The first Common Man Restaurant opened on Main Street in Ashland in 1971. The bank didn't think too highly of financing the young Alex Ray in this venture, but after a few doses of the Ray enthusiasm and the dedication of one loan officer in particular, it all came together. The Common Man Ashland could serve all of 35 people in its cozy front dining room. There wasn't a waiting area or lounge, so patrons would line up outside - even in the winter - and wait for an open table. Alex says that he used to run out of the kitchen and peek around the building to see how long the line was. People waiting would look in the door and see customers ordering more coffee. The whisper would then run down the waiting line, "Oh nuts, they're having more coffee."
Alex and Jack McCormack (now a successful local lawyer) were the cooks, and Common Man family Vice President Diane Downing, who was also there from the beginning, worked in Ashland filling in for servers on the floor. Diane eventually managed Ashland and future locations, developed a company-wide training program, and moved into her important role on the operations team.
In 1974, the carriage house behind the restaurant was converted into more dining space. Now patrons had a warm place to wait for a table! In 1977, Alex and his young family moved out of the rooms above the main restaurant to a farm in Holderness, and Alex converted the space into the Step Above Lounge. The comfortable, family-room like lounge is a local landmark.
In October of 1985, the old Pollard Family home in Lincoln, NH was purchased and an old barn was moved to the site, renovated, and attached for additional dining space. Bing Rogers of Campton, NH constructed an amazing rock fireplace, and 47 days from the date of purchase, Diane and Alex opened the second Common Man Restaurant.
In 1987, the old Howard Johnson's Restaurant in Concord, NH was purchased and renovated, keeping the old-style counter service and turning the rest of the place into a real old-fashioned 50's style diner. The Capital City Diner became a popular local hangout and a must-stop on every politician's tour of the state.
In December of 1992, after much negotiating, Alex convinced the Pike Family to sell the parking lot adjacent to their company headquarters just off exit 20 of I-93 in Tilton. He knew this would be the perfect spot to park the 1952 steel diner that he'd bought several years before. Alex, Diane and a dedicated staff opened Tilt'n Diner the following spring.
In 1993, Alex and Diane partnered with Don and Jane Brown to open the Italian Farmhouse in Plymouth. The Farmhouse has become a favorite for locals and tourists alike, with its fresh baked bread, brick oven pizza and warm, friendly atmosphere. A large glass greenhouse was rescued and resurrected behind the restaurant. The brick-floored, carefully-manicured greenhouse overflows with flowers and is a favorite spot for weddings and other celebrations.
In 1994, Alex and Don bought property in Holderness, NH and opened the Squam Seafood Company, a seasonal restaurant serving fresh seafood in a fun atmosphere. Just one of the many unique features of the restaurant was a real lobster boat beached out front. Diners could actually order their meal and eat on board! Although the restaurant was extremely popular, the demands of a seasonal restaurant were too much, and Alex and Don closed the restaurant after three years.
Also in 1994, Alex and Diane worked with Meredith entrepreneur, Rusty McLear to create the Inn at Bay Point and a new upscale-dining concept of Diane’s called Boathouse Grille Restaurant. The restaurant was located in a completely renovated bank building located right on the water in downtown Meredith. In the fall of 2003, Alex and his staff worked to renovate the Boathouse Grille into LAGO, an authentic Italian Trattoria.
Twenty-five years after opening the original Common Man Restaurant, the common man family opened yet another Common Man. The new restaurant was located in a renovated barn in Windham, NH that Alex had his eye on for quite some time. Alex was right about the location! The Common Man Windham is busy year-round, serving great American fare to southern New Hampshire and guests from over the border in Massachusetts.
In 1996, Diane spearheaded the effort to open The Common Man Company Store in Ashland, NH, buying the converted Ashland Post Office building and selecting New Hampshire and New England-made merchandise and antiques to sell. The store offers a wide variety of Common Man goodies and gift baskets, and also stocks creative toys, candles, linens, soaps, lotions and our own Spa at the Common Man Inn’s product line. Most popular is the Common Man’s home made fudge and a 20-foot-long penny candy counter.
In 1998, the Common Man family again teamed up with Rusty McLear and the Browns in the creation of the Chase House Inn at Mill Falls and the Common Man’s Camp restaurant in downtown Meredith, NH. Camp is Diane’s re-creation of a fun place reminiscent of days spent at summer camp on the lake, and serves up great American fare with a camp flair.
