Jan. 13—AN OLD carriage house tucked away off South Main Street in Concord is set to bring a Nashville feel to the Granite State.
Developer Steve Duprey plans to restore the building and open a restaurant and event space to be called Duke's — complete with a cowboy in the logo. Early plans for the inside show whiskey barrel tables and acoustic guitars as part of the decor.
The restaurant will offer a simple menu, events and live music.
This is part of Duprey's long-awaited Arts Alley project next to the Bank of New Hampshire Stage, which also includes plans for a new two-story building on the main drag and a restored diner. Plans show a colorful walkway leading to the courtyard with the entrance to Duke's just beyond it.
"We think of it as a statewide venue space where you can have different functions going on at the same time," Duprey said.
Plans for the new building went from five stories to four stories to two stories with a rooftop deck. Changes to the building still need final design approvals.
Duprey worked with Procon, a design-build firm in Hooksett, to revise the plans. A huge hurdle has been skyrocketing costs the past few years, including higher interest rates, he said.
The bottom floor will be a Friendly Toast restaurant — a "brunch & bar" chain with locations in Bedford and Portsmouth and around New England. The second floor will be an upscale function space called "The Venue" managed by Duprey's Grappone Conference Center.
"We have a commitment and contractual agreement with the Friendly Toast," Duprey. "They are excited, we are excited."
The 1854 Norris House on the property likely will be demolished after exhausting options to move it.
The courtyard will include a 1940s diner once owned by Michael Dingman, a former New Hampshire businessman and onetime Ford Motor Co. director, which will be used for events and pop-up restaurants.
If that's not cool enough, a restored Airstream trailer will be used as a bar on the rooftop, which will also include a bocce court.
The construction is expected to start on March 21 and be completed on an expedited schedule in six months.
Cafe growth
Two businesses with spots in downtown Concord are expanding with new New Hampshire locations.
The Works Cafe opened its 11th cafe in Hanover last week.
The cafe featuring New York-style bagels is located at 25 S. Main St., next to the Dartmouth Co-op. The hours are set for 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
"Cheers to new beginnings and countless moments of joy at The Works Cafe!" the restaurant wrote on Facebook. "We can't wait to serve you!"