The Finer Things- A Women's Boutique Celebrates 10 years in Olde Towne Portsmouth

The Finer Things, women's boutique, Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia

Re-posted from Portsmouth Economic Development, Community Business Initiative

The finer things in life are located at 511 Washington Street in Downtown Portsmouth… literally. The Finer Things is a charming, inviting women’s boutique owned by businesswoman and fashionista Beryl Rooks. And this month, The Finer Things celebrates its ten (10) year anniversary as a Downtown Portsmouth go-to for consumers seeking quality garments and classic accessories. Take a walk by this specialty shop, and you’ll be invited in by a vibrant window-dressing. Inside you’ll discover walls filled with timeless fashions, pictures of Beryl’s loved ones, and loyal customers shopping for jewelry and dresses all hand-selected by Beryl from venders in Texas, California, and New York.

Ten years in business is quite the accomplishment, especially given the current economic climate. Beryl credits her success to her experience as an accomplished school administrator and a support system of seasoned professionals. Listening, building relationships, and customer service are skills transferred from past days as an educator to today as a small business owner; Beryl’s business marketing strategy is word-of-mouth advertising through a network of loyal clients, which has proven to be successful in garnering a clientele representing the entire region. Beryl’s daughter, a fashion and merchandising professional, provided the initial inspiration for a trunk show that eventually grew into The Finer Things of today. Professional, working relationships with an accountant and an insurance broker keep Beryl in-the-know about the business’s financial health.

The Finer Things is a “special place for special people.” Stop by to see Beryl Tuesday through Thursday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Friday from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Saturday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. And join the City in congratulating Beryl for a decade of success in Downtown Portsmouth!

Follow the link here to Portsmouth Economic Development (Portsmouth, Virginia)

Cash Mob Hits the Streets in Olde Towne. Come and Join in the Fun!

Portsmouth Hosts the 23rd Annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race

Schooners of all shapes and sizes will be docked along Olde
Towne Portsmouth Virginia's waterfront, Saturday, October 13, 2012.

They're schooners here, there and just about everywhere along our riverside and you won’t want to miss it. That’s right, this Saturday, October 13, 2012, the City of Portsmouth, Virginia hosts the 23rd Annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race post race celebration.  The world’s largest gathering of schooners will race again from Annapolis, Maryland to Portsmouth, Virginia, with nearly 40 entries in this year's race. They'll be schooners of all types and sizes docked along Portsmouth’s waterfront for you to view, with some open to the public.

You'll also want to spend the day and take in all that Olde Towne has to offer. Stroll along historic High Street and visit our exceptional antique shops, art galleries and unique specialty stores that can only be found in Olde Towne. Have a great lunch or dinner in one of our chef and family owned restaurants, sports bars and pubs...there's plenty to choose from and you'll definitely find one to your liking. Visit the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, the Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum and the Portsmouth Lightship and the newly renovated and expanded Portsmouth Children's Museum.

For more information, follow the link here to the 23rdAnnual GCBSR Official Race Program and here’s the link to the Great ChesapeakeBay Schooner Race website.  Hope to see you here!

12 Historic Squares of High Street- Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia

History of High Street
Portsmouth was founded as a town in 1752, on 65 acres of land on the shores of the Elizabeth River. The town was founded by William Crawford, a wealthy merchant and ship owner who at various times had held office as the Norfolk County presiding court judge, high sheriff, militia lieutenant colonel and representative to the House of Burgesses. Because of his militia service, he is frequently referred to as "Colonel Crawford." The 65 acres were part of Colonel Crawford's extensive plantation and were constituted as a town by an enabling act of the General Assembly of Virginia.

Portsmouth gets its name from the English naval port of Portsmouth, England. The town was laid out checkerboard style with 122 half-acre lots around its town square at High and Court streets. Streets were organized in a grid pattern with street widths alternating between 32, 50 and 100 feet. Each block or square was named for noted Virginians, Englishmen, or places in England or the United States.
Streets were named similarly. High Street was named for the main commercial corridor in Portsmouth, England. It is 100 feet wide, with two narrow parallel streets of 32-foot widths (Queen and King streets), located to the north and south. Narrower streets served as alleys for High Street, facilitating the access to commercial buildings from the rear.

