New Hampshire
6 Towns in New Hampshire With Thriving Local Businesses
![6 Towns in New Hampshire With Thriving Local Businesses](https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w1200-q80/upload/7b/d4/52/shutterstock-1053555845.jpg)
Quaint is probably the best way to describe New Hampshire. This northeastern state is small in area and population but full of winsome woods and picturesque towns. Those towns, though quaint on the outside, are vibrant on the inside since they contain such splendid businesses as a giant independent bookstore, a 112-foot-long candy counter, a decades-old family-owned restaurant, and a brewpub in an 18th-century gristmill. See where to find the most thriving local businesses and other commercial attractions in the Granite State.
Exeter
Having gone from about 12,000 residents in 1990 to more than 16,000 in 2020, Exeter is a boom town and its businesses reflect that status. The Front Row Pizzeria has been serving scrumptious Italian food to Exeterites for 20-plus years; The Chocolatier has been handcrafting chocolates since 1978; Whirlygigs Toy Shop has been peddling puzzles, games, crafts, and plush toys in a family-owned establishment since 1986; and the Water Street Bookstore has been dealing paperbacks and hardcovers since 1991 and is considered the largest independent bookstore in New Hampshire’s seacoast region.
Beyond such seacoast staples, Exeter has a bevy of newer attractions like Alchemy & Herbs, OBA Noodle Bar, Sawbelly Brewing, Top Drawer, and Vino e Vivo. A tourist can mix old with new in this bustling community that began way back in 1638.
Littleton
![The River Walk Covered Bridge with the Grist mill on the Ammnosuoc River in Littleton, New Hampshire.](https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768/upload/7f/77/10/shutterstock-700733473.jpg)
A little town with a lot of color, Littleton claims roughly 6,000 residents and dozens of amazing businesses—some of which have been operating for over 100 years. Chutters opened in the late 1800s as a grocery store and became, according to a USA Today poll from 2023, the third-best candy shop in America. Even more impressive, Chutters boasts the world’s longest candy counter, which stretches 112 feet and supports around 600 jars of esoteric sweets. Another legendary Littleton locale is Schilling Beer Co., a brewpub that, although founded in 2013, operates in a gristmill from circa 1797.
After eating bottle caps at Chutters and popping bottle caps at Schilling, you can tour other downtown haunts like the Little Village Toy & Book Shop and The Coffee Pot Restaurant before venturing into the White Mountains with its campgrounds, lodges, and ski resorts. Littleton is colorful inside and out.
Hanover
![The Baker-Berry Library on the campus of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.](https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768/upload/12/1e/9e/shutterstock-1200700255.jpg)
Hanover is perhaps best known for Dartmouth College, an Ivy League university established in 1769. Although Dartmouth is an attraction in its own right (the Webster Cottage, Geisel School of Medicine, and Hanover Inn have been on-campus sentinels since the 1700s), its surrounding businesses are the best spots to stop for R&R. Serving thousands of students, residents, and tourists are Lou’s Restaurant & Bakery, which is a Main Street mainstay that opened in 1947; Molly’s Restaurant & Bar, another Main Street hang with a magnificent menu; and Murphy’s, yet another Main Street eatery that, having opened in 1992, is considered the “longest standing original family-owned business in Hanover.”
In addition to those Dartmouth and Dartmouth-adjacent digs, Hanover harbors many more relaxing retreats, including Jesse’s Steaks, Nugget Theaters, Base Camp Cafe, Dunk’s Sports Grill, Red Kite Candy, Nathan’s Garden, and Still North Books & Bar. Hanover is a great place for a hangover.
Amherst
![Salzburg Square in Amherst, New Hampshire.](https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768/upload/96/1b/23/2868145337-75727e6fdb-o.jpg)
A sizeable town of nearly 12,000, Amherst is also a sprawling oasis filled with several nature preserves. Chief among them are the Hodgman State Forest, Peabody Mill Environmental Center and Joe English Conservation Land, and Ponemah Bog Wildlife Sanctuary, the last of which spans 75ish acres of water, sphagnum moss, and oak-pine woods. Some of the town’s commercial attractions even have nature-inspired names, such as the Black Forest Cafe & Bakery and the Robin’s Egg eclectic décor and antique store.
Other lively businesses to patronize in Amherst include Smokehaus Barbecue, The Bistro at LaBelle Winery, Moulton’s Kitchen & Market, Earth and Tree Dollhouse and Miniature Shop, Monarquia Authentic Mexican Restaurant, ThaiLicious Asian Fusion, Bentley’s Roast Beef, The Flying Butcher, and Naji’s Pizza.
Conway
![Downtown cafe in North Conway, New Hampshire](https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768/upload/bb/91/95/shutterstock-1591400725.jpg)
Located way out in northeastern New Hampshire, Conway has almost 10,000 residents and straddles roughly 800,000 acres of the White Mountain National Forest. After hiking, biking, horseback riding, train riding, rock climbing, off-roading, fishing, kayaking, boating, and even moose viewing in the forest, adventurers can unwind in Conway proper at various establishments. Tuckerman Brewing Company, which sits on Hobbs Street, sells food and beer and brews about 8,000 barrels of the latter each year. Tours are offered on Fridays at 5 PM and Saturdays at 12 PM. Just a short drive away is Sweet Maple Café, which sweetens mornings with pancakes and waffles.
