A Maine Iconic Landmark Gets an Accessory For The Times

Since 1962, The Hawkes TV repairman sign has been a landmark on Route 302 in Westbrook and was designated in July of 2019 as a national historic landmark. If you drive by it today, you may notice it got a minor upgrade, which we hope won't be there for too long.

The former TV repair store was opened in 1962 by Al Hawkes, back in the day when TVs broke down often when big vaccum tubes would need to be replaced. I remember having our local TV repairman coming to the house back in the 70s on occasion to open up the back of our TV to make repairs while I patiently waited to get back to watching cartoons.

Hawkes had a giant sign made for the store with the figure of a TV repair man who would swing his arms back and forth with a toolbox in one hand making it look like he was walking.

Today the building is home to a restaurant and pub called "Lenny's" and the owner repaired the sign so that it lights up again, and if your lucky, you may catch the repairman walking from time to time at night.

If you drive by the sign now, you may notice an appropriate addition to the repairman's wardrobe, given everything going on the world right now. Do you see it?

Here's a closer look:

The TV repairman has a face mask now along with a thank you on the sign to all the nurses, doctors and first responders who have been working tirelessly during the coronavirus pandemic.

It's a nice touch, but I have to admit, he looks a bit more like a bank robber than a TV repairman now.