It’s only been a few months since I sadly left the Insider, but it feels like forever ago that I was scouring the streets of Concord in search of the next great story.
As some of you know, I still work half my week for the Monitor (the other half for the Ledger-Transcript in Peterborough), but most of said work is done at home, and very rarely do I make my way to the big city.
And I’ll have to say, I’ve missed this place. As a member of the Insider team for almost five years, I was invested in this community. When it came to the ins and outs of Concord, what was going on and what was just around the corner, I took pride in knowing it all – or most of it. So when I was asked to fill in for Jon’s vacation, there was no way I could turn it down.
So even though not much time has passed since August, I set out last Friday to do a little sightseeing to scope out what has changed, what is still the same and anything that might be in the works.
Unfortunately, on a short holiday week with lots to do, I couldn’t spend as much time out and about as I would have liked, so I decided to walk around downtown to take it all in.
Outside of the rainy, slushy weather, it felt great to be roaming around the state capital.
I first parked along South Main Street and paid my $1 for an hour, and with camera in hand, went on my merry way.
The first thing I noticed was a couple of “new” pieces of public art in the form of a giant chair next to Gibson’s Bookstore. I sure did want to take a seat, but the three signs on it telling me not to was enough of a warning to deter that action. The oxidized metal creation known as Unfurling with Seeds by David Boyajian was a nice addition near the former DES Building.
I strolled down past the Concord Food Co-op to see and hear what was happening at the old Concord Theatre. Capitol Center for the Arts Executive Director Nicki Clarke had filled me in on the project earlier in the week, but I wanted to see for myself because for years I had been hoping something would come of that landmark.
It was a little odd when I ventured down Hills Avenue and saw that the former McGowan Fine Art site is now a barre studio and indoor cycling spot, but at least it’s being used.
Since the weather was less than ideal, I decided to make the long drive to the other end of Main Street, but still had plenty of time left on my meter slip when I parked on Capitol Street. I was a bit thrown off that some of those meters now have signs for people to pay at the kiosk, but I guess that’s just a piece of the new downtown parking puzzle.
I noticed there was more public art (The Space Within by Gillian Christy), and also that the former location of The Place Studio is still vacant, which is a bit odd since it’s a prime spot on Main Street, and that the Crazy Goat was no longer.
Even though I’m not a coffee drinker, I was intrigued by the addition of Revelstoke Coffee to the downtown lineup.
And while I was in the area, I had to stop in to Crust & Crumb for a treat. I love my sweets, and as you can tell from the plate of snacks I took back to the office, I had really missed the fine baked goods from the Concord establishment.
As I left my final shift at the Insider – at least until Jon’s next vacation – it was a little too late to stop in for a taste of one of those great local beers at Lithermans or Concord Craft.
But don’t worry, they’ll be on the top of my list for the next return.
See you around, Concord.
