The business landscape in the Monadnock Region is a constantly evolving entity. From new enterprises opening their doors and existing establishments changing hands to downsizing and unfortunate closures.
In 2019, the area saw major milestones for longtime family-owned operations and expansions to accomodate growing consumer needs.
The area has seen a lot of improvements to the local commerce and trades and its an every-changing process as businesse work to find a niche that will allow them to thrive.
With the end of the year – and decade – today, here’s a look at what happened in the business world of the region.
The Monadnock Paper Mills opened its doors in 1819 and marked 200 years in operation this year with numerous celebrations, capped off by a grand gathering at the Bennington facility in October. The Verney family, having owned the operation since 1948, is just the third owner of the company started by Moody Butler near the banks of the Contoocook River.
Just down the street, Alberto’s Restaurant celebrated 75 years of serving up Italian cuisine in the small town. It was opened by Albert “Bat” Cuddemi and was eventually passed down to Joe Cuddemi, who spent many years working for his father.
Tucked in the woods in Mason, Parker’s Maple Barn has been a destination for the last 50 years. It opened in 1969 following the reconstruction of an old barn that was moved to the current location. The Roberts family bought the business 33 years ago and has been the epitome of a family operation.
After many years of fundraising and planning, construction on the state-of-the art Park Theatre in Jaffrey began this year in the heart of downtown. The steel framing, walls and interior slowly took shape over the last 12 months and all signs point to a mid-2020 opening.
After starting in a Dublin garage, Maggie’s Market in Peterborough celebrated 50 years this fall. It was a slow progression from a small operation run by three sisters to the Main Street storefront, but it was a vision of the sisters that saw a need for a natural food alternative.
In January, it was announced that Woodman’s Florist in Peterborough was moving its operations to the business’s other location in Milford, ending a run of close to 100 years in town.
After 30 years located in the Lorden Plaza in Milford, Toadstool Bookshop moved to the Somerset Plaza in Nashua in October. The Milford store was the third location opened by owner Willard Willams, which originated in Peterborough in 1972.
Albeit in the same plaza, the Wireless Zone in Peterborough relocated this fall to a smaller location to better serve its needs.
After 10 years in the plaza near South Meadow School in Peterborough, Kate’s Cuts moved its operations to Elm Street.
The restorations and fundraising is complete for the Francestown Village Store, which served the town for two centuries and was the second oldest, continually running general store in the country when it closed in 2017. Now all that awaits the store from reopening is a new proprietor to resume operations.
The business leaders of tomorrow will get a leg up on the campus of Franklin Pierce University thanks to its renovated college of business.
With business booming and in need of extra space, SoClean, which makes and sells automated continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) cleaning equipment, purchased the former EMS warehouse in January.
In February, after a two-year process, Belletetes received approval from the Jaffrey Planning Board for its proposed expansion project that would include a 7,200 square-foot maintenance garage and a 13,440 square-foot material storage warehouse on land abutting its Jaffrey location on Peterborough Street.
After purchasing the practice of Nieskens & Yoe Family Dentistry last August, Raynor Dental embarked on a renovation and expansion project that began in February and finished this fall that doubled the size of the Route 202 building to include 15 operatory rooms, a larger check in area and private consultation rooms.
In February, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Jaffrey was sold to MED Healthcare Partners, who operate more than 100 nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities throughout the United States.
On the final day of April, Temple residents Matt and Amy Cabana purchased the Birchwood Inn from longtime owners Nick Finnis and Andrew Cook, and have continued to run the three guest room inn along with the restaurant located onsite.
After six months of working at Feel the Steel, Noah Lorden, a native of Temple, assumed ownership of the longtime Jaffrey barbershop in May.
Patty Petropoulos and Gary Samarjian took over running the Little River Bed & Breakfast on Union Street in Peterborough in June from Rob and Paula Fox.
In July, well before anyone was thinking about ski season, there was a big change at Crotched Mountain Ski and Ride, as its parent company Peak Resorts was purchased by Vail Resorts for $264 million, which acquired 17 new mountains – including Crotched in the process.
After being family-owned since 1935, it was announced in August that Yankee Publishing in Dublin had shifted 30 percent of the company’s ownership to its employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The plan, over time, is to move the remaining stake in the company to the employees.
The Country Cafe in Jaffrey was sold to BethAnne and Bob Tatro of New Ipswich over the summer and reopened in October after an eight week process to remodel and cleaning endeavor.
In November, Vicuna Chocolate changed hands for the second time in just over two years with Pierre Fabre of Bennington taking over the downtown Peterborough chocolate operation.
Greenville saw the opening of an authentic Portuguese restaurant on Main Street early this year, but the excitement was short lived as Dalia’s closed its doors in November.
After less than a year of making her gluten free toaster pastries and breads in her home kitchen, Darci Hammer of Peterborough opened a storefront and commercial kitchen in Jaffrey for Doodle Eats in March.
Pancho’s Pizza opened its doors in April at the Peterborough Plaza, adding to the pizza options in town.
Identity Coffee Lab opened its doors in Rindge on May 1, specializing in coffee made using the pour-over method to pair with foods made at the business.
After 35 years of operating a sharpening shop out of his Massachusetts home, Dave Humphreys relocated to Francestown and opened D&D Sharpening in September.
With the Route 101 restaurant location in Wilton sitting vacant, Holly and Ray Cekala opened the Country Chef at the former site of Oliver’s and Gary’s Harvest, focusing on comfort food, on Black Friday.
After months of talks, GraniteOne Health, which includes Monadnock Community Hospital, announced the signing of a combination agreement with Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health in October. The hospitals involved in the partnerships already collaborated, but the agreement meant Monadnock Community Hospital patients would gain access to specialists through virtual consulting doctors in other hospitals.
In June, it was announced the Sharon Arts Center in Sharon along with the Sharon Arts Center Gallery and Fine Craft Store in Peterborough would close. It came about a year after the New Hampshire Art Institute in Manchester, which absorbed the Sharon Arts Center in 2012, announced it was merging with New England College in Henniker. Both would close by the end of the summer.