Towne Square historic marker on High street.

Still standing is the original downtown intersection that the city's founder, Col. William Crawford, dedicated to public use -- one corner each for a church, a market, a courthouse, and a jail. In fact, Trinity Episcopal Church on the southwest corner -- founded in 1762 -- still rings its bells across the street from the 1846 Courthouse that now serves as a museum. With six districts listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places, Portsmouth is a history lover's paradise.


Walking Tour
If you head west on High Street, you’ll find shops, restaurants, and museums. The Children’s Museum of Virginia and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame face each other on opposite sides of High Street, offering fun exhibits and interactive activities for people of all ages.

Commodore Theatre

At 421 High Street, you’ll come across the Commodore Theatre. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Landmarks Register, this old-fashioned theater was built in 1945 and was at the time considered the best-equipped theater in Hampton Roads. Today, the Commodore Theatre has been meticulously restored and continues to be a popular place to catch the latest films.
After checking out the theater, head back east on High Street to the corner of Court Street and High Street, where the city’s founder created a town square. In the original layout for Portsmouth, these four corners were designated for a church, a market, a courthouse and a jail.
On the northwest corner, you’ll see an imposing Greek Revival building, surrounded by a wrought-iron fence and nearly hidden behind the massive oak trees that shade its courtyard. Built in 1846, it served as the Norfolk County Courthouse until 1960. Now it is home to the Courthouse Galleries, an art museum with two spacious galleries of ever-changing exhibits. From the original hand-colored lithographs of John James Audubon to the 17th-century engravings that depict some of the earliest images of Virginia Indians, the Courthouse Galleries museum continually strives to promote a greater appreciation and understanding of the arts.

A Tour of the 12 Merchant Squares of Historic High Street

Colonel Crawford leads a tour up High Street.

Heading West from the Elizabeth River to Effingham Street.

Bloomsberry Square- bounded by Crawford, King, Middle and High Streets- named for Bloomsbury, a district of London, England.

Market Square- bounded by Middle, King, Court and High Streets. In 1752 when Colonel William Crawford established the town of Portsmouth he designated part of this square for a market, hence the name, although a market was never erected at this location.

Church Square- bounded by Court, king, Dinwiddie and High Streets. When William Crawford, founder of Portsmouth, laid out the street plan in 1752, he designated the intersection of High Street and Court Street as the town center and set aside space for a parish church. In 1761, when the Vestry of Trinity Church was formed with Crawford as a member, the original church building comprised most of what is now the nave.

Dinwiddie Square- bounded by Dinwiddie, King, Washington and High street. It was named for Robert Dinwiddie (1693-1770), lieutenant-governor of Virginia, 1751-1758.

Cheshire Square- bounded by Washington, King, Green and High Streets. It was probably named for the English County of Cheshire.

Montgomery Square- bounded by Green, King, Effingham and High Streets. It may have been named after Robert Montgomery (1736-1775), brigadier general in Continental Army who was killed leading the assault on Quebec, or it may have been named after the Herbert family, hereditary Earls of Montgomery.

Heading East from Effingham Street on High Street towards the river.

Washington Square- bounded by Green, High, Effingham and Queen Streets. It was named after George Washington (1732-1799), commander–in-chief of Virginia troops, 1775, and of all Continental troops, 1775, first President of the United States.

Anderson-Wright at Devonshire Square.

Devonshire Square- bounded by Washington, High, Green and Queen Streets. Named after the English County of Devonshire.

Oxford Square- bounded by Dinwiddie, High, Washington and Queen Streets. Named after the well known street in London, England.

Prison Square- bounded by Court, High, Dinwiddie, and Queen Streets. It was so named because Crawford in 1752 had designed part of this square for the erection of a prison.

Courthouse Square- bounded by Middle, High, Court and Queen Streets. Crawford designated part of this same square for the erection of a court house, hence the name Court House Square.

Golden Square- bounded by Crawford, High, Middle and Queen Streets.

