Main Street Bakery Goes Dark

Harry Dumont was making sure everything was secured inside Eric's Main Street Bakery Wednesday.

Another tenant has come and gone from the retail space at 182 Main Street.

"Today was the last day. I literally just got the keys," said Dumont, senior vice president of The Lannan Company, which manages the building where baker Eric Tedder has been struggling to survive for the past nine months.

Dumont said Tedder worked long hours in an effort to stay afloat, but that he also represents a lot of start-up business owners, motivated by a dream but lacking the experience it takes to build a viable business model.

"I can't fault Eric's work ethic – he put in a lot of hours. But I've seen it happen before," said Dumont.

He mentioned Tedder's next-door neighbor, Fresh of Nashua, operated by Cheryl Plunkett, who came to business ownership from the corporate world, and knew she needed a solid nest egg and marketing plan to weather the uncertainty of launching a fledgling business.

Three weeks ago Tedder knew he was close to the end of his run, hoping for a miracle to stay afloat, but aware that he didn't have enough capital to keep going through what had been a difficult first year.

He opened on Thanksgiving week in 2012 and weathered a tough winter, followed by a rainy spring and summer, compounded by the downtown sidewalk project, which he believes may have reduced foot traffic. But he didn't blame anyone but himself.

"Maybe it will work out; maybe it was just the wrong place, and the wrong time for me," Tedder said, on July 16, adding that if it didn't work out, he would still continue to bake, hopefully for some local restaurants in need of fresh desserts, or perhaps for Market Basket, where he was already applying.

In the eight years Dumont has been managing the property, 182 Main Street has turned over several times  – Castro's Back Room, which eventually moved across Main Street and is still going strong; Skin, a spa/salon; Express Cafe; Cafe Europa; Lovin' Cupcakes and Cannolis, and Eric's Main Street Bakery.

Dumont said moving forward he's going to be particular about filling that space.

"We've worked pretty hard over the past five or six years to bring in a good mix of upscale tenants. It's a good space," Dumont said.

Although the property is currently set up with a kitchen, the 900-square-foot space could house just about any kind of business. Rent is negotiable, Dumont said.

"It would be great for someone who wanted a bakery or food use, but really it's been a lot of things in the past, and the possibilities are endless," Dumont said.

For more information on leasing this prime downtown space contact Dumont at 603-888-8950 x203 or email  hdumont@lannancompany.com.