WARREN’S LOBSTER HOUSE HAS
A LOYAL FOLLOWING!!
Warren’s was featured in the February 8th edition of the
Portsmouth Herald and reprinted with their permission. Story by Diana Paquet.

Kittery, Maine - Warren’s Lobster House is well known for its abundance of lobsters and famous salad bar. The landmark restaurant is run by Scott & Claudia Cunningham. The Cunningham’s are the third owners of Warren’s Lobster House, buying it in 1984 with a partner, but buying him out two years ago. Now the restaurant is run with their son, Brad Cunningham, Vice President and General Manager and daughter, Colleen MacDonald, Senior Hospitality Services Director.

The restaurant brings in 250,000 customers a year, who eat up to 50,000 pounds of lobster and a countless amount of food from the 60-item salad bar.

“That’s the thing people remember about the restaurant,” said Scott Cunningham. “They may not remember where it is, or much else about it, but the phone will ring; “Are you the guys that have the big salad bar?”

Warren’s Lobster House has 2,500 active members in its Frequent Diner Club, spanning throughout New England, to Florida, and across the Atlantic to England and France.

The members of the Frequent Diner Club receive several benefits, including the ability to make reservations, $10 off every $100 spent, a free meal on their birthday and the quarterly newsletter that Claudia Cunningham writes and edits.

“They want to be in the know, and if they don’t get their newsletter, you hear about it,” said Claudia. Claudia also contributes to the hospitality for Warren’s Lobster House.

“I love the calls we get from the bride and groom who just announced they’re getting married, and the parents have never been here,” she said. “They have no idea where the wedding will take place, so you try to give them ideas to search and pictures to look at on the Internet.” Many of these couples will use the sunroom for rehearsal dinners. That room is also popular for bus and tour groups.

Every March, Warren’s holds an Open House, selling all menu items at a two-for-one price and giving out prizes.

“There are people who, as soon as the newsletter hits, are calling to make their reservations and you’ll see the same faces, if they came on Tuesday 20 years ago, they come on a Tuesday now,” said Claudia. “They wait for it, they look forward to it.”

Warren’s Lobster House has attracted several movie stars over the decades. There is the mysterious movie star legend, who the Cunningham’s will only identify by initials “M.R.,” who has been in the restaurant for the past two years, requesting the popular booth 12. It is located at the far end of the restaurant by two windows with a great view.

The restaurant opened as a walk-up clam shack in 1940 by a man named Warren Wurm, the Cunningham’s said. The original building is the only section with two stories. The rest of the restaurant was added on within the first. 15 years of opening the business, all of it built in the water.

“It seems that Mr. Wurm’s brother was the head of the Naval prison in the second World War. The prisoners came over, they would build a dike, pump it out—it was pick and shovel filled—and that’s how this parking lot became a parking lot,” Claudia said. “The entire building literally sits on a piling base—there is no part of it that is actually on land, other than the front edge.

“The building literally moves with the tides,” said Cunningham. After Warren’s built and the dock was installed, Wurm’s father would fly and dock his seaplane there. “He used to drive the bridge people crazy because he used to fly underneath it,” Claudia said. “He was crazy. He would drive the seaplane under it, fly around and then come here and land, and tie up at the dock.”

Now Warren’s has become a Cunningham family affair.

“Warren’s has really become an institution,” Claudia said. “We would like to see the restaurant continue on as a family kind of thing.”

“In one form or another, Warren’s will continue on.”

THE SUCCESS OF WARREN’S LOBSTER HOUSE OVER THE LAST 68 YEARS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR TERRIFC EMPLOYEES!!

Former Employees

There are many former long-term employees that continue to keep “in touch” with the Warren’s family. We just received a card from Gladys Butterworth saying she worked at Warren’s in the summer of 1949 as the first “bus girl!” Prior to her all bus staff had been BOYS. Congratulations Gladys!

Another long-time employee was Helen Garnett who worked with us for 50 years. She was as a server, dining room manager and many other roles when needed. (for those of you that knew Helen, she did pass away March 1st of this year. She was 90 years old.)

Flo Yeager is retired and living locally so she visits Warren’s on occasion. Flo was the dining room manager for many years.

And last, but not least is Dave Mickee, former owner. Dave spent 22 years with Warren’s. He is now enjoying retirement and helping his extended family with chores and needed doctor’s appointments.

Maggie Testaverde

Introducing Margaret Mary Davis Testaverde, better known as “Maggie”.

This charming server was born in Wicklow, Ireland, which is just outside Dublin. She and her sister were very adventurous souls striking out for America when they were nearing 19 years of age. And as Maggie says, “we planned to stay for six months and that was approximately 20 years ago”.

Maggie has worked in the hospitality industry for many years and has spent time working in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the wait staff role, but has also extensive experience with food preparation. She is definitely “cross trained”.

Going home to Ireland twice a year is a very special treat for Maggie, as she takes her son, Aiden, to visit his grandparents and all his aunts, uncles and cousins. The gathering of family, much food and celebration takes all their time as they “catch up” on all the family happenings. This past year, Maggie journeyed to Ireland for Christmas and brought back many fond memories of childhood holidays when the entire family attended midnight mass and came home to share their good fortune. Not only does Maggie go to Ireland twice a year but her mother comes to NH every September and her brothers and sisters visit quite often, as well.

When Maggie is not working at Warren’s, she spends time with hubby, David and Adien, her 5 year old son. David is a Marine Patrol Officer for the State of Maine.

“Our family enjoys spending time together looking for a little cottage in the forest to call their next home”. Maggie has settled into her life in NH, but does miss certain Irish treats. When returning from her visits, she loves to bring back the special Irish tea and chocolates. Irish bacon cannot be transported into this country, but if it could, Maggie would be very pleased to bring it home.

When you are visiting Warren’s, please take time to say, “Hello” to Maggie and see if she will share some special Irish tales with you.