Whether coming to visit or an afternoon or an extended stay, historic Olde Towne Portsmouth offers a break from the ordinary. Olde Towne offers
superb shopping and exquisite dining along the High Street corridor
that makes up the 12 historic squares laid out in 1752 by Col. William 
Crawford, the city's founder. Visit Olde Towne's fine antique shops, 
remarkable specialty stores and sophisticated art galleries. Dine in
Portsmouth's exceptional selection of fine restaurants, cafes, bistros and 
pubs for a delectable experience. 
The merchants and restaurant here in Olde Towne are committed to
making your visit as memorable as it is rewarding, showing your that the 
heart of our quaint historic seaport is based on the enduring distinction of 
fine customer service.

Welcome to the Best of Virginia 2012!

Virginia Living Magazine's Best of Virginia 2012

In January and February of 2012, Virginia Living Magazine asked their readers, to tell them their ‘bests’ in everything from dining to doing. And they told them! After receiving nearly 10,000 responses, Virginia Living counted the surveys and compiled the list of winners. They now know the best restaurants and bars, shops and boutiques, even dermatologists and architects from across the five regions of Virginia—Eastern, Northern, Central, Southwestern and the Shenandoah Valley.

As expected, Olde Towne Portsmouth fared well in the competition and beat out some pretty respectable Hampton roads competition in both food and drink categories and shopping and services. Here's the list of Olde Towne Portsmouth's distinguished winners from the Best of Virginia 2012! You can also preview all of the winners around the commonwealth by clicking here.

BEST RESTAURANTS AND BARS

Best Cheap Place to Grab Lunch- Baron's Pub (third place)

Best Continental Cuisine- Cafe Europa (third place)

Best Fusion Cuisine- Still Eclectic (third place)

Best Martini Bar- Still Eclectic (second place)

Best Nightclub- The Mansion (first place)

Best Place for Cocktails- Still Eclectic (first place)

Best Place to Buy Beer- Bier Garden (first place)

Best Sports Bar- Roger Brown's (first place)

BEST SHOPPING AND SERVICES

Best Home Decor Store- Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery (second place)

Best Man-Cave Store- Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery (first place)

Best Marine Supply- Mile Marker "0" Marine Supply (second place)

To purchase your copy of Virginia Living's Best of Virginia 2012 issue, visit any quality newsstand across the state, or click here to buy online.

Shopping Olde Towne Portmouth; Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery is Everything Nautical

Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery storefront next to the Hog Island
Lighthouse lens on the Elizabeth Riverfront in Olde Towne Portsmouth, VA.

Tell us about your business. 

Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery is an upscale retail store located on the waterfront in historic Olde Towne Portsmouth. Our store's gallery offers a focused collection of authentic maritime antiques, fine original marine art and prints, folk and sailor art and sculptures and represents over two dozen marine artists from around the world. Skipjack also offers custom nautical furniture and furnishings, ship and table lighting, ship models, marine instruments, Chelsea clocks and barometers and authentic ship salvage: everything from floors to doors!

Skipjack's Chelsea room featuring nautical antiques, marine art
and Chelsea marine clocks and barometers.

Our Skipjack nautical accessories department features traditional yachting apparel with our own SKIPJACK NAUTICAL WEARS BRAND clothing, nautical/coastal inspired jewelry, quality nautical decor items and great gifts too! We even have a nautical pet section to dress up your salty dog! People also love our own SKIPJACK BRAND products made right here in Olde Towne Portsmouth. Skipjack is considered by many to the most unique and diverse nautical store anywhere in the world!

Skipjack Nautical Wears Brand boating-yachting apparel.

Tell us your Story.

Before Alison and I were together, I had sailed through the British Virgin Islands with a group of dive buddies and as part of the adventure, had the opportunity to visit a wonderful store with a selection of yachting apparel and  nautical inspired gifts, beautifully displayed in a showroom using authentic nautical shipboard items, cased ship models and original marine art as props. I loved the concept and their high quality yacht clothing was exceptional, but none of the fixtures, models and art on display were for sale. So, the original concept was born; to create a store that would feature our own brand of nautical apparel and yachting accessories together with the best nautical antiques, marine art, furnishings and decor where it would all be for sale.

Alison, my wife and business partner grew up in a world of classic motor and sailing yachts, so boating and everything nautical was a large part of her upbringing. My interest in the business came more from working in my college years and thereafter in fine men's apparel. Later in life I owned  a business dealing in fine american antiques and interiors. This included some maritime-related antiques and  period marine art. Our worlds came together from a mutual interest in underwater archaeology where we worked as divers on shipwreck projects with archaeologists in different parts of the world.

