Shopping
Bell Farm Shops owners open new gift shop in downtown Portsmouth
PORTSMOUTH — The owners of Bell Farm Shops have taken over the former location of Colby’s Breakfast & Lunch in with a new gift shop, Perch + Petal.
The shop features garden-themed gifts, backyard bird supplies, seasonal gifts and home décor. The Corgan family, which owns and runs the Bell Farm Shops on Route 1 in York, Maine, had been looking for ways to expand for a few years. When they learned that Colby’s had closed and the Daniel Street space in Portsmouth was available for rent, they decided to move in.
Now, owner Michelle Corgan said she and her family are looking forward to becoming part of a new community in Portsmouth and learning the trends of shoppers downtown. She said they hope to use this smaller shop as a template for future locations.
“We’re definitely excited,” Corgan said. “We think it’s great to be part of the community, and we think it could be an opportunity to, if it works well, to potentially do more simple shops.”
Bell Farm Shops owners expand with Portsmouth gift shop
The Corgans bought the longtime business Bell Farm Shops in 2017 and have been working to make it their dream gift shop. They eventually added the Nectar Café onsite – a food truck serving sandwiches, doughnuts, and other comfort fare.
Michelle Corgan said they have always considered ways of growing their business by using the farm property. They started work on turning the property into a wedding venue, even meeting with architects before realizing the project might not be the best route.
“It was just a little too challenging in terms of getting power back there,” Michelle Corgan said.
The Corgans were fans of Colby’s and went out to breakfast one day when they saw Colby’s space was up for lease at 105 Daniel St. The breakfast place closed last year, one month shy of its 20th anniversary.
The space was completely renovated by the owner, which Corgan said was appealing to her family seeking a blank canvas to start from scratch. They signed a lease on Nov. 15 and were open in time for Black Friday.
The Corgans said they recognize their location could present some challenges not being directly downtown, but they hope the word will spread. Since they opened quickly, they still have some catching up to do, like creating a website.
Bell Farm Shops in York is all in for Christmas
As for their York store, the Corgans say they are in full Christmas swing. They have the full Christmas experience with Christmas trees at Saint Nick’s Tress in the back, holiday-themed coffee drinks at their food trailer, and a fully decked-out Christmas shop. They say they have seen a little crossover between stores, but mostly new faces.
Corgan said the growth of the business has been exciting to follow. At first, she said they did not think they were going to last. That changed in 2022 when she said people started to take notice of the shop.
“Honestly, I feel so lucky that people continue to walk through these doors every day,” Corgan said.
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