In 1999, another try was made for a seasonal place, buying the old Frankensundae on the Bay in Meredith and turning it into a take-out or eat-in summer dining spot called Town Docks. Town Docks features breathtaking views of Meredith Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee with deck seating, a Tiki bar and Franky's ice cream shop, serving Common Man-made ice cream.
In 2000, a decision was made to replace the Capital City Diner in Concord with a Common Man Restaurant. The old structure was torn down and a new, charming, New England home and barn was built in its place. The Common Man Concord opened its doors in the fall of 2000. The restaurant features unique gathering rooms that are usually booked solid, and a new bar ‘n grill offering lighter fare and spirits.
A test of the resolve and drive of the Common Man Family came in the summer of 2001, when an arsonist burned down the Common Man Lincoln. The shock and loss was felt throughout the company. But with the usual amount of gusto, Alex, Diane, and their staff set to work rebuilding. Lincoln employees were kept on and loaned to other C-Man Family restaurants. The new restaurant - re-built in just 60 days - is a match of the historic home and barn that housed the original, with a few subtle improvements, including meeting and event space on the second level.
In 2001/2002, the Common Man family undertook a huge challenge. They took a 60,000 square foot defunct wood mill in the town of Plymouth, and, retaining 90 percent of the original building, ingeniously transformed it into the 37-room Common Man Inn & Spa, Foster's Boiler Room restaurant and an event facility. As she does with all Common Man family locations, Diane herself hand-picked all furnishings, designs and color schemes for the Inn, and oversaw important structural and architectural features that were important to the look and feel of the project. The Common Man Inn & Spa has won 'Grow Smart' and Main Street awards, and provides what many consider to be a new center for the town of Plymouth.
Next up for Alex, Diane and their staff was opening Lakehouse Grille in Church Landing at Mill Falls in Meredith in 2004. Lakehouse serves creative American cuisine in an Adirondack-style dining room that features hand-hewn exposed beams, fieldstone fireplaces, panoramic lake views, and a large event space with seating for 300 guests.
In 2005, the Common Man family turned to a big, new project - the building of a Common Man Restaurant in Merrimack, NH. Alex purchased the closed Hannah Jack's Tavern, and to the great excitement of the Merrimack community, set to work renovating the historic building. With the guidance of Diane and the help of the rest of the Common Man team, the restaurant opened in July of 2005.
Just as the Merrimack project was finishing up, ground broke on the Airport Diner in Manchester, in the Holiday Inn on Brown Avenue. The historic photographs of Manchester Airport and vintage planes, and paintings that make up the diner’s aeronautical theme were selected by Diane in partnership with the NH Aviation Historical Society. Since opening in December of 2005, the 50's style diner has quickly become a favorite with locals and travelers alike.
November 2006 marked 35 years of The Common Man family serving great American fare in the Granite State. The drive and creativity Alex had when he opened his first restaurant in November of 1971 has never diminished.
In 2008, Alex opened Common Man Express, a deli located at the Ashland Mobil Station off of Exit 24 of I-93, allowing travelers and area business people a chance to order great C-MAN food while on the go.
Also in 2008, in conjunction with the massive I-93 widening project in southern New Hampshire, Alex and Diane led major renovations to the Common Man in Windham to increase seating, parking and offer a bar 'n grill area upstairs, as well as private dining areas.
In June 2009, the family continued to grow, with the renovation of defunct mills in Claremont into the second Common Man Inn in New Hampshire and a Common Man restaurant on the banks of the Sugar River. This was another sizeable undertaking by the Common Man family and Meredith entrepreneur Rusty McLear, who converted brick mills that were downtrodden and stood unused for decades into a beautiful 35-room inn and restaurant. Area leaders see the project as an important piece of the economic revival of the entire area.
Not waiting long for the next project, Alex and Diane opened The Common Man Portsmouth in August 2009, becoming the first seacoast home for the Common Man Family. And in October 2009, the Common Man family opened The 104 Diner in New Hampton on the former site of Bobby’s Girl Diner.
Rounding out 2009 and expanding into a new area, Alex purchased a defunct movie theater on Main Street in Plymouth, NH and re-opened it as The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performing Arts Center. The theater plays first-run, independent and classic films, and will undergo extensive renovations in spring 2010 to construct stages and space for live musical and theatrical performances.
As Alex would say, "Here we grow again!"
Click here to see the Common Man family timeline.
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