Posted: 6/22/2014 5:57:23 AM EDT
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Hi - I sometimes travel to Meredith for work and was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for places to visit. Not tourist attractions, but family-style restaurants (the hotel food is great but sometimes we want a "real meal"), practical places like new & used tool places, gun shops (duh), lawn & garden, chainsaw, or tractor places where people have older stock or know how to actually repair things rather than merely sell parts. My wife goes with me and she's pretty practical, too, so if there are any gardening or non-fad clothing places and maybe stuff like Fiesta ware and useful antique stuff (old Kitchen tools, gardening tools, etc) - we'd appreciate tips on those places, also. If anyone is familiar with Lehman's - like that.
I've traveled there from the North (over through Cornish ME on Rt 25 along the Swift River) and next time will probably go over from the South or up from Rochester on Rt 11 & 3 and along the West shores of Winnipesaukee. I google-mapped around to see what's there, and noticed Hart's Turkey Farm, Abe's and Frank's gun shops. I'm going to keep searching but anyone who lives nearby and has suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. |
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Pa and Sunshine is a good place for breakfast and lunch, located right in downtown Meredith. Good portions and friendly waitresses, loud and crowded like all restaurants because of the Flatlanders.
Next town over in Laconia you’ll find The Soda Shoppe for breakfast/lunch/dinner. Quick service and reasonable prices, pretty much everything made from scratch. Jon’s Roast Beef in Laconia makes some great sandwiches, again with some nice people behind the counter. Abes Awesome Armament (ask for John!), Skips, Franks, Belmont Firearms and Martels are the local shops. Best antique store in the area is right in downtown Laconia. I don’t remember the name of it but it’s a big place, park at the Soda Shoppe and walk around the corner. |
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Abe's is good. IM Blackmore.
Hart's is overpriced and undewhelming. Common Man has decent food, but their owner is the reason Pemi's planned 1,000 yard range got blocked. Johnson's Dairybar on 11! YUM! Right nearby is the Ammo Dump, with lots of reloading supplies. You will also like the Olde Country Store in Moultonborough. Sounds like it is right up your alley. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
I will second the Common Man as good food. Honestly about half the restaurants in Meredith are owned by the Common Man family of restaurants. Of these in Meredith, the best IMO is Camp (very reasonably priced) and Town Docks (Seafood and beach bar ish atmosphere). The original Common Man is in Ashland and is very good (I may be biased, my wife manages there). True the owner is far left of center and is quite  , but he has next to nothing to do with day to day operations outside of big publicity events like 4th of July in Ashland, Sandwich Fair, etc.
Other good choices (outside of Cman family) are Canoe in Center Harbor and Walter's Basin in Holderness. If you wife is into quilting, have her check out Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor. Of the gun shops, Skip's is my personal favorite but being in Bristol would be a bit of a hike from Meredith. Abe's is good, has more of a milsurp vibe to it, lots of knives and is convenient being close to 93. Franks is your typical hole in the wall gun store. I have found good deals on used guns there before, however they have recently moved to a different location in Meredith and I havent been in yet. |
Thanks - I read a little about the Common Man bunch of restaurants and got kind of the same "aroma". When business takes me to Western MA, we always liked eating in Northampton even though it is a very....uh....happy place. 
We decided a long time ago that we send way more bucks to the black hole in DC than we give to whackos locally, so we stopped worrying about it. Diesel's comment about the range kind of frosted me, so if we can find good food elsewhere, we will. I was kind of looking at Lago, though. I think I'm going to swing into the Ammo Dump because it is right off 11 on the way. Probably also find Frank's and Abe's, especially if Abe's has a bunch of milsurps. I thought you guys would come through - thanks again for the advice. |
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I think I'm going to swing into the Ammo Dump because it is right off 11 on the way. Probably also find Frank's and Abe's, especially if Abe's has a bunch of milsurps. I thought you guys would come through - thanks again for the advice.
