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http://foxslobster.com/history.htm
Every summer since 1966, Fox's Lobster House has been serving tons of fresh Maine lobster, seafood, homemade Maine blueberry pie, and ice cream to the thousands of tourists who come to visit the famous Nubble Lighthouse each day. At Fox's Lobster House, lobsters are boiled the "old fashioned way" in our lobster pound, which dates back to 1936.
It all began in 1936 when Frank and Annie Coupe from Methuen, Massachusetts bought a little land not fit for grazing cattle next to the Nubble Lighthouse from William Sohier of Beverly, Massachusetts. They built a small, rustic lobster pound with an inside dining room that seated 40 people, and called it "Coupe's Lobster Pound." Besides lobster, they were famous for their fried clams. They also built a take-out stand across the street (where the Sohier Park Welcome Station is presently located), and in 1941, due to World War II food shortages, converted it into a gift shop.
Frank and Annie's daughter, Shyrlee Couser of York, Maine, remembers celebrating her high school graduation at Coupe's Lobster Pound in 1941 and her wedding reception in 1948, just prior to her parents selling it to two chefs from Boston, who ran it for two years.
In 1950, Edward and Dorothy Brown from Manchester, New Hampshire bought the restaurant and changed the name to "Brown's Lobster Pound" (no relation to Brown's Ice Cream on Nubble Road). In 1957 they sold it to Ernest and Marie Lepore from Longmeadow, Massachusetts.
Keeping up with the popularity of 1950's drive-in restaurants, the Lepores built an addition onto the kitchen with a take-out window. In 1965 they sold it to John and Geraldine Murphy from Belmont, Massachusetts. The Murphys ran it for 1 year before selling it to Robert Fox Sr., wife Matilda, and their oldest son Robert Jr. from Dracut, Massachusetts. The establishment was then renamed Fox's Lobster House.
In 1971, Phyllis Winslow from Ayer, Massachusetts was a waitress at Fox's Lobster House. Robert Jr. fell in love with her, and they married in 1972. In 1974 the oceanside dining room was enlarged and renovated to seat 65 people. In 1976, Robert Sr. and Matilda retired and sold their interest to Robert Jr. and Phyllis Winslow Fox. Robert and Phyllis renovated and enlarged the old upstairs wait staff dormitory into another dining room, adding 65 more seats with a spectacular view of the Nubble Lighthouse, rocks, and ocean, and added an outside picnic patio area with tables.
In 1986, Robert Jr. and Phyllis divorced, and Phyllis bought out Robert's interest. In 1992, Phyllis married Stephen Dunne from Bernardsville, New Jersey. In 1996, in compliance with the American Disabilities Act, they built handicap accessible bathrooms and a lovely gift shop entrance to the restaurant.
Traditionally, Fox's was open from Father's Day through Labor Day. Over the years, the summer season has extended from the end of April through the end of October. Fox's Lobster House presently employs about 65 people each summer. Fox's is very proud that over 90% of their employees, who range in age from 14 to 76 years old and reside in York, return each summer to work.
At Fox's Lobster House, we are dedicated to making summer vacations special! We claim that: "One Nibble on the Nubble and You're Hooked!"
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