man sign. This iconic, recognozed National Landmark was built by Al and his father and still lights up the sky on Route 302 in Westbrook, Maine.

 

Al was also a pioneer of the American bluegrass movement, and is recognized as a member of the first generation of bluegrass musicians by the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Kentucky. A talented mandolin and guitar musician, he was half of the first interracial bluegrass duo, Allerton and Alton. Al left a rich and lasting legacy on the bluegrass community in New England and beyond.

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In the 1940s, Al built a pirate radio station broadcasting at 1210 KC on the AM dial, which drew the attention of the FCC in 1949, so he had to shut it down. Soon after, he began broadcasting on WLAN radio in Lewiston, Maine. As a member of the Maine National Guard in 1951, Al was stationed in North Africa during the Korean War. He found his way onto Armed Forces Radio as a DJ, and he also performed for the troops. The experience taught him how to use the recording equipment, and upon returning home he attended the Massachusetts Radio and Broadcast School, which led him to opening the recording studio, Event Records. Legends such as Dick Curless, Betty Cody, Harold "Lone Pine" Breau, and Lenny Breau, the pub's namesake, recorded at Event Records. Event Records operated until 1962. A fire at their distribution warehouse in Boston destroyed thousands of records and resulted in the closure of the studio. The recording equipment, noted to recreate an iconic rockabilly sound, is now housed at Acadia Recording Company in Portland, Maine.

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Bill Umbel, a noted entrepreneur and musician  in the Portland Maine arts community, purchased the property from the Hawkes family. Having operated the local iconic venue, The Empire, which brought numerous noted and emerging musical acts to Portland, Maine, Bill was ready for a new adventure. A man with a true respect and sense of stewardship of the past, Bill began to plan for his next venture. One night sitting upstairs at Hawkes Plaza in the old recording studio, Bill's dream of Lenny's Pub came to light. Lenny's talent as a finger-string guitar player, his story and connection to the building, and his unconditional love for his craft were the perfect base to build Lenny's Pub. With the help of musician and booking agent Bucky Mitchell and Chef Kori Reese, Bill Umbel established a true gem of a place, beloved by numerous local patrons for it's food, live music and vibe. 

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This past spring, Chef Susan Ericson partnered with music enthusiasts Jill Murphy Piker and Adam Steinman purchased Lenny's Pub. Jill and Sue had met at Lenny's a few years prior at a Rose Alley show, a popular local band led by musician Kevin Roper. A couple years later at the Roper's wedding, Jill and Sue had one of those, "what would you do if you could do anything in your life" discussions by the pool. Lenny's Pub re-entered the story when Bill decided to put it on the market at the end of 2025. Sue, Jill and Adam are currently crafting the next chapter of this iconic Maine establishment that brings good food, live music and friends, new and old, together.