PORTLAND, Maine — Drivers and pedestrians in downtown Portland may have done a double take over the weekend when the city’s iconic Time and Temperature Building flashed an unexpected message across the skyline: “POOK” and “I LUV POOK.”
The message was a viral and heartwarming tribute to Pookie, a beloved Bull Terrier and prominent online canine star whose devoted owner, known on social media as @mistermainer, purchased space on the historic rooftop sign to publicly declare his affection.
Pookie has built a following on TikTok and Instagram through the kind of goofy antics that make dogs internet famous: moody facial expressions, funny “talking” videos set to viral sounds, and a personality that has made him instantly recognizable to fans online.
The 30-foot-long digital landmark, best known for rotating the time, temperature, and public messages above downtown Portland, briefly became a love letter to one very special dog.
For many Mainers, the Time and Temperature Building is more than just a downtown office tower. Originally opened in 1924 as the Chapman Building, the 14-story structure has long been a recognizable part of Portland’s skyline. Its famous rooftop sign was added in 1964, standing 9 feet high and visible from across the city.
The building also has a notable place in Maine history. Its ground floor once housed the state’s first indoor shopping arcade, making it a downtown destination long before the rooftop sign became a Portland institution.
In recent years, the building has also been the subject of major redevelopment plans aimed at giving the historic tower new life through a mix of hotel, residential, and senior housing uses.
But over the weekend, it was not the time, temperature, or a civic announcement that caught Portland’s attention.
It was Pook.
And judging by the online reaction, Portland loved Pook, too.