Moreover, tourists can visit more touristy North Conway for forays into Zeb’s General Store, Delaney’s Hole In the Wall, the Lobster Trap Restaurant, and the Muddy Moose Restaurant & Pub. Lastly, Center Conway can bring you back to basics for the Sherman Farm Market, a scenic showcase of local produce, meat, milk, and many other products.
Hancock
![Aerial view of Hancock, New Hampshire, in winter.](https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768/upload/4b/fc/f5/adobestock-484966414.jpeg)
If Amherst is an oasis, Hancock is pure paradise. This town sits around 20 miles northwest of Amherst and has one-seventh the population. Instead of people, Hancock has an abundance of plants and animals that inhabit Norway Pond, Thumb Mountain, Nubanusit Lake, Skatutakee Mountain, the Welch Family Farm and Forest, and the Harris Center for Conservation Education. The few people who enter Hancock are treated with coffee at Fiddleheads Cafe, beer at Hornburg Brewing Company, produce at Hancock Market, and rest at The Hancock Inn (which closed for renovations and is expected to reopen in 2024).
New Hampshire is a quaint and picturesque state that is energetic and under-the-radar. Inside its tiny towns are lively businesses that have been operating for decades—and in some cases centuries. Check out Exeter, Littleton, Hanover, Amherst, Conway, and Hancock for their vibrant and historic steakhouses, pizzerias, bars, grocers, bakeries, bookstores, inns, cafes, breweries, antique stores, gift shops, candy shops, and toy stores.
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
New Hampshire
Congress silenced free speech in TikTok law, platform tells federal court • New Hampshire Bulletin
![Congress silenced free speech in TikTok law, platform tells federal court • New Hampshire Bulletin](https://newhampshirebulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tiktoklawclaim-scaled.jpeg)
TikTok and its parent company argued Thursday in a federal court in the District of Columbia that the recently enacted law forcing a nationwide ban or sale of the popular platform violates the First Amendment.
TikTok Inc., which operates the video-sharing service in the United States, and its parent company, ByteDance Ltd., which was founded by a Chinese national, filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit calling the law President Joe Biden signed in April an unprecedented restriction on the constitutional right to free speech.
“Never before has Congress expressly singled out and shut down a specific speech forum,” the brief reads. “Never before has Congress silenced so much speech in a single act.”
Upholding such an “extraordinary speech restriction” would require the court to undertake “exacting scrutiny” of Congress’ action, but Congress provided only a hypothetical national security argument to advance the bill, the companies said.
“Congress gave this Court almost nothing to review,” the brief continues. “Congress enacted no findings, so there is no way to know why majorities of the House and Senate decided to ban TikTok.”
Many individual lawmakers who supported the law raised national security concerns, saying ByteDance’s relationship with the Chinese government meant the country’s Communist Party leaders could demand access to TikTok users’ private data.
They also said the platform, which the company says has 170 million users in the U.S., could be used to spread propaganda.
But under U.S. Supreme Court precedent, labeling speech as foreign propaganda does not allow the government to overlook First Amendment protections, TikTok said in its brief.
Speculation about how the app “might” or “could” be used, rather than any concrete examples of misconduct, do not clear the high bar required to restrict speech, the companies added.
“A claim of national security does not override the Constitution,” the companies wrote Thursday.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department, which is defending the law, highlighted the intelligence community’s national security concerns with TikTok and said the law was consistent with the First Amendment.
“This legislation addresses critical national security concerns in a manner that is consistent with the First Amendment and other constitutional limitations,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement to States Newsroom. “We look forward to defending the legislation in court.
“Alongside others in our intelligence community and in Congress, the Justice Department has consistently warned about the threat of autocratic nations that can weaponize technology – such as the apps and software that run on our phones – to use against us. This threat is compounded when those autocratic nations require companies under their control to turn over sensitive data to the government in secret.”
Response to lawmakers
The brief said Congress had not included any official findings of harm from TikTok, but several individual members raised specific concerns about the kind of speech found on the platform.
The companies said Thursday those specific complaints bolstered the argument that TikTok is being denied free speech protections.
The brief cited several lawmaker statements:
- U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat who is ranking member on the House Select Committee on China, and former Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican who chaired the panel, said the platform’s algorithm fed an overwhelming share of pro-Palestinian content over videos that favor Israel.
- Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, said the platform “exposes children to harmful content.”
- Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, said the law would “make TikTok safer for our children and national security.”
- Nebraska Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts noted the popularity of the hashtag #StandwithKashmir, which protests a policy of India, a geopolitical rival of China.
“Legislators’ perception of the content reflected on TikTok was misinformed,” the companies said. “But well-founded or not, governmental policing of content differences is antithetical to the First Amendment.”
