Best of NH 2020 Shops & Services

Editor’s Picks

Hot Rod Shop

by Jimmy Dunn
I’m a car guy. I was 15 when I bought my first one, a 1969 Camaro, that was paid for with money I made scrubbing dishes at the Sea Ketch. I hated that job — seagulls would follow me on my bike ride home. But I loved that car. Car guys find each other, and I found Eli English and his cars on Instagram. His feed is car guy porn. Traditional Speed and Custom is located in a traditional New England barn in South Pittsfield, and it’s where Eli and his family build, repair and restore some of the coolest cars in the world. And it truly is a family business. During the recent lockdown, his children’s homeschool project was building a 1928 Ford Model A Frankenstein Hot Rod from scrap parts. The kids are 13 and 16. traditionalspeedandcustom.com

Say Adieu to Your Quarantine Hair

by Lynne Snierson
The name says it all. Treat yourself to beauty, relaxation and the “good life” at Bonne Vie Salon & Spa in Derry, where the talented team of stylists, estheticians and nail technicians provide professional pampering with that ever-important personalized touch. Owner/principal designer Jacqueline Dulgarian, who is a Cézanne with color and cut, has been in the hair and beauty industry for 40 years yet she and the staff are up on the latest trends and newest top quality products for women and men. bonneviesalon.net

Season for Change

by Evelyn Cormier
Some of my favorite places to shop are at thrift stores. People ask me all the time where I get my clothes, and usually they’re thrift-store finds. I’ve shopped at Changes Thrift Store in Claremont since childhood, and it’s worked its way into my heart. During this quarantine time, I know that everyone is going through their closets (including me), and I’m looking forward to browsing Changes to see what vintage golden nuggets you’ve discarded for me to discover. You might just see that old sundress you wore once in 1978 living its best life on my social media. turningpointsnetwork.org/change

Photo by Kendal J. Bush

Antiques and Art

By Rick Broussard
Prospect Hill Home in Sunapee Harbor is a store that’s hard to pin down. It’s an outgrowth of the beloved Prospect Hill Antiques in the nearby countryside. When that 40-something-year-old store wanted to diversify, they decided to find a more central spot. They still offer plenty of antiques and curiosities, all selected as useful or delightful home design items or accessories, but in the sprawling 7,000-square-foot space you’ll also find one-of-a-kind furnishings, fantastic art and even a vintage Harley. The Sunapee location is home to many well-heeled residents and to a number of in-demand artists who enjoy this serene location to create works that sell in major galleries. Prospect Hill Home has begun connecting residents with popular artists like Peter Fiori, David Zerba and Lisa Jelleme to brighten their dwellings, and they can provide them with custom furniture by some of the country’s finest craftsmen. And after you shop, you can still get an ice cream cone or some fries and watch the boats come and go on the lake. They are still open seven days a week or by appointment. prospecthillantiques.com

Repair Men

by Jay Atkinson
In my long and checkered athletic career, I’ve suffered numerous injuries and have worked with legions of orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists. The best experience I’ve ever had, by far, is the treatment I received from Balance Rehabilitation and Health Science, located in Windham and Goffstown. After extensive surgery to reassemble my left ankle, I turned to Chris Pierce at Balance. Chris and Pete Olson founded the business in 2006, and are known for thoroughness, innovation and a passion for their work. The surgeon said I’d probably never play contact sports again. One year after my first appointment at Balance, I played rugby in a tournament, and we won our division. balance-rehab.com

’Tis (Always) the Season

by J.W. Ocker
In North Conway there is a store that the more unenlightened among us might call gimmicky: a year-round Christmas shop called The Christmas Loft. The Christmas Loft is an honest-to-Santa-Claus year-round store dedicated to the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. I’m normally of the opinion that anything Christmasy outside of November and December is blasphemy, but The Christmas Loft alters time. Grows Grinch hearts. Shines Rudolph noses. You walk into the Christmas Loft regardless of the month and are immersed in a classic New England Christmas. It puts the soul back in soulless Christmas shopping, and we should be proud that New Hampshire has one of the best Christmas shops on the planet. Take that, North Pole. christmasloft.com

The Bookstore

by P.J. O’Rourke
Calling the Toadstool Bookshop “best in New Hampshire” is too close to faint praise, like “Nebraska’s best lobster roll.” It may be the top bookstore in America. (Or the top three — with locations in Peterborough, Keene and Nashua.) More than 50,000 new and used titles, congenial cafés, surprising CD and vinyl selections, and speedy online book orders make Toadstool good. Making it wonderful is Willard Williams, who founded Toadstool in 1972 at age 19, from sheer love of books. He and his staff read. So does their clientele. Asking for assistance is more literary salon than customer inquiry. Pages, not smartphones, are thumbed through in the aisles. Checkout is an impromptu book club. toadbooks.com

