South Derry’s Pantry sold, to re-open as the Corner

By Bruce Frauman
©2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC

The three-story building on the corner of Main Street and Middletown Road in South Londonderry may soon host a small cafe and convenience store, to be called the Corner, given government approvals.

Jason O’Connor, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and his mother Terri O’Connor purchased the 2,441-square-foot building in late June for $120,000, according to Redfin. Jason O’Connor said he expects to start renovations on Monday, July 10, and hopes to open by this fall. (The building also houses two small apartments.)

Terri O’Connor said that her son, who has been in business 20 years, will likely listen to the neighbors before settling on a menu for the cafe.

She added that the exterior steps, railing and front doors will need to be brought up to ADA requirements, and that while the inside is “beautiful,” it will require some work as well. The O’Connors, said Terri, also “will need help to renovate and bring back the appearance of the building,”  which is a “contributing structure” to the historic character of South Londonderry Village Historic District.

The building was constructed for Fred Winchester, who operated a hardware store in the building until selling it to William Landman in 1898.

The Landman family ran the store until the 1950s.  In 1976, Tom Sigda purchased the business. He stayed there until 1988, when he moved his shop to Route 100 south.

Serge Roche, who owned the Three Clock Inn right up the hill on Middletown Road, where SoLo Farm and Table is today, ran the Village Pantry du Logis on the site with upscale meals and sandwiches. After a few years hiatus,  Suzanne Fontaine operated a grocery and prepared food business called The Pantry in the building until she closed the business in 2015.