After working on a  project off the coast of England (the Great Storm of 1703 wrecks), we flew back via a short stop in Florida to see Alison's family. Her father knew of a great nautical salvage  yard he thought we would enjoy visiting.  We met the business owner and a year later we were back, this time on our first buying trip for what would soon become Skipjack Nautical Wares.  The business was launched in 2003 in an old building near the oceanfront on the southside of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Tell us about the history of Skipjack.


We opened the doors to Skipjack in the late spring of 2003 after several really hard months of renovation of an old building that was originally part of a railroad station and was also the first location for WRV, the famous surf shop Wave Riding Vehicles. After a couple years of start up and trial business, we decided to relocate Skipjack to a town that was more in keeping with what we were about, a historic seaport with a lot of maritime history and a great selection of like-kind businesses such as antique shops, art galleries, etc. Our original and top choice was Annapolis, Maryland, but we found the rent to be way above our comfort level and current ability to pay. Having raised the question of relocating Skipjack, a few of our customers had suggested that we consider Olde Towne Portsmouth as a viable location and one that matched our wish list.

Our first Skipjack Nautical Wares was located on
Norfolk Avenue, southside Virginia Beach.

We drove around and toured the Olde Towne area. The opportunity here seemed like it could work. The Olde Towne/Downtown area had a lot to offer with a number of museums in walking distance, a nice selection of quality antique shops, art galleries and other specialty stores, and best of all, it was one of Virginia's and our country's most historic seaports!

The CSS VIRGINIA  was built here at the Gosport navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia.

We interviewed a number of the store owners for their feedback on business in Portsmouth. Though the reviews were mixed, it did seem that there was a grand vision for the future of Olde Towne and it looked like a good investment and a new home for Skipjack.

We placed our Virginia Beach home on the market and started shopping around for a location for our new store. After a month's tme of searching, we found a property that had been listed on Portmouth's Economic Development website and called to see if it was still available. Apparently, the listing had run out and the property owner had chosen to take it off the market, but he would still entertain serious offers. We negotiated a workable deal, sold our home in Virginia Beach and bought the building of choice on the 600 block of High Street.

Srorefront picture of Skipjack Nautical Wares
first Olde Towne location , 629 High Street.

Again, after nearly 6 months of heavy renovation, we finally opened Skipjack Nautical Wares in the early fall of 2005 on the first floor of the building and continued renovating the second floor which had become our new residence. We loved the building, it was the perfect location for us and the 600 block of High Street was the center of retail for the downtown area. Living above the store certainly had its ups and downs, but for the most, we loved living downtown. It was a short walk to a number of great restaurants, the Commodore Theatre, the riverfront, and fun events. We became members of the Olde Towne Business Association and got to meet the business members of our new community. Life was good. Business was good. We had found our new home, our business was growing and we loved it!

Interior picture of Skipjack's first  Olde Towne store.

2007 brought the beginnings of an economic downturn and we certainly felt the pinch, then the year ended in disaster. The Zion Baptist Church, located in buildings next to us and behind us caught on fire the night of December 20 and our building was damaged by the event. To make matters worse, we were told throughout the day by the deputy Fire Marshall that they were not going to harm our building and planned to assist us in getting out our personal and store property. That never happened. Eventually we were told that the city planned to tear down the remains of the church structure that was so severely damaged and stood in harm's way, but our building would remain untouched. The next few hours brought us to our knees when the city hired a demolition company and without any discussion or prior notice, tore into the remaining church structure and proceeded to destroy our building with everything in it. Both our business and residence with all of our store inventory that had survived completely unharmed and all of our personal property that included rare, museum quality period American furniture and fine art, and just about everything else that we owned was demolished. We were wiped out!

The remains of our building after demolished by demolition company
 hired by the City of Portsmouth. Photo courtesy of the Virginian Pilot.

Through the kindness of the residents of Portsmouth and the rest of Hampton Roads, old customers, personal friends and family members, financial assistance came to us from personal donations, fundraisers and an auction that helped us get back on our feet and begin to start over.