Color Connoisseurs

by Rick Broussard
Company C is quick to point out the “C” in their name stands for color. Founded in a New Hampshire family’s garage, Company C’s bold use of color, pattern, texture and contrast has become a trademark, and their retail outlet in Concord’s industrial district was a magnet for homeowners and designers from near and far. Their recent relocation to a convenient spot on downtown Concord’s Storrs Street has been a huge gift to both Company C fans and to the Capital City, hoping to lure just this kind of anchor retail to their walkable shopping district. Rugs, furniture, fabrics and gifts from Company C all are designed to make a big impression and it’s almost impossible for a homeowner to walk out of their store empty-handed. companyc.com

Puzzle Providers

by Rebecca Rule
Puzzlers know Piece Time Puzzles in Northwood has everything they need. The barn on Route 4 houses thousands of jigsaws, including a kids’ section, used puzzles in a tent outside, and handcut puzzles made from customers’ photographs. The barn is an art gallery of colorful puzzle boxes, stacked floor to ceiling, for your browsing delight, including Ravensburger, Cobble Hill and White Mountain brands. Enthusiasts always have a puzzle going. When one is finished, the next must be started immediately. Heaven forbid I should find my puzzle cupboard empty. Owners Rose and Mark Stevens understand the emergency puzzle run. I like a 1,000-piecer. The 500s go too quick and the 1500s don’t fit on my table. My current Sunsout of a cat among quilts will keep me occupied for at least a month. piecetimepuzzles.com

Manchester Music Mill. Courtesy photo.

Not Everyone’s a Critic

by Bill Burke
Step inside Manchester Music Mill on Elm Street, walk up the stairs and absorb the groove that radiates off the endless rows of new and used gear packed into this musical sanctuary. Walk past the floor-to-ceiling Fenders and Gibsons, take a right at the bass wall and find yourself ensnared by the siren song of the climate-controlled acoustic room dead ahead. Even better, this independent shop is staffed by people who don’t shame me for playing “Norwegian Wood” wrong during one of the many impromptu, only-in-my-head gigs they didn’t know they hosted. manchestermusicmill.com

Readers’ Poll Winners

Antique or Vintage Shop
REVIVED Furniture and Home Décor
Derry
revived-furniture-and-home-decor.myshopify.com

Automotive Group
Grappone Automotive Group
Bow
grappone.com

Barber Shop
Lucky’s
Concord and Portsmouth
luckysbarbershop.biz

Beer Store
Bert’s Better Beers
Manchester
bertsbetterbeers.com

Bicycle Shop
Tri-City Bicycles
Rochester
tricitybicycles.com

Bicycle Shop Multilocation Local
Goodale’s Bike Shop
Hooksett, Nashua and Concord
goodalesbikeshop.com

Butcher Shop
Tuckaway Tavern and Butchery
Raymond
thetuckaway.com

Caterer
Celebrations Catering
Manchester
celebrationsmenu.com

Fitness Instructor
Cally Wickson at C_Wickson Studios
Windham
cwicksonstudios.com

Garden Center
Wentworth Greenhouses & Garden Center
Rollinsford
wentworthgreenhouses.com

Home Décor Shop
REVIVED Furniture and Home Décor
Derry
revived-furniture-and-home-decor.myshopify.com

Independent Bookstore
Gibson’s Bookstore
Concord
gibsonsbookstore.com

Independently Owned Fitness Center
C_Wickson Studios
Windham
cwicksonstudios.com

Kids’ Clothing Shop
Puddlejumpers Children’s Shop
Exeter
puddlejumpersnh.com

Local Jeweler With Store
Jonathan’s Jewelers
Bedford
jonathansjewelers.com

Men’s Clothing Shop
George’s Apparel
Manchester
georgesapparel.com

Pet Boarding
Take Five Dogcare
Lee
takefivedogcare.com

Pet Boarding Multilocation Local
The Barking Dog
Derry, Exeter and Hooksett
thebarkingdog.com

Pet Groomer
Mac and Copper’s Pet Supply Outlet
Portsmouth
macandcoppers.com

Jeweler
Bellman’s
Manchester
bellmans.com

Pet Supplies Store
Woofmeow Family Pet Center
Derry and Dover
woofmeownh.com

Pet Training
No Monkey Business Dog Training
Concord
nomonkeybusinessdogtraining.com

Secondhand Clothing Shop
M&C Clothing and Gifts
Amherst
m-c-clothing-and-goods.myshopify.com

Ski Shop
Piche’s Ski & Sport Shop
Gilford and Belmont
piches.com

Specialty Food Store
Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop
Manchester
angelaspastaandcheese.com

Toy Store
The Noggin Factory
Dover
nogginfactorytoys.com

Wine Shop
WineNot Boutique
Nashua
winenotboutique.com

Women’s Clothing Shop
Gondwana & Divine Clothing Co.
Concord
gondwanaclothing.com

Yoga Studio
Sol Power Yoga
Bedford
solpoweryoga.com

Farmstand
LaValley Farms
Hooksett
lavalleyfarms.com

Indoor Cycling
FortCycle
Manchester
fortcycle.com

Hair Salon
Wingate Salon & Spa
Stratham
wingatespa.com