Full of history and creaky floors, Gilmanton Corner Store to open in May

GILMANTON — David Smith has been living in Gilmanton for the past two decades, and it has always been his dream to open a convenience store. He's had on eye on the little red building at the intersection of routes140 and 107.

That dream has become a reality, as Smith has plans to open the Gilmanton Corner Store in time for summer.

“I’m shooting for early May, to have it open before the holiday,” Smith said. “I’ve been talking about this for more than 20 years. Just ask the guys I worked with. I talk about it all the time, so it’s no mystery.”

Smith was working at New Hampshire Ball Bearings in Laconia, and just put in his notice to leave. While he has been renovating the interior of the building for more than a year, now his focus is filling the store with inventory. Currently, there are some candy items and snacks, but he has visions of what it will be like when it's ready to go.

“It will be a convenience store with a deli for sliced meats and subs, snacks and beverages,” Smith said. “And I just picked up a little oven for some hot food.”

The store stands out with its red exterior, and is located in a spot he said is heavily traveled during the summer months for people coming into the Lakes Region. Until its closure in 2015, the Corner Store was a spot where people could grab supplies while driving through town.

It was then opened up as The Corner Slice, selling pizza and subs, as well as a full-service gas station. While it has been closed for several years now, Smith has always loved the location. He said there’s no problem with a pizza joint, but felt this building would be more fitting and successful as a store, like it had been for decades prior.

“I knew when I moved into town that this area needed more of a store,” Smith said. “I was always thinking of how to make it work, and here we are.”

Smith is leasing the commercial space of a building that dates back to the 1930s, which includes the storefront and garage on the side. He spoke with the town about approval to remove the garage door and add windows to open it up for the deli area.

He has been renovating since January 2025, gutting the spot right down to the studs. Smith worked with his landlord on the framing to add some support, and refinish the original hardwood floors.

“The floor’s still a little creaky, and I think that people like that, because it gives that old country store vibe,” he said.

Now that renovations are done, Smith has begun talking to companies like Frito Lay to bring in the products people need when they drive down Province Road. He also plans to sell beer, wine, and cigarettes, and his next step requires having $3,000 worth of inventory in the store before he receives approval.

“I really want to have everything you might need for a barbecue,” Smith said. “There is a lot more traffic in the summer with the lakes.”

Smith lives about a mile away, and has spent time getting the store prepared when not working. Now that he's cleared his schedule, he can devote his time to the dream he's had since he moved to town.

“There is so much potential here,” Smith said. “It has always been the sweet spot for me being so close to home.”

Smith expects to be doing just about everything, from making sandwiches to stocking shelves. He has two kids in college, who he expects to be around for the summer, and bound to give him a hand. Once it gets busy, he will probably hire someone to help, but for now, it will be a family affair.

With the news making the rounds in the small community, notably through social media, he's had inquiries about his plans. He knows someone who lives near Sawyer Lake who's excited to have it nearby, to grab necessities when needed.

“He just wants a place to be able to grab milk and bread,” Smith said.

Smith posted recently on Facebook about the prospect of opening, and said people have already been reaching out to him about having their products sold there. He encourages those in the area who have locally sourced items, such as jams, honey and maple syrup, to reach out.

One couple involved in coffee roasting has already shown interest. Another woman makes sourdough products, and brought samples for him to try. He expects to have their items offered when the store opens.

“I have a whole wall I want to dedicate to local goods, for people from Gilmanton and surrounding areas,” Smith said.

With all the lights on inside, showing progress, Smith has seen drivers peering in the windows to see what’s going on. One woman popped in and told him she used to come to the store as a child, and even though it has been renovated, brought back memories. She even remembered the smell, and the feel of the location. Others who stopped in used to work at the store years back.

“It just feels great, because there is so much history in something like this,” Smith said.

He was there with his children recently, moving items around, and a woman stopped by to check on the progress.

“She said she just likes to check out country stores when she sees them, and I am the same way,” he said. “I like to stop in places and see the vibe and what they have for local goods.”

Smith recalls going to the store when he was a teenager, or perhaps younger, with his friend’s mother. He said it felt like walking through someone’s house, not a store.

“It is funny to think that so long ago, and now here I am with an opportunity to turn it into something new and fresh,” Smith said.

The Gilmanton Corner Store is at 518 Province Road. For updates on opening day, and more information, check them out on Facebook @Gilmanton Corner Store.