Oral arguments in September
Both chambers of Congress passed the law with bipartisan votes as part of a package that included aid to Israel and Ukraine. Biden signed the measure April 24.
TikTok pledged to sue and filed its legal challenge last month.
Tuesday’s brief expands on the company’s arguments. The government’s response is due July 26 and oral arguments are scheduled for Sept. 16.
Divestment unworkable, TikTok says
TikTok and ByteDance said Thursday the provision in the bill to avoid a ban by divesting the service to a company without ties to China is unworkable, especially within the nine-month timeline required by the law.
Such a move would be technically complex, requiring years of engineering work, the companies said. It would also isolate the U.S. user base from the rest of the world, limiting revenue from advertisements.
And even if it were feasible from a technical or business standpoint, selling the platform would likely be rejected by the Chinese government, which has the authority to block exportation of technology developed in the country, the companies said.
New Hampshire
NASCAR returns to New England, offering traditional giant lobster as prize
![NASCAR returns to New England, offering traditional giant lobster as prize](https://www.kron4.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/06/New-Hampshire-Motor-Speedway-sign-e1718909286864.png?w=1280)
LOUDON, NH (WWLP) – The NASCAR Cup Series will return to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) is also known as the Magic Mile. As we get ready for the next NASCAR weekend, here are four things to know about Loudon:
#1 New Hampshire is New England’s only NASCAR weekend
What’s more New England than lobster right? That’s exactly what the winner on Sunday gets.
General Manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway David McGrath said, “Loudon the Lobster is usually a 24-25 pound monster. And it is a unique, unique trophy. Probably the most unique in all of NASCAR.”
#2 The NASCAR Cup Series made its first visit to what has become known as “The Magic Mile” in 1993
The length of the track is 1.058 mi (1.703 km), making it just over a mile per lap.
“The Magic Mile goes back to the early owners of our speedway. They actually went to Disney World to learn about customer service and how to make sure people have a great experience at the Magic Mile,” said McGrath.
#3 Fan experience
There’s a full lineup of events from a Fan Zone to live music and fireworks. People are already camping out at the track enjoying the days leading up to the race including Saturday’s double header of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Race followed by the Whelen Modified Tour Race.
“People are going to need some days off when they get home to rest because they are going to need it! They are going to have a lot of racing, a lot of energy,” said McGrath.
#4 New Hampshire is a flat track
The Loudon track’s corners feature a maximum banking of just seven degrees.
“Nobody just comes to NHMS and dominates our race. You really have to qualify well, position yourself well, have great pit strategy during the race,” said McGrath.
Race weekend in Loudon goes from Friday to Sunday.
New Hampshire
NASCAR: Full qualifying order revealed for New Hampshire race
![NASCAR: Full qualifying order revealed for New Hampshire race](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4267,h_2400,x_0,y_252/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/243/01j0hq8j22ad72f42w5e.jpg)
This Sunday is set to mark the halfway point of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, with the series set for its annual visit to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for race number 18 on the 36-race schedule.
Sunday’s USA Today 301 is scheduled to be a 301-lap race around the four-turn, 1.058-mile (1.703-kilometer) Loudon, New Hampshire oval. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. is the reigning race winner. Last year’s event was contested in July, and Truex hasn’t won since.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been on the Cup Series schedule since 1993. While it hosted two races each year from 1997 to 2017, it has hosted just one race per year since 2018.
The qualifying groups and qualifying order for Saturday’s qualifying session were determined using a four-variable metric that NASCAR implemented in 2020. A full breakdown of that formula can be found here.
Because New Hampshire Motor Speedway is not considered a short track, each driver is set to make a single-lap qualifying attempt, with the fastest five drivers in each of the two groups slated to advance to the second round shootout for the pole position. Round two is also set to feature single-lap qualifying attempts.
The drivers who don’t advance to the second round from the first group are set to start the race on the outside row, while the drivers who don’t advance to the second round from the second group are set to start the race on the inside row, marking a slight change from the series’ most recent visit to Loudon last season.
Group A
Ty Dillon, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Group B
Kaz Grala, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Next. NASCAR Cup Series: NBC announcer out after six seasons. NASCAR Cup Series: NBC announcer out after six seasons. dark
USA Network is set to provide live coverage of the USA Today 301 from New Hampshire Motor Speedway beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, June 23. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don’t miss it!
-
Politics1 week ago
GOP releases Jan. 6 clip of Pelosi saying 'I take responsibility' as she discussed National Guard absence
-
World1 week ago
Jury deliberations start in Hunter Biden’s gun trial
-
News1 week ago
A dog traveled nearly 4 miles to get help after its owner crashed into a ravine
-
News1 week ago
171,000 Traveled for Abortions Last Year. See Where They Went.
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump travels to DC to meet with congressional Republicans, speak with nation's top business executives
-
Politics7 days ago
President Biden had front row seat to dog, Commander, repeatedly biting Secret Service agents: report
-
Politics1 week ago
NJ reviewing Trump golf courses' liquor licenses after felony conviction
-
World1 week ago
NATO chief to meet with Orbán in surprise Hungary visit