Town Cove Tap House Opens On Main Street

ORLEANS – The greenhouse next to Snow’s Home and Garden has plenty of plants and greenery, while the windows allow for plenty of warm, natural light. 

It’s also the newest spot in town to sit down and grab a beer.

“That’s what kind of makes it unique is the space,” said Harrison Snow, co-owner of Town Cove Tap House. “Turning a greenhouse into a place where you can have a beer sounded like a fun thing. You can listen to the rain on the roof and everything, so it’s kind of nice.”

Harrison and his father, James, opened the tap house last Friday, two days after a soft opening for invited guests on Oct. 9. Harrison, who also co-owns Snow’s with his father, said the idea of opening a tap house came in an attempt to bring more people to the garden center. 

“Retail is a tough thing to be in right now when you’re competing with the internet,” he said. “We were looking for something to drive it. We went back and forth on a cafe or different options, and we kind of landed on this as what might be a good option.”

Tables are set up for seating inside, while a bar in the rear of the greenhouse offers an assortment of craft beers, wine and non-alcoholic drink options. There is also cold brew coffee from Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters for those looking for a fix of caffeine. Outside, there is additional seating as well as a firepit area. Harrison said the establishment can accommodate about 120 people total.

Planning for the tap house began in August of last year with the initial goal of opening by Memorial Day, a timetable that ultimately failed to hold.

 “But it coincides nicely with everything we have going on around town,” he said of the October opening. “Fall is perfect beer weather.” 

Harrison first started working at Snow’s in high school. After going to college in Maine and working for a few years after graduation in New Hampshire, he returned home to Orleans. 

While the beer industry represents new terrain for him, he said he’s excited about what opportunities lie ahead in the new venture.

“I like it, that’s my main thing,” he said. “I’ve been to a lot of different places that have a really cool atmosphere, and something that I really enjoy. That’s what we’re trying to bring here.”

Town Cove Tap House is the latest addition to a growing craft beer scene that nationally has helped reinvent drinking establishments into family-friendly tourist destinations. Far removed from the stereotypical dim-lit barrooms of old, the taproom is an inviting space where you’re just as likely to see young children playing outdoors as you are someone having a beer. 

Harrison said the goal is to create an identity for the tap house that’s separate from Snow’s. But he said he’s excited about what the establishment can bring to the broader business community.

“There’s so many great businesses around here. We hope to be able to help drive business to the town and kind of be a compliment to everything else that we have here. Because Orleans is a very special town. We want people to know about it.”

Town Cove Taproom is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.