Former Glory Restored

Since we've written last, the awning that we produced such fanfare about have been joined by some more modern companion canopies! They'll shed light on The Richards Building's entrances, as well as provide cover like their nostalgic awning cousins.

The awnings aren’t the only echoes of the past we’ve added. This month, we finalized the plans for our reimagined lunch counter, bringing back what was once a staple venue for the town. Tad Dexter, a contractor with HomeGroup who's been working on construction throughout our building, used to frequent the Newberry's lunch counter in his childhood, enjoying ice cream sundaes on visits there with his mother.

The new counter will be a core feature of our upcoming Richards Mercantile, a multi-vendor marketplace that will host a wide variety of artisanal and uncommon goods from local merchants. The Mercantile will return the building to its retail roots, when George Richards, Dover’s first Mayor, erected the building for his burgeoning grocery and provisions store. We've already got some vendors ready to stock the marketplace with their goods, such as Stitch & Timber Co. and the Green Goddess Apothecary!

The Richards Mercantile will be opening this Winter, and will host pop-up events and seasonal vendor showcases in addition to the marketplace's fabulous, year-round merchant booths. Keep an eye on this site for the exciting news coming for that retail operation. And follow The Richards Mercantile on Instagram for more frequent updates.