New Leaf gift shop plans grand opening Saturday

Lisa Harris and Cindy Tomlinson are planning a grand opening at their New Leaf gift shop in downtown Laconia on Saturday, April 14.  (Roger Amsden/Laconia Daily Sun)

By ROGER AMSDEN, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — Two women who are entering a new phase of their lives are planning for a grand opening on April 14 of the New Leaf gift shop and furniture repurposing store in downtown Laconia.

Lisa Harris and Cindy Tomlinson say they are thrilled to be taking over the former Curiosity & Company location at 600 Main Street and view it as an adventure, as well as an opportunity to be a part of the revitalization of the city’s historic downtown.

They have a lot in common. Both are graduates of the University of New Hampshire and both have raised three daughters. Both have been active volunteers in their community and both have taken part in furniture repurposing workshops at the store they now will be running. And both were looking for something meaningful to invest their energy in for the next chapter of their lives.

“We both fell in love with this place when the former owner started it and became addicted when we took furniture repurposing classes using the amazing vintage paints,” said Harris.

They opened the store on Feb. 14 and are planning their grand opening for Saturday starting at 10 a.m. The first 20 customers receive a free gift, and all items in the shop, excluding furniture, will be 10 percent off.

There are also coupons for 25 percent off single items that can be found in The Laconia Daily Sun.

“We plan to sell the same gift lines that customers have come to enjoy, as well as many new and exciting items,” said Harris.

Tomlinson said the store was opened several years ago by Stora Montgomery Kamens, a former English teacher, who will continue to supply New Leaf with her line of handmade soy candles, as well as soaps, lotions and scrubs, scented only with essential oils.

Kamens is now producing her own line of paints and retained the Curiosity & Co. label for her paints, which will be sold at New Leaf.

Tomlinson and Harris say the paints are easy to use and that they are looking forward to hosting workshops, which will start next week on how to use them.

“You can take old pieces of furniture that may have lost their appeal and give them a whole new look with these paints,” said Harris.

It will be the first time running their own business for both women.

Harris, a Lakes Region native, earned a business degree at UNH and worked in her family business, Manter Oldsmobile Pontiac, before she started to raise her children. Her husband, Trevor, is the vice president of Gilford Well Company.

She has been a volunteer in the Gilford school system and headed the Gilford Athletic Boosters, which raises funds to ensure that all children who want to play sports have the necessary equipment.

Tomlinson grew up in the Boston area and earned a chemical engineering degree at UNH. She moved to Gilford in 1995 and was a teacher before starting her family. She has been a volunteer with the Circle Program, which works with girls from low-income families, as well as the Gilford Got Lunch program. She is married to Derek Tomlinson, a consultant who has served on the Gilford School Board and Budget Committee.

“It’s really exciting for us to be business owners and we’re looking forward to the opportunity we have in downtown Laconia. There’s a lot of energy here with young people running their own businesses and it’s great to be a part of that,” says Harris.

To find out more about New Leaf check the website at newleafshopnh.com.

The New Leaf gift shop in downtown Laconia offers a wide variety of gifts and repurposed furniture. A grand opening is planned for Saturday, April 14. (Roger Amsden/Laconia Daily Sun)

Wall decor, whimsical gifts and repurposed furniture are available at the New Leaf gift shop in downtown Laconia. (Roger Amsden/Laconia Daily Sun)