Great place to live or vacation but......

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by GTO

The phone message at Mr Fireplace says they are under new management and are closing for a couple of weeks but will re-open

Damn...

Long story...

[Silver Duck]

I sure hope that the more optimistic posters are right! It's been kind of a nervous winter wondering how many of the businesses we enjoy patronizing won't be there this year when we get back.

Silver Duck

[angela4design]

I have a pretty good source that says Mr Fireplace is done for good.

[no-engine]

Originally Posted by angela4design

I have a pretty good source that says Mr Fireplace is done for good.

It was kind of a "sloppy" place when I ventured in just before Christmas.

[pats fan]

Originally Posted by Channel Pirate

The same gent that owns the Weirs Beach General Store property also owns the old Waldo Pepers/Sushi Mart and trailer park across the street. Local rumor has it he has filed chap 11. Just local rumors though, I will apologize if it is not true.
It is also rumord that the grey building behind the General Store/Condos will be torm down this spring, sad because it was the first place I lived on the lake when I relocated back in the late 80's. Mr.Bertholet use to be my landlord, he has since noved on for certain reasons.
That's all we need is more Condos right? As long as it keeps NH sales tax free whatever.
God bless Sid, he had the right formula to be a long term survivor in this on and off tourist economy.
The Citco will reopen soon, it just cost the owner more to stay open all winter than it cost to close for five mounths out of the season just like every one else that owns a busines in the "As the Weirs Turns" soap opera.

I know the man that owns the General store and the property that was Boston Seafood and he has no financial difficulties and is doing quite well. He is currently at his winter home in South Florida and comes back to his waterfront home on the lake in April. He also owns a lot of other rental property in several towns near Boston. He was in town for a couple of days two weeks ago to check on the construction progress.

Two different parties who rented the general store over the last 5 years both went out of business at that location too. One of them had over 30 years of retail experience prior to operating the Handy Landing store. Several years ago he also ran the Citgo store too. So the person that thought it was inexperience is not correct either.

Over the last several years, the Citgo and Willows both lost a substantial amount of money each winter. The owners of the Citgo decided it wasn't worth it to stay open to lose money. The owner of Willows decided to give up because it took him most of the summer season to make up for what he had lost during the winter.

[Channel Pirate]

Just repeating whats being said around the neighborhood, so I do apologize and I said I would becase I know how rumors are around here.

Does anyone want to start a pool on the longevity of a sushi bar ? Just like Ice Out, closest without going over.

[dykg]

If businesses cannot make it year round then why the increase in development in the Weirs area? I just don't understand it unless more and more people are living year round there.

[phoenix]

i agree that the sushi bar could be difficult to survive given it is a speciality that many wouldn't go to

[TiltonBB]

The increase in residential development goes back to the subject and point at the beginning of this thread. It is a great place to live or vacation, but tough to operate a profitable business.

You don't see a lot of new commercial development in the Weirs Beach area. What commercial development you do see may have a negative effect on existing businesses. (Think Channel Citgo vs. Cumberland Farms) There is only so much to go around.

The residential development is still moving forward, though not much is selling. Maybe, many years from now, when the residential base is substantially larger, the need for more businesses will be there.

If you draw a 10 mile circle around any business, that is where 90% of your clients will come from. If you look at the population of the greater Laconia area and compare it to, say, suburban Boston, the number of potential clients within that 10 mile radius is quite different. Add to that fact, that the Weirs Beach area population for 9 months of the year is substantially lower than an area that is not so seasonal. And, during the winter months people are much less likely to leave their homes and spend money than people in warmer climates.

Someone wishing to operate a profitable business in the Weirs Beach area needs to draw on a very small base of potential year round customers or come up with a business plan that will be profitable with only 12 good weeks a year.

[fatlazyless]

Anyone know how's vacation home sales doing at Meredith Bay, formerly Akwa Soliel, and located in the Weirs? Last year, Laconia rebuilt the old. bumpy road below Meredith Bay and close to the water into a very nice new, smooth road.

Today's Laconia Daily Sun has Lakes Region Real Estate Report on page 19.

It talks specific homes and prices.

41 Havenwood Drive, Laconia
4 bed, 2 1/2 bath colonial, .42 acre
asking $249,000, assessed for $316,630

3 Cyrus Lane, Gilford
3 bed, 2 bath ranch, .41 acre
asking $119,000, assessed for $220,400

23 Serenity Lane, Meredith
4 bed, 4 bath (?), 3.94 acre
asking $497,360, assessed for $767,100

[MTyo]

Owning a business in the Weirs has always been challenging. Unfortunately, this is a tourist area & highly seasonal. Although there is a great base of year round locals in the area that try hard to keep all the local businesses afloat, there is only so much to go around. We can't expect them to go to every place & spend their hard earned money when things are so tough for everyone right now.

Tilton BB is right. So many of the new developments & condos are 2nd homes to out of state people. The area may seem to be growing & thriving but those people just aren't here all the time. So many of the places are for sale or being forclosed upon. (as pointed out with the daily sun ads below) Nothing is selling right now. Local realtors are having a tough time with an overload of properties to sell & just not enough buyers right now.

It makes you sad to drive around Laconia & see all the businesses that are for sale/lease or that have just put up closed signs & don't know if they can re-open. So many places that have been Weirs Beach staples for years are just dissappearing (ie: JT's, Dakota Leather, handy landing).

I guess it's just a sign of the times. But as i've always been told, things will come full circle in due time. Hopefully it's true. There are some amazing hard working people that own businesses in this area & I would hate to see anymore dissappear.

[no-engine]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Anyone know how's vacation home sales doing at Meredith Bay, formerly Akwa Soliel, and located in the Weirs? Last year, Laconia rebuilt the old. bumpy road below Meredith Bay and close to the water into a very nice new, smooth road.

Today's Laconia Daily Sun has Lakes Region Real Estate Report on page 19.

It talks specific homes and prices.

41 Havenwood Drive, Laconia
4 bed, 2 1/2 bath colonial, .42 acre
asking $249,000, assessed for $316,630

3 Cyrus Lane, Gilford
3 bed, 2 bath ranch, .41 acre
asking $119,000, assessed for $220,400

23 Serenity Lane, Meredith
4 bed, 4 bath (?), 3.94 acre
asking $497,360, assessed for $767,100

MB has a home at the very top under construction; terribly windy location, and as far as I can conclude there is very little consideration to orientation for even a little solar gain!

The Serenity Lane site must be one of the two homes at the very top of that hill off Parade Road. Are these three foreclosures, or advertisements for sale? Reads like a for sale advertisement.