Harwich Port A&W is shuttered and for sale. What to know about the property

Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read
The last A&W Root Beer property on Cape Cod, on Route 28 in Harwich Port, is up for sale.
The last A&W Root Beer property on Cape Cod, on Route 28 in Harwich Port, is up for sale.

The building that is home to now-closed A&W Root Beer on Route 28 in Harwich Port is for sale with Kinlin Grover Commercial for $1,350,000. The 6,384 square-foot building on 1.35 acres was built in 1950. The trademark orange roof and décor, menus boasting the famous root beer floats for $5.19 (regular) and $5.69 (large), and glass mugs with the A&W logo, still visible through the windows, are enough to call back memories of those frosty cold root beer floats.

West Harwich Realty Trust purchased the property in 1969 for $37,000. Patty O’Donnell is currently trustee, according to state records.

Why it matters:

Harwich Port A&W fans have taken to waxing nostalgic on Facebook.

With the Harwich Port A&W closed, people desperate for an A&W root beer float will have to travel. The closest A&W is on Putnam Pike in Greenville, Rhode Island, two hours and about 100 miles west.

Signs explain that the Cape's last A & W is on the block.
Signs explain that the Cape's last A & W is on the block.

What's next for 297 Route 28, Harwich Port, MA:  

Kinlin Grover Associate Sharon Dixon said there’s been a lot of interest in the property. Whether it will remain an A&W or not is up in the air. Some potential buyers have indicated an interest in continuing the tradition. Others have not.

History of place: 

The property still looks like it comes from the 1950s. A mural of a waitress in a white uniform and white cap greets customers in the dining room. She carries the signature root beer floats, burgers and hot dogs.

A&W was one of the country’s first franchised restaurant chains according to Ritter Communication. There are currently 600 A&W restaurants in the U.S. and another 300 around the world.

Are there others A&W restaurants?  

According to the A&W website, 25 A&W restaurants were slated to open in 2022, after 20 new franchise agreements were awarded in 2021. Root Beer float lovers can only hope the Harwich location will carry on the tradition.

Contact Denise Coffey at dcoffey@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DeniseCoffeyCCT. 

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: A&W Root Beer in Harwich Port for sale: The last one on Cape Cod