ORLEANS – Sometimes a little neighborly competition is healthy. When Justin Alex saw Chatham's Art In the Park initiative a few years ago, it got him thinking about what the Orleans Chamber of Commerce could do to help support its local businesses. "I grew up in Chatham, but I used to surf a lot in Orleans," said Alex, who is president of the chamber's board of directors and director of sales for The Chroni...

ORLEANS – Brian Junkins can still recall in detail the circumstances surrounding his parents' purchase of Friends' Marketplace. "My mom was a middle school teacher at the school right behind here," said Brian, who owns the Main Street market with his wife, Monila. "She was driving to school one day and noticed that the store might be available for sale. That's how my dad found out about it. He rushed down from...

CHATHAM – The owners of the former Cumberland Farms building at 859 Main St. are proposing to renovate the run-down brick building into a “New England Modern” themed restaurant. According to plans filed with the historic business district commission for the new restaurant, Chatham Greens and Rotisserie, owner 859 Main St. Chatham LLC will fully renovate the building, including addressing structure integrity an...

Business has been good at Pate's Restaurant. But with success has come the need to address a growing problem on the Cape, namely how to house employees where affordable workforce housing is scarce. The cost of housing on Cape Cod skyrocketed during the pandemic, putting additional strain on a region where year-round and seasonal housing was already hard to come by. That's posed particular problems for seasonal...

CHATHAM – After 46 years of making battered vehicles look good again, Scott Hagan will be lowering the bay doors at Al’s Auto Body on Enterprise Drive for the last time next month. Al Loring opened Al’s Auto Body near the end of the road’s cul-de-sac in 1975, and Hagan began working there on Aug. 1, 1977 right after high school. The business had a mechanic and Hagan was hired “to do the outside” of vehicle...

Broader Question Of Noise Regulations Remains ORLEANS – A lengthy debate over noise and outdoor music at the Barley Neck Inn has been put to rest. But for town officials, the broader question remains as to how to better regulate noise in town. A settlement was reached between the inn’s owners, Phil and Claire Ruggieri, and abutters guiding outdoor entertainment and food and alcohol service on the inn’s...

The self-care book “Tiny Seeds: Sowing the Seeds for the Growth of Health, Wealth, and Happiness” (Fulton Books, 2022) offers a new twist on typical self-care advice — namely, you need to make sure your finances are in order. First-time author Sherri Mahoney, who has worked since 1987 in her own accounting practice called Taxing Matters, has heard a lot of stories from clients in 36 years. She is no stranger t...

ORLEANS – The Barley Neck Inn has new managers, and owner Phil Ruggieri didn't have to look far to find them. Across the street, Cameron and Tyler Hadfield have built a reputation for themselves in recent years at their popular breakfast spot The Rail. Now the brothers will look to put their touch on the inn by taking over dinner service at the restaurant. "The energy level is good and there's an interest i...

ORLEANS – Being a small business owner is more than a job. For those who do it, it's something you live everyday. But the demands of owning and operating a local business have only grown in recent years. In addition to managing things such as payroll, staffing, inventory, scheduling and insurance issues, many business owners on the Cape have been left to take on another difficult but critical role. "Part of...

South Harwich Post Office To Remain SOUTH HARWICH — The village center of South Harwich – if there is one – won’t be undergoing any major changes following the sale of the former Thayer’s Flowers building and adjacent post office. The new owners hope to invite a small-scale retail operation to the former flower shop, and say there will be no changes to the tiny post office next door. “The public doesn’t hav...

ORLEANS – Inside Nauset Farms, the shelves are bare, equipment is stowed away and there's not an employee or patron in sight. It's an unusual look for the popular Main Street market, which is typically open year-round. But while there's still much to be done, Peter Gori is excited about what lies ahead when the store reopens in April. "We want to build off of what's here," said Gori, who was due to close as...

ORLEANS – On Monday morning, the sounds of The Specials' "Ghost Town" wafted through the air outside Las Chidas. Maybe that's a coincidence, but it's an apt description of the sleepy stretch of Route 6A near Town Cove, especially during the quiet winter months. But one step into Meredith Gallant's new artisan taco joint and it's clear the Harwich resident is interested in offering patrons more than just a good...

CHATHAM — Starting with the Chatham Trust Company, there's been a bank at the Chatham rotary continuously since 1955, but that could change when the current tenant, Rockland Trust, completes its lease in April. If no other bank takes over the space, it would be the first time in decades that Chatham has had only one full-service bank in town. Rockland Trust has petitioned the state and federal regulatory autho...

Primabee Founder Lives Out Company’s Mission Of Wellness CHATHAM – For many people on the Cape, the jury is still out on cannabis-based products. Paul Borde gets it. “ I was that guy,” he said. He was, that is, until a golf injury in 2018 led him to Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD. The pain was excruciating, he recalled, and Tylenol, Advil and other pain relieving medicines weren’t working. ...

EASTHAM – Ken Taber had a good career in the software industry when he and his wife, Erica, decided to pack up and move with their son to Eastham. They moved to the Cape to work at Hole In One, the Eastham and Orleans locations which were at the time owned by Erica's father. But they stopped short of fully committing to the relocation, opting to keep their house in South Windsor, Conn. "We thought 'Let's ju...

ORLEANS – After 38 years in Orleans, Ragg Time Ltd. on Main Street ended 2022 with its best year ever. For owner Jeanie Bessette, that's as good a note as any to go out on. On Saturday, Bessette will close up the women's apparel shop that she's run since 1984, opting to scale back and focus on her seasonal store in Wellfleet. "I've met some wonderful people," said Bessette, a Wellfleet resident. "They're re...