Definitely check out Ammo Dump. Looks like a hole in the wall, but the owner is a good guy. If you pull in and the place is closed, give it a minute...he'll walk over from the house right next door when he sees you pull in. He had Aguilla .22 for $40/brick when KTP was selling it for $70...on sale. (Didn't have anything else at the time, but nobody else had anything). Honest about his prices too. When I asked what SKSs were going for nowadays, he just said he won't sell $100 guns for $400, so don't bother. I like that. |
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You can stop into my office to give my boss a dope slap. Tell him to remove his head from his arse.
I've always enjoyed Church Landing and eating at the Lakehouse. Their lunch menu is affordable given the atmosphere, etc. I've also had some great luck at the Wine'ing Butcher. |
| Many gun owners in the area refuse to support the Common Man or any restaurant associated with its owner. The owner built a house near a long established range and then started complaining about the noise. The douchebag even attempted to get his neighbors to sign a petition against the range! I’m told that his actions are the reason for the 1000 yard range not being built. This is America so spend your money where you chose, but you’ll never see me there. |
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Many gun owners in the area refuse to support the Common Man or any restaurant associated with its owner. The owner built a house near a long established range and then started complaining about the noise. The douchebag even attempted to get his neighbors to sign a petition against the range! I’m told that his actions are the reason for the 1000 yard range not being built. This is America so spend your money where you chose, but you’ll never see me there. I personally know Rusty (who's also only a part owner) and have enjoyed my interactions with him. My buying a $6 reuben is not going to take him to the next level of elite nor do I feel it's supporting his agenda. I never agreed with his choice of placement for his house and the way he handled it. However, he's also contributed to many other non-gun related ventures that I do find pleasing. I still wonder to this day what Meredith would be like if it weren't McLear-adith or if Rusty and Alex never met. I don't necessarily think the place is any better off as a result of their expansions. |
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Quoted:
Many gun owners in the area refuse to support the Common Man or any restaurant associated with its owner. The owner built a house near a long established range and then started complaining about the noise. The douchebag even attempted to get his neighbors to sign a petition against the range! I’m told that his actions are the reason for the 1000 yard range not being built. This is America so spend your money where you chose, but you’ll never see me there. Quoted:
Many gun owners in the area refuse to support the Common Man or any restaurant associated with its owner. The owner built a house near a long established range and then started complaining about the noise. The douchebag even attempted to get his neighbors to sign a petition against the range! I’m told that his actions are the reason for the 1000 yard range not being built. This is America so spend your money where you chose, but you’ll never see me there. Honestly I don't think there is a personal problem with guns, just the noise. I could honestly see someone like a Romney, or a Sununu being butt hurt over the noisy range they bought a house next to and pulling the same crap regardless of political leanings. If we boycotted every shop, food joint, town, etc. because we didn't agree with their stance on every single issue we would be awful cold, hungry and lonely. Anywho We decided a long time ago that we send way more bucks to the black hole in DC than we give to whackos locally, so we stopped worrying about it. Diesel's comment about the range kind of frosted me, so if we can find good food elsewhere, we will. I was kind of looking at Lago, though. Lago is very good eats but on the pricey side. |
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Cool! I'm looking for guns and grub on vacation and we started a fight! It's a fight I understand and support, though.
We went last week (didn't want to advertise my travel plans online), hooked down to Rochester and came up Rt 11 - wished I'd have waited longer at Ammo Dump which was closed. Ate at Hart's, Sunshine and Pa's, Giuseppe's, the Town Dock, and the Lake House. Stopped in at Abe's, Frank's was dark as a pocket on Wednesday - no sign indicating hours. Also found the American Police Motorcycle Museum which is worth every nickle of the ten bucks (cash) they charge to get in. All the places we went that you guys suggested were great - thanks again. We drove right by Johnson's Dairy Bar and wished we had stopped. I thought Hart's was good but my wife was not greatly impressed. She's not a huge Turkey fan like I am. We did some exploring on our own over through Laconia and out past Bristol. Next time we'll stick to the Northern route via 25 because I saw more gun shops on the way home than on the way up. DieselEngineer & John E - Blackmore also recommended Skip's which we were within striking didstance of while in Bristol - we'll check it out next time. |
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If you take 25 through Ossipee, stop at Olde Post Office Antiques at 41 courthouse square. Don't let the name fool you... He only carries C&R eligible firearms and militaria. Only open Thursday through Saturday.
