Member Spotlight · Greater Fort Kent Area Chamber of Commerce
JD's Tavern
Fort Kent, Maine
The Story of the St. John Valley's Most Iconic Address
There are some buildings that carry the history of a community right in their walls. In Fort Kent, Maine, that place sits at 328 West Main Street, across from America's First Mile at the very beginning of US Route 1.
Today, JD's Tavern stands there as the latest chapter in more than fifty years of history at one of northern Maine's most well-known addresses. It has seen the end of one era, the challenges of a global pandemic, and the loss of neighboring places that once defined nightlife in the St. John Valley.
And still, it's here. Still pouring drinks. Still hosting live music. Still bringing people together.
This is the story of how JD's Tavern came to be, and why it still matters.
Approximately 1971 – June 30, 2018
An Era Begins: Bee-Jay's Tavern
For nearly fifty years, Bee-Jay's Tavern was the center of Fort Kent's social scene. Generations of people in the St. John Valley marked milestones there. First legal drinks. Wedding nights. Class reunions. First dates that turned into marriages.
The jukebox played loud. The pool tables were always in use. On weekends, you knew it would be full.
"My father, Legs Labbe, bought me my first legal red beer there. I was 18, halfway through my senior year, and it was a rite of passage to go there for the first time. The place was always full, the music loud, and we were just having fun. We played foosball, pool, made new friends, and caught up with people we already knew."
Vera Labbe Saucier, FKCHS Class of 1974Bee-Jay's was more than a bar. It was part of the community. The walls were filled with local memorabilia, each piece tied to a story. It felt like a living timeline of Fort Kent.
While other places came and went over the years, including the Lone Star and the Fort Kent Hotel bar. Through it all, Bee-Jay's stayed steady.
On June 30, 2018, after 47 years in business, Bee-Jay's closed its doors. The message was simple and heartfelt, thanking the community for decades of support. People didn't just lose a bar. They lost a place that held a lot of memories.
A Winter Tradition
Snowmobiling in Fort Kent: A Destination for Generations
Long before trail maps were digital, snowmobilers found their way to Fort Kent and to 328 West Main Street. Fort Kent sits at the center of some of the best snowmobile trails in the Northeast. Trails like ITS 85, ITS 92, Trail 73, and Trail 17 bring riders right into downtown. Riders can come off the trail along the St. John River and end up just steps from the door.
With more than 2,300 miles of trails across Aroostook County, riders from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and beyond make the trip north every winter. They come for the snow, the space, and the experience you can only get here.
Ride all day. Warm up at night. Share stories with whoever is sitting next to you. Then do it all again the next day.
Today, JD's Tavern carries that tradition forward. You'll still find longtime riders who have been coming here for decades, along with first-timers discovering the Valley for the first time.
July 2019 – December 31, 2020
A New Chapter: Crossings
Not long after Bee-Jay's closed, the building found new life. Dr. John Hotchkiss purchased the property and opened Crossings in July 2019. His goal was to bring something new to the space while still respecting its history. Crossings offered a different experience: craft cocktails, locally inspired names, and a more updated feel. It quickly became part of the local scene.
Then COVID changed everything. With restrictions and an early curfew, the business could not sustain itself. By the end of 2020, Crossings closed its doors.
Even then, there was a sense that the story at 328 West Main Street was not finished.
The Story Continues
JD's Tavern Fort Kent Maine
Today, JD's Tavern has brought the building back to life once again. Walk in and it feels familiar. Cold beer, good music, pool tables, a dance floor, and a crowd that mixes locals with visitors without a second thought.
The sign says it best: the first and last bar on US Route 1, depending on which direction you are traveling.
Every winter, the snowmobilers come back. They park downtown, step inside, and settle in just like generations before them. Some have been coming here for thirty years. Others are here for the first time. It doesn't matter. Everyone is treated the same.
JD's has quickly built a strong reputation, with reviews that highlight not just the atmosphere but the honesty and character of the place. One visitor even shared a story about leaving behind a passport and cash, only to come back a week later and find everything safely waiting. That says a lot about a place.
In Her Own Words
In Candy's Own Words
Behind every great bar is the person you don't always see. For JD's, that person is Candy, the one in the kitchen, holding it all together, and Andrew's partner in every sense of the word.
"My husband Andrew 'JD' came home one evening having made the decision to purchase the building and bring the Bee-Jay's legacy back to life, after COVID had affected gathering places. I thought he was crazy. How on Earth are we going to do this, especially with zero experience in the industry?"
Candy, co-owner, JD's TavernWith no background in the business, they leaned on someone who knew the place better than almost anyone: Tracy Caron, owner of Rock's Diner, who had managed Bee-Jay's years before and taught them everything they needed to know. While they learned, they renovated, with one goal: keep the iconic Bee-Jay's vibe alive.
