HALLOWELL -- With summer's arrival in Maine, people long to be outside and soak up the weather, especially after such a harsh winter.

Joyce Walters and Chaz Adcock say they have just the place for people to come.

Walters, a longtime bartender at The Wharf, will open the doors of the eponymous wine bar and restaurant in mid-June -- possibly as soon as Thursday. Flanked by Adcock, a part-owner and the general manager, Walters believes Joyce's has an edge and offers a new atmosphere to the social scene in Hallowell.

The establishment replaces Marquis TV & Satellite Sales & Service. Walter's brother, Lon Walters, and one of his sons, own the building.

Joyce's, 192 Water St., will feature dining, an extensive wine list, a plethora of beers and quality liquor, Walters said. The menu will offer appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches and six featured entrees.

Walters declined -- with a grin -- to reveal what the entrees are until opening day, but Adcock said, "You won't be able to find most of them anywhere else."

It is the first business both have owned. Adcock, who holds a degree in finance and accounting, decided to make the move from Saratoga Springs, N.Y., after hearing about the restaurant from Walter's nephew, who is also Adcock's fraternity brother.

Though he wanted to open a franchise restaurant, the fees to do so held him back. After the offer to co-own Joyce's was made, and he paid "Maine's smallest city" a visit, Adcock said he fell in love with the community and the restaurant.

"Hallowell has a touch of Saratoga (Springs)," he said. "Once I saw the restaurant and bar, I knew it'd be a home run."

For her part, Walters said it was simply "time to do something new." She declined to comment on the renovation costs to convert the old television store into a restaurant.

The establishment, described as "elegant yet simple, and definitely comfortable" by Adcock, will feature a marble-top bar, booths and tables for diners, and sofas and coffee tables near the back for a lounge feel. Also in the back is an entrance for the lower deck, which now occupies the space where a driveway used to be.

A "function room" upstairs also has an opening to an upper deck, another marble-top bar and a grand piano.

"This room is nice because it can accommodate private parties and in the winter will be another room to seat guests," Walters said. People have already expressed interest in booking the upstairs room for parties, she added.

What the owners claim sets Joyce's apart from other restaurants in Hallowell is the view. A magnificent view of the Kennebec River can be seen from both the upper and lower decks, something Walters considers a major advantage.

With over 20 years of experience behind a bar and in a restaurant, Walters and her new business partner, Adcock, are confident Joyce's has something that can't be found anywhere in Hallowell or central Maine.

"It's clichˇ, but there truly is something for everyone here," Adcock said. "I want everyone to feel comfortable here and be proud of this place."

Meghan V. Malloy -- 623-3811 Ext. 431

mmalloy@centralmaine.com