Born and Raised in Natick, Massachusetts, we moved up to NH and built a beautiful new house in Windham in 1998. For some reason, which we try to explain below, we moved across town to this big, old, historical house… And we love it!
We have begun to see our visions coming true with the creation of Windham Junction country Store and Kitchen. Throughout our long and happy marriage, we have always talked about a Country Store or Restaurant and even a Bed and Breakfast. When we stumbled upon this location with the beautiful Queen Anne Victorian house and the quaint old fashioned store front, we knew we were eventually drawn here…some feel that it was our fate and we were chosen to live here by the spirits