"I remember one of the first evenings we were open. I was in my small kitchen, with food tickets continuously printing and the line of orders full above my head. With ovens and fryers full to capacity, I stood there watching the food slips print and began to cry. I was scared and anxious. How are we ever going to provide good service? Why are we doing this?"
Candy, co-owner, JD's Tavern"And then I heard it: the laughter. The laughter of a group of locals sitting at the front corner table, enjoying one another's company. Tammy Albert's laughter put a smile on my face that day and pushed me beyond my doubts. I realized in that exact moment that this is why we are doing what we do. We provide a place for people to gather, unwind, relax and enjoy the company of others."
Candy, co-owner, JD's TavernCommunity Partnership
JD's Tavern and Logger Fest 2026
JD's Tavern is not just part of the nightlife scene. It plays a big role in the community. During Logger Fest 2026, JD's becomes a central gathering spot.
JD's is also known for its legendary stein holding competitions, a crowd favorite that draws serious competitors and plenty of laughs in equal measure.
On Friday, May 15, after the Light Parade moves through downtown Fort Kent, JD's will be the place people head to continue the night, with live music, cornhole, and a full house are all expected.
On Saturday, May 16, the street outside JD's fills with activity as the Logger Fest Street Party takes over Main Street. Events, games, food, music, and fireworks all build into a full community celebration. JD's does not just participate. It helps bring it all together.
50 Years of Love
Some Love Stories Begin at Bee-Jay's
For Bob and Pam Lozier, 328 West Main Street is more than a favorite spot. It is where their life together started.
"We had our first date at Bee-Jay's. I was 20 and Bob was 26. We had noticed each other before, catching one another's attention in passing. It was hard to explain, but there was a spark, an instant attraction that just kept growing. Through a cousin, a little rendezvous was arranged at Bee-Jay's, and it turned into such a fun, memorable night. I felt that romantic connection right away."
Pam Lozier"Now, 50 years into our marriage, we can look back and know that Bee-Jay's was where it all began. It's the place where our spark turned into a life, a home, and a beautiful family together. We're incredibly grateful that Andrew and Candy continue to keep the tradition and this iconic place alive at JD's Tavern, where we can still meet up with friends, share a few drinks, and enjoy plenty of laughs. And truly, the best is still yet to come."
Pam Lozier"I played on the Bee-Jay's softball team for 10 to 12 years and was a good friend of Brian Canaan. Because of that time, and everything that followed, Bee-Jay's, now JD's Tavern, holds a very special place in my heart, and in Pam's and my life."
Bob LozierA Living Legacy
Look Up: The Ceiling Tiles
One of the most distinctive features of JD's Tavern isn't on the walls or behind the bar. It's above your head. Look up and you'll find the ceiling covered in painted sponsor tiles, each one representing a local business that has put its name on the place.
The tradition started at Bee-Jay's. Businesses from across the St. John Valley painted tiles to advertise, turning the ceiling into a living directory of the community, including logging companies, trucking outfits, local services, all looking down over decades of good nights and cold drinks.
When JD's opened, Andrew and Candy made sure that tradition carried on. New tiles have joined the old ones, and the ceiling keeps growing. It's one of the most visible ways that JD's doesn't just remember what Bee-Jay's was. It actively continues it.
But it isn't just local businesses anymore. Visitors from away, snowmobilers, travelers, people just passing through on Route 1, walk in, look up, and fall in love with the idea. Many of them buy a tile before they leave, putting their name on the ceiling of a bar they may have only discovered that day. And the tiles change every year, so the regulars from away come back season after season to claim their spot again. They come as strangers and leave as part of the place, and then they keep coming back to prove it.
If you look closely, you're reading the history of Fort Kent, and of everyone who ever felt at home here, one painted tile at a time.
Left: Halloween at JD's · Right: The Route 1 Wall, Fort Kent, ME to Key West, FLA
Why This Story Matters
A Story of Resilience
The story of JD's Tavern Fort Kent Maine is really the story of this community. It is about resilience. It is about people showing up for each other. It is about keeping places alive that matter.
Different names over the years. Different owners. But the same address continues to bring people together.
"These walls encompass so many stories. Stories that include laughter and some heartache, stories of growth and stories of loss. Whether it be locals or passers-through, we welcome everyone to take a seat at our bar. We will celebrate with you, laugh with you and even cry with you. We strive to take care of our community because our community has taken care of us. We've had so many acquaintances become friends and consider most family: the JD's Family."
Candy, co-owner, JD's Tavern"I wanted to make sure future generations always have a place to gather. Bee-Jay's was too iconic to let fade away. After I sold my garbage business, I was bored and was looking for something else to do with my spare time."
Andrew 'JD' Daigle, owner, JD's Tavern328 West Main Street · Fort Kent, Maine · US Route 1, Mile 0
When you walk into JD's Tavern,
you are stepping into decades of history.
Order a drink. Play a game of pool. Listen to the music.
Watch people come in from the cold and settle in for the night.
Some things change. Some things stay the same.
And this place is one of them.