The sign outside The Mid-Town Motel in Boothbay Harbor reads “A True 1950s Classic” and that’s just how owner Tim Lewis wants to keep it.

The Lewis family opened the region’s first motel on Aug. 6, 1955. And the 11-unit motel stands and looks pretty much the way it did six decades ago.

Each room still has knotty pine wall paneling and original handmade wooden furniture from 1955. Owner Tim Lewis has made some small concessions to modern conveniences, such as Wi-Fi and cable television. But The Mid-Town Motel still has that bygone-era feel.

It seems the classic 1950s motif is the motel’s main draw. When Lewis began creating a website 10 years ago, a consultant advised him that nostalgia sells. The consultant said that people love nostalgia, and that the retro-look would draw attention.

“People love nostalgia. And he was right. Within a year, we were getting more reservations,” Lewis said.

Tim Lewis’ parents, Carl and Mary, opened the motel after vacationing in Florida. In the 1950s, motels began replacing hotels, tourist courts and overnight cabins as popular lodging spots. His parents believed the concept of guests parking outside their rooms would work in Boothbay Harbor. So Carl Lewis, who owned car dealerships in Damariscotta and Boothbay Harbor, went from selling Desotos to renting rooms.

It seemed the Mid-Town Motel was a success the moment it opened. A wedding party booked the motel on its opening weekend. The motel thrived for two decades with a year-round clientèle of boatbuilders. And 60 years ago, the movie “Carousel,” starring Gordon MacRae and a 22-year-old Shirley Jones, was filmed in Boothbay Harbor. The movie crew stayed at the motel during the filming.

“They must have enjoyed their stay because my parents got passes to watch the filming,” Tim Lewis said.

The motel is located at 96 McKown Street. The motel and a cabin used by maintenance staff were built on the property located near the family home. Lewis still lives in the home where he grew up. 

Lewis attributes the business’ success to Boothbay Harbor’s beauty, the motel’s proximity to the downtown, and friendly service.

“All of those are factors in our success,” he said. “Plus, people like motels. They like the classic look, and the convenience of parking in front of your room is also a major attraction.”

Tim Lewis began letting rooms at age 7. He worked at his parents’ motel before becoming a partner and ultimately took over the operation. It seems the hospitality industry was an ideal match for the family.

Mary Lewis would often sit in the motel office and swap stories with guests who lived throughout the country. Carl Lewis catered to the guests using the skills he developed as a car salesman.

Tim Lewis said his parents taught him valuable lessons about dealing with the public. He was amazed at how his father could turn a negative situation into a positive one.

“He had a wonderful gift for dealing with people. He could turn a complaint into a good thing. Now that’s a true gift,” Tim Lewis said. “He’d tell me to listen to the customer, take it apart, and find a solution.”

Tim Lewis and his mother used his father’s advice handling a unique customer experience in 2000. A guest from Lenox, Massachusetts, accidentally drove his car into a room.

Tim Lewis was doing the laundry at the time. He checked on the noise and found the guest had hit the gas instead of the brake. The guest was uninjured and the room sustained minor damage. The Lewises assured the guests that everything was all right, and invited them to dinner.

“They were fine, but were pretty shaken up. We invited them for beef stew. And you know, they returned every year, and even told their relatives and friends about what a friendly experience they had.”

The Massachusetts couple aren’t the only ones who appreciate staying at The Mid-Town Motel. A New Jersey couple that arrives annually for Windjammer Days presented the motel with 40- and 50-year plaques commemorating years of quality service. In 2011, Yankee Magazine voted Lewis’ establishment as “Best Retro Motel.”

And in 2015, the motel received the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce’s Customer Service Award.

“I think it all comes down to providing people with quality service,” Lewis said. “They know what they are getting when they come here, which is why they keep coming back.”

Over the years, the motel business has mostly remained the same. Lewis’ mornings are filled with check-ins. His afternoons are filled with check-outs. He also performs all motel maintenance.

But there have been a few notable changes. The business now relies heavily on Internet bookings. An influx of European tourists are among the industry’s latest trends.

“Guests used to drive up and ask for a room, but not anymore. Online bookings account for nearly all my business,” Lewis said. “Also Europeans seem to love motels. I don’t think they have them over there.”

For the past 17 years, Lewis has hired foreign students for housekeeping and gardening services. This year, he hired two college-age students: one Russian woman and one Taiwanese man. He began hiring foreign students due to the difficulty in finding local people willing to working a 3-4 month job.

“I just couldn’t keep employees for the full summer so I tried CIEE (Council on International Education Exchange). They have a Portland office and it’s been really great,” Lewis said.

Elena Kozlovskaias is one of his summer employees. She lives in Siberia. Kozlovskaias wanted to work this summer in a small U.S. town.

“The air is clean. People are friendly. And I wanted to be close to the ocean,” said Kozlovskaias about her summer job.

Most of the students come from Asia and Europe. They work for a couple months and then visit major U.S. cities before returning home.

Lewis lives alone, but when he’s asked about his family, he responds: “I have children all over the world.”

Lewis regularly invites his summer employees for dinner.

“I cook for them and they cook for me. I have had a great bunch of kids who have worked for me. I’ve enjoyed everyone of them,” he said.

Lewis communicates with his former employees through cards, letters and Facebook. He keeps the correspondence in a basket from his extended foreign family.

The Mid-Town Motel was named in a 1955 contest held by the Boothbay Register. Lewis believes the name was chosen because guests can walk five minutes to visit the waterfront, local restaurants and shops.