Spotlight on Business

“finding beauty in the common…”

Suzanne Cullen has opened her first shop in Troy at the historic Whitney Store building next to the library.  She displays a large collection of antiques, vintage and gently used furniture, home décor and gifts, covering several rooms in the house at 2 South Main Street.

Suzanne has been a hospice nurse in Massachusetts.  She and her husband, Carl Ostrander, have five grown daughters, and live in New Ipswich.  The reason Suzanne chose to open her shop at this time stems from something she learned from her patients – “If you have a dream, then act on it now.  Don’t wait.”  It has been her dream and goal to offer an alternative to high prices.

Collecting has been a hobby since she was a child.  The shop is filled with items that recently filled their garage!  She has an eye for items that have been gently cared for, have a history or special craftsmanship.  If items need a little tender loving care, she helps them to endure.

As the weather gets colder and holiday season soon approaches us, SURELL Accessories is reopening their factory outlet store. The store will open November 11th at 11 AM—6 PM at the Mountain View Plaza between the Dragon Palace Restaurant and the US Post Office.  Please mark your calendar for our grand reopening party on November is from 11 AM-6 PM.  You will find great bargains on salesmen samples and overstock items. This outlet is one of the very few true factory outlet stores around with factory outlet prices. Surell manufactures and imports fur and faux fur accessories- hats, earmuffs, sheepskin slipper, everything you'll need for a cold New England winter.

That was a great Summer, and now already Fall is here.  But, let’s back up a moment to Summer again.  The raspberry season was amazing, in that the weather made sure we had an abundance of raspberries with warm days and nights to keep the fruit ripening all the way through until late July.  The blueberry season was short and the crop was light. Remember last year’s drought?  The plantation made hardly any fruit bud due to the lack of water.  Many of our customers who usually pick in September were disappointed that we only just made it to Labor Day with fruit to pick. That’s Mother Nature for you, what with Tropical Storm Irene, and other heavy rains, not a berry was left on a bush anywhere.  We did not sustain any flooding on our farm and are thankful, sometimes living on a hill is a good thing!  We would like to remember all those folks that did suffer through the floods, especially the farmers who lost their crops and livelihoods.  We will all remember the summer of 2011.

Steve and Nancy Nanopoulos opened the new pizza restaurant mid-June at the Minute mart Plaza.  They have been in the business for 35 years starting out in Hanover in the late ‘70’s, then moving on to Thetford VT for a number of years. 
This is a family business – they have 5 children and two of the boys (Anthony and Niko) work with them in Troy.  Their daughter has opened a hair salon next to the post office – more on that later.
    The shop features pizza, specialty pizzas, calzones, pitas, subs, pasta dinners, and salads as well as a variety of side entrees.  There s a comfortable large dining room with a flat screen TV.  You can eat in, call ahead for take out or get delivery service.  The restaurant is open 7 days a week.  Hours are Monday thru Saturday 11 AM to 9 PM and Sunday noon to 7 PM.
    Look for them on facebook.  Four-wheelers and snowmobilers welcome.  A special raffle will be held through September 25th.  Register for free to win a 10 speed bike and helmet.  Drawing at 6 PM Sunday September 25. 

Dina, daughter of Steve and Nancy has opened her salon next to the post pffice, in the former Haircuts Etc space.  She is a graduate of O’Brien Hair Design School in Burlington VT and has had 7 years of experience.
    Dina and Bobby, her associate, will be available for men's, women's and children's cuts.  Other services available include coloring, foiling, texturing, body wrap and pedicures.
    She hopes to have more spa services available – possibly even tanning.
    Hours of operation are Monday and Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9 AM – 6 PM, closed Wednesday, and Sunday.  To make an appointment, give a call at 242-3710.  Walk ins are welcome.  Look for monthly specials in upcoming issues of TTN.

Although the planting season is winding down, there’s still time to get some new perennials established before the cold weather sets in.  We have a good selection of herbs and other perennials and now have them on sale at 10% off.  Our little garden shed is full of dried herbs and flowers as well as house plants and dish gardens, terrariums and terrarium decorations.  A new addition is pressed flower jewelry, pictures and trinket boxes.
    We hope you’ll stop by and visit soon to take advantage of our plant sale and see what else we have to offer.  If you need directions or would like to set up a specific time to visit, please give us a call at 242-6665.  We’ll be open until mid-October, weather permitting.

Its berry picking time again!  Here at the Home Farm  on West Hill we have been busy all spring getting the berries ready for harvest.  Mother Nature has been a hard boss this year and has kept us guessing about the weather and the crop right up until the last minute.  The cold winter, right after the summer drought, has caused stress in all fruiting plants and trees this season.  Times like these it takes an experienced grower like Anthony to make sure we get the best harvest we can.  He pruned with care, along with our son Oliver, to make sure damaged wood was removed.  In some fields extra fertilizer was needed, and the crop is not as bountiful as we would like it to be and yet oh those pesky weeds don’t seem to mind the crazy weather one bit.

A lot has been happening here at Pamelia’s.  Unfortunately, we lost our gazebo in a windstorm in the middle of April (flat as a pancake!).  However, we very creatively used the corner pieces to fashion a lovely new pergola to protect our plants from the elements.

We had several very enthusiastic guests who joined us for our open house celebration in May.  Thanks to those who stopped by. We now have a spot at the Rindge Farmers and Crafters Market on Thursdays from 3-6, where we will continue selling our plants, flowers and terrariums throughout the summer.  Pamelia’s will be open all summer as well, with perennials, cut fresh flowers and dried flowers, etc., and possibly a few vegetables as well.