Finally, after nearly a half year of being kept off of our property, I decided to start excavating the property and hoperfully recover whatever we could that the demolition followed by the winter and spring weather hadn't already destroyed. If the city manager was going to have me arrested for being on our own property and for trying to recover what was ours, then so be it. We had been through enough and we needed closure in this and move on. Fortunately, they left me alone and with help from friends and neighbors, we moved what little remained of the demolished structure, brick by brick, and uncovered what we could. The bright spot was when Alison's diamond engagement ring was uncovered as we sifted through the mounds of dirt and debris.

Excavating the remains of  our old building. The Zion Baptist Church
bell tower still stands in the background. Photo courtesy of the Virginian Pilot.

2008 was a year of renewal and we had to rebuild Skipjack from virtually nothing. Fortunately, we had created great relationships in the past and many of our old suppliers helped restock the shelves and new relationships brought in even more. After months of searching for a new location to house our store, we finally found an interesting location right on Olde Towne's riverfront, next to the High Street landing and the Hog Island lighthouse lens pavilion, with unbelievable views of the Elizabeth River and the shipyards located directly across the river. Again, after considerable renovations of the building and storefront -- and with incredible help from friends and family, we reopened in October of 2008, at 1 High Street in the historic Seaboard Railway Building.

Skipjack Nautical Wares is located on the riverside of the
historic Seaboard Railroad Building at High Street Landing.

Since then, we have rebuilt our store and added the marine gallery as well as added a custom framing shop (thanks Barb!) and numerous new products that are made right here in Olde Towne and in our Skipjack studio.

Chelsea clocks & barometers  and marine instruments at Skipjack Nautical Wares.

Life has not been easy for us since our beginnings in Virginia Beach, but we have to the best of our ability, steered the course and weathered the storms as they blow. Hopefully, life will be a little easier and smoother sailing ahead!

What's with the name Skipjack?

We wanted a name for our business that was both maritime and Chesapeake Bay. The Skipjack that we refer to in our business name comes from the traditional fishing boat used on Chesapeake Bay for oyster dredging. It is a sailboat which succeeded the bugeye as the chief oystering boat on the bay, and remains in service due to laws restricting the use of powerboats in oyster fishery.

The skipjack arose near the end of the 19th century. Dredging for oysters, prohibited in 1820, was again made legal in 1865. Boats of the time were unsuitable, and the bugeye developed out of the log canoe in order to provide a boat with more power adapted to the shallow waters of the oyster beds.

A Skipjack under full sail.

The bugeye was originally constructed with a log hull, and as the supply of appropriate timber was exhausted and construction costs rose, builders looked to other designs. They adapted the sharpies of Long Island Sound by increasing the beam and simplifying the sail plan. The result was cheaper and simpler to construct than the bugeye, and it quickly became the predominant oystering boat in the bay.

Debate remains to this day about the origins of the name. Some speculate it came from a name New England fisherman called the flying fish, bonita. Still others claim it is derived from an archaic English term, meaning an "inexpensive yet useful servant."

At one time, the number of skipjacks produced is estimated at approximately 2,000; today, they number about 40, with less than half of them in active fishing.

What is one product you carry that every customer should know about?


That's a tough question. I guess the one major product that we produce are our custom made ship's grate furniture, made with authentic (usually teak) vintage grates recycled from old ships. We produce these into all types of tables and have had customers order these from as far away as Australia. We even produced one for a naval officer and was used in the White House. Custom ship's grate furniture.

What is one service that you offer that your customers should know about?

Most of our Hampton Roads customers are not aware that we have a custom framing department for our marine prints or your own art with a large selection of frame samples to choose from.  We also have a custom lamp and lampshade department and create a wide variety of nautical themed lamps from authentic shipboard and other nautical items. Our nautical chart lampshades are a great product for the coastal home and are available in standard and custom sizes. Nautical navigational chart lampshade.

Custom framing department at Skipjack Nautical Wares, Portsmouth, Virginia.

Any last thoughts to share?
After the fire, we considered moving Skipjack to a different town in a different state, but we decided to stay and continue to invest our time, energy and money in the town that we love, and with the people that we love here in Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia. We have unfortunately been fighting against hard economic times the last few years and Olde Towne lost a number of small retail businesses due to it. But we all have a vision for what  Olde Towne could be, should be and we truly believe it's the right place to be!