He has a Mauser 1918 T-fewer on display. Anti-tank rifle |
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If you take 25 through Ossipee, stop at Olde Post Office Antiques at 41 courthouse square. Don't let the name fool you... He only carries C&R eligible firearms and militaria. Only open Thursday through Saturday. He has a Mauser 1918 T-fewer on display. Anti-tank rifle Does he have a good selection? Decent prices? |
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Yes and yes. He has all kinds of things on the rack and more locked up. Mostly milsurp on display, but a large amount of old rifles and shotguns locked up if that's your thing. Just don't ask him for any firearms made in the past thirty or so years. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Yes and yes. He has all kinds of things on the rack and more locked up. Mostly milsurp on display, but a large amount of old rifles and shotguns locked up if that's your thing. Just don't ask him for any firearms made in the past thirty or so years. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Thats good news, my interest is the milsurp firearms. I assume he is C&R friendly? I know how some gun shop owners look at you like you have two heads when you whip out your 03 |
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Quoted:
I personally know Rusty (who's also only a part owner) and have enjoyed my interactions with him. My buying a $6 reuben is not going to take him to the next level of elite nor do I feel it's supporting his agenda. I never agreed with his choice of placement for his house and the way he handled it. However, he's also contributed to many other non-gun related ventures that I do find pleasing. I still wonder to this day what Meredith would be like if it weren't McLear-adith or if Rusty and Alex never met. I don't necessarily think the place is any better off as a result of their expansions. Quoted:
Quoted:
Many gun owners in the area refuse to support the Common Man or any restaurant associated with its owner. The owner built a house near a long established range and then started complaining about the noise. The douchebag even attempted to get his neighbors to sign a petition against the range! I’m told that his actions are the reason for the 1000 yard range not being built. This is America so spend your money where you chose, but you’ll never see me there. I personally know Rusty (who's also only a part owner) and have enjoyed my interactions with him. My buying a $6 reuben is not going to take him to the next level of elite nor do I feel it's supporting his agenda. I never agreed with his choice of placement for his house and the way he handled it. However, he's also contributed to many other non-gun related ventures that I do find pleasing. I still wonder to this day what Meredith would be like if it weren't McLear-adith or if Rusty and Alex never met. I don't necessarily think the place is any better off as a result of their expansions. I can tell you first hand that they destroyed it. I was raised in downtown Meredith in the 80 and 90s. You couldn't have asked for a better town to raise children in. Then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed. It was more than likely inevitable though. Low to middle class income town with a perfect location and lots of available real estate. If the two of them didn't scoop it up, some other investor would have. |
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I can tell you first hand that they destroyed it. I was raised in downtown Meredith in the 80 and 90s. You couldn't have asked for a better town to raise children in. Then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed. It was more than likely inevitable though. Low to middle class income town with a perfect location and lots of available real estate. If the two of them didn't scoop it up, some other investor would have. GM - I can say that about a lot of places in Maine, also. I watched small houses and piles of lobster traps get replaced with palaces, and places where we used to walk along the shore get posted (Even though they don't own beyond the high water mark). When I was 18 I swore I'd never cross Route 1 again in my life (which extends all the way to Fort Kent!). A lot of us in our 30's were thinking it wasn't safe to cross Route 2 anymore (unhealthy Pickup to Volvo ratio). Then I met a gal from Lincoln who had not visited the ocean much and we got good job offers down in Augusta....so guess where we live and go now for fun? Way below Route 2 and regularly cross Route 1 to hobnob with the beautiful people. Was there yesterday as a matter of fact. |