Christmas Loft in Meredith
 

Did I read correctly that the Christmas Loft on Route 3 in Meredith is closing?

I just read that also on page 6 Laconia Daily Sun...50 to 80 percent off....

Oh no! Going to the Christmas Loft is a family tradition for me, we buy ornaments every year there!

Very sad news. :(

Such a neat place. I wonder if the big box stores did them in? I probably don't even need to ask that question.

They have a location in VT somewhere too, wonder what the deal is there.

They have a couple spread around -- one in North Conway and another in North Woodstock. I always thought the Meredith location did pretty well. It was situated in a pretty good spot. It's a big store. Well, maybe the Common Man Family can try to squeeze another restaurant into the area!

What about the North Conway Store?
 

Is it just the one location that will be closing? Will the North Conway store remain?

Yield House
 

Many moons ago, this store was a Yield House. I bought a Charles Wysocki framed print there, and other family members bought furniture with staining kits for DIY projects. Sure missed that store too when it closed. That store and True's Gifts were 2 favorite stops in Meredith.

We also got some DIY furniture kits from The Yield House. Miss that store. I also miss True's. Any one remember Samaha's in downtown Meredith?

Does anyone know how much inventory is left? I've been meaning to go check on our place and might have to go later this week if there is a decent amount of inventory left.

So sad we just discovered Christmas Loft this year. We picked up a few things and planned to keep coming back! Hopefully I can stock up otherwise we'll be trekking to another location next year : (

Trues!
 

Oh, I remember True's - we loved that store!

What would you like to see go into that high visibility spot, right on Route 3/25 and just north of the Inn at Church Point that has been home to Christmas Loft for many years?

A pawn shop would be a nice addition to Meredith. Meredith already has two second hand stores nearby, the Water St store just beyond the Phu Jee restaurant, and the Etcetera Shoppe next to Dunkin Donuts but no pawn shops.
Laconia has three pawn shops, two are close to the Laconia lakeport fire station on Elm St, and a good second hand consignment store, Just Stuff, is on Main St, downtown Laconia. I have no idea where the third Laconia pawn shop is located?

Curbside Treasures, the Laconia pawn shop on Elm St, that's close to the Lake Winnipesaukee dam, marks everything down an extra 40% on Saturdays, and they are stocked to the ceiling with all sorts of consumer items; hockey sticks, tape cassette decks, skil saws, hand tools, and boat items.

Maybe Curbside Treasures could open a second store in Meredith once the Christmas Loft vacates on December 31! Everyone in favor of a second Curbside Treasures-Meredith please raise your hand!

A Hooters! Keeping with the Christmas theme they could wear little elf suits! :D

As mentioned before..A real Bakery would be nice and probably do pretty well in that spot.

True's
 

When we started coming up to the Lakes Region 14 years ago, we had a few favorite spots to visit each year. True's was one, and Wardo's and October Farm Market down the street in the little shopping plaza. Also the Ben Franklin store in Ashland, and Mary Robertson's old book barn in Meredith. All gone now, but nice to remember.

I called my wife and told her about the store closing. I suggested she stop. maybe she could find a trinket or two to give a way next Christmas. She just told me she did not want to stop. Well low and behold she comes in the door with this great big bag of stuff. Seems she stopped after all. She got some discounted red led lights, manger animals, ornaments, etc....
Yeah I guess I don't know anything.....:rolleye2:

She said there were/was still lots of stuff but people were streaming in.

Samaha's
 

I remember Samaha's! Back when Meredith's annual Christmas open house was more "lively", it was my parents favorite stop! They were very nice people. Sad to hear about the Christmas Loft. Great store!

I remember going to True's when I was small. I use to worry about breaking something in the store because they had many ceramic items. I will never forget their sign clearly stating--" If you drop me you have bought me."

Today's December 30 Laconia Citizen has an article on the Christmas Loft. It says the property will be purchased by the neighboring property owners; the Inn at Church Point and the Town Docks restaurant, or something like that. It goes on to say that the property will be used as an activity center where people could rent a canoe or sailboat in the summer, and ice skates in the winter.

In the past 18-years I have never set foot into the Christmas Loft even once so I have no clue what it was like, but a canoe-sailboat-ice skate rental place sounds very good so here's a big round of applause to the new owners......clap...clap....clap....!

