NEWFIELDS — At the historic Conner Bottling Works in Newfields, 17 bottles of small-batch soda rattle off the lone production line each minute, clanging as they hit a spinning collection plate.
For Tom Conner — whose great-grandfather started the business in 1863 that evolved into Squamscot Old Fashioned Beverages — and his wife, Eileen, it’s a sound they may not hear for much longer.
The couple — who handle all aspects of the business from sales to production to delivery — are preparing to sell the long-standing production plant and historic home that has borne witness to at least four generations of the Conner family. The 2.5-acre property hit the market earlier this month with a $1.5 million price tag.
The decision to sell, Tom Conner said, was “tough.” But with no one else interested in continuing the family business, the time was right to chart a course for retirement.
For the full story, click here.
These articles are being shared by partners in the Granite State News Collaborative. For more information, visit collaborativenh.org.