Readfield resident Gene Carbona was passing through Winthrop one day last fall when he got stuck in traffic on Route 133 and Route 41, just before they fork in different directions. A for-sale sign had recently been posted on the east side of the road, and Gene’s eyes were drawn to the dilapidated barn beyond it.
Soon, Gene and his wife, Veronica Carbona, bought the 10-acre property that slopes down to Maranacook Lake. It was run-down and heavily wooded at the time, but less than a year later, the Carbonas are one-third of the way through a renovation that, in the long run, could draw many visitors to Winthrop in the spring, summer and fall.
Beginning this fall, the Carbonas are going to rent the property out for weddings, proms, galas and other purposes.
They are giving the rolling compound a “rustic chic” aesthetic, Veronica said, and calling it the Barn at Silver Oaks Estate after the large oak trees that still stand in the farthest recesses of the property.
They are repurposing the long feed barn that first caught Gene’s eye as a reception area with several different sections: a bridal suite with manicure and pedicure stations, photo booths, a seating area and a saloon-style bar. Closer to the lake, they have cleared brush and created lawns. They are sectioning the land off into different areas. Ceremonies will take place in one corner, while another area will have a stage for bands and dancing. Smaller nooks will be created for socializing, lighting campfires and playing lawn games.
They will clear a few trees in the part of the property closest to the lake, but mostly keep it vegetated, Gene said.
And there appears to be interest in the venue. Though the couple has been showing the property for just two weeks, they’ve already booked more than a dozen weddings for the next two years. They plan to hold an open house with various caterers, photographers, wedding planners and other vendors on Sept. 18.
The Carbonas both work full-time jobs — he for a publishing firm, she as a physician assistant at MaineGeneral’s Bariatric Center in Augusta — but they have always wanted to own a business and describe the project as “our labor of love.”
They also expressed appreciation that town officials have welcomed their business concept.
They plan to expand in the coming years, at some point adding a dock on the lake and maybe acquiring a pontoon boat for use by wedding parties, Gene said. He said they are open to hosting any weddings, regardless of age, race, gender or sexual orientation. They will not offer catering or planning services, but will have a preferred client list for brides and grooms.
The Carbonas, who now have several sons, originally got married in a courthouse in New York, they said. In 2017, they plan to renew their own vows in a ceremony at the Barn at Silver Oaks Estate.
Charles Eichacker — 621-5642
Twitter: @ceichacker
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