Hey....who knows....maybe they'll get a couple of old aluminum 17' canoes set up with a slide seat, rowing rigs, made either by A-Row-Bic, or by Piantedosi, and introduce the row canoe to Meredith Bay. There's got to be an el cheapo row-rig that's suitable for rental aluminum canoes out on the market somewhere. Able to comfortably seat mom, junior/sis and fido while dad does the rowing, the row canoe rental is something to consider! Ok...well, maybe not so comfortable for fido the dog, but mom and junior/sis both get their own canoe seats, forward and aft, while dad rows it forward while seated in the middle and down low for good stability.

When I went last night, the saleslady told me that the owner was made a "very good offer", so it seems as though the other store will remain open.

Down in Boston on the Charles River, for sailing, sail boarding or kayaking; people have been going to www.community-boating.org for many years, since about 1930. Community Boating in Boston is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. It sounds on the surface that this activities center right directly on Meredith Bay, between the Town Docks restaurant and the Inn at Church Point could possibly be a community center similar to Community Boating?

Hey....you know....that when the nine mile W.O.W. Trail gets all built out, going from Belmont to Laconia to Meredith, down on the waterfront of Lakes Winnisquam, Opechee, and Winnipesaukee, the northern end of the W.O.W Trail in Meredith will be just a two minute pedal up Stevens St to the railroad tracks above Meredith Marina. Possibly, the new activities center could carry bicycle rentals too because not everyone who comes to Meredith brings a bicycle, and after biking that W.O.W Trail, could be they would build up an appetite for.....let's see....Camp Restaurant.....Town Docks Restaurant or the Church Point Restaurant or the ice cream stand for a hot dog?

Having a lot of small colorful kayaks and sailboats out on Meredith Bay, that can easily be seen from the two state roads, Routes 3 & 25, could help to put Meredith on the map......big-time! So, what's not to like?

Liked the Christmas Shop but really LOVED TRUES
 

Funny how those of us who go way back at the lake remember some of the old places that are now long gone. I had a daughter (now 40) who worked at Trues one summer during high school (and spent more than her paycheck on clothes there). I would take Mom to St Charles where Church Landing is now and we all loved Franken Sundae. Long long time ago there was a restaurant on the corner of rte 3 and rte 25 where we would go for spaghetti. I sure would love to have things stay the same in some areas but always adjust to the new things. Trues is pretty hard to replace though. I am sitting here looking at a fleece robe that I got there! I miss them. I also loved to go through the Christmas shop there and found an occasional decoration. Wonder what will be there now? I agree that maybe the Church Landing group may have a use for it but maybe not. They have so many places already. I love Winnipesaukee and anything that has to do with that wonderful Lake!!

2nd version of True's
 

For those of us who go waaayyyyyy back, True's was strictly a gift shop. The sportwear, sneakers, etc. came in the 2nd incarnation. I remember going to True's in the early 60's and starting my china animal collection. They had a large table with raised glass sides and the inside was filled with the softest, powdery white sand. In the sand stood all kinds of china animals. I still have my collection. Most of the animals stood 1 or 2 inches tall and they usually were grouped as families of sheep, ducks, horses, etc. Each room contained different styles of gifts. It sort of reminded me of the gift shop side of Black's in Wolfeboro only 3 or 4 times bigger.

Christmas Tree Loft closing
 

The bartender at Church Landing told me that they bought it and may turn it into upscale suites.

Although not the original topic and a very old topic as well the store was mentioned a couple of times in this thread by a few people

Main Street Meredith Many years ago
https://i.imgur.com/bBcWlUK.jpg

There was one in Wolfeboro too.

Wasn’t Samahas a ladies fashion store?


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Yes it was pine. There was another one almost across the street from it but I can't remember the name. I think it was there much later than this picture though.

Grads was located across the street, first couple of years at Christmas they had some great treats for shoppers.

Thanks ‘tis, I remember my Mom and her sisters shopping for hats there.


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The yield house was a customer of mine. Loved making the trip up to NH to see my sole northern NH customer. Lol. We made a machine that opened the envelopes that contained mail orders from customers.


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