Enjoy the small town pace and the Olde Towne lifestyle.

Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery 

One High Street, Suite 3 (facing the riverfront)

Olde Towne - Portsmouth, Virginia 23704

757-399-5012 

Skipjack Webstore

http://www.skipjacknauticalwares.com

OPEN 24-7

skipjacknauticalwares@gmail.com

LATITUDE: 36.83487 LONGITUDE: -76.296412

PORTSMOUTH SHOWROOM HOURS

JANUARY thru APRIL:

Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm

Additional hours available by appointment 

MAY thru DECEMBER:

Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm

Sunday, 1pm - 4pm

Additional hours available by appointment 

VISA  MASTERCARD  DISCOVER

Olde Towne Portsmouth; Every Day Is Small Business Day

Anderson-Wright is an example
of the unique shops in Olde
Towne Portsmouth, VA.

O.K., hopefully you have seen advertised during the past few years; a campaign promoting Small Business Saturday, the Saturday that follows Thanksgiving requesting your support of local small stores as a consideration to your holiday shopping experience.  That’s great and kudos to American Express for getting behind this and for marketing to all the need to support your local small businesses. But for small business communities like ours, we simply cannot survive on the once a year marketing program or the occasional local "city held" events to bring people downtown, to shop, dine and experience our quaint historic seaport and hopefully frequent our businesses enough to keep our doors open and stay in business. So, if you haven’t heard this stated before then I’ll state it again: we the small business owners, the mom-and-pop shops and restaurateurs that make up our city's downtown are in business everyday and every day is a small business day.

"When you buy from an independent, locally owned business, rather than nationally owned businesses, ... you strengthen the economic base of the your community.”

Unique shops and specialty stores are the staple of Olde Towne Portsmouth shopping experience.

This blog is written to help support the entrepreneurs, the small businesses that are the engine of our local and national prosperity and a proud reflection of Olde Towne Portsmouth and our Nation’s character. “From our unique mom-and-pop storefront shops that anchor High Street and offer unique merchandise or special services customers can't find in big box stores to the chef or family owned and managed restaurant that brings to you an exceptional dining experience. Many of the dollars spent here in small businesses stay in our own town, supporting our schools, police and fire department and creating community. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the cornerstones of our Nation’s promise.

Brutti's Restaurant is one example of the fine dining establishments
that no longer resides here in Olde Towne Portsmouth.

Since the economy began to decline a few years ago, we have watched small businesses that our neighborhoods relied on struggle and then close. Many just closed overnight. I stopped by a favorite local restaurant to find huge “out of business” stickers posted all over the door - they just couldn't make ends meet, so their debtors came and shut them down. I direly miss our former shops and galleries now gone who took such pride in their businesses and marketed themselves with such enthusiasm. I miss the local wine and cheese shop and the natural foods store which brought amazing products that could not be bought in a grocery store. I miss the extraordinary art galleries and antique shops that once lined High Street in abundance that are now faint memories of our past.  

"First Friday" was a monthly
event designed to promote Olde
Towne's unique shops and
galleries. 

Olde Towne’s “First Friday”, a monthly event fashioned by a local art gallery owner, created an opportunity for the small retail shops to stay open at night together and an opportunity for shoppers to frequent the stores during the evening hours. Art galleries promoted show openings; others offered light fare and specials for the wandering shopper. This was the type of thinking that made Olde Towne great and brought attention to our community. Unfortunately, the gallery is gone and so are most of the participants that were the staples of the event. But these are the kinds of businesses that help form and bring together communities, but the only way they can survive is if local consumers are aware of how important it is that, when we are able to buy, we buy locally. When small businesses do well, communities flourish and our economy will grow.

So, this blog will feature over time all of the locally owned retail businesses and restaurants that exist within the downtown/Olde Towne business district. You will read about what makes them unique,  about products and services that can only be found here in Olde Towne. You will discover through these pages the Olde Towne restaurants and what makes them special. These articles will be the key to this blog and hopefully you will discover for yourself the magic that they bring to our Olde Towne Portsmouth- the magic they bring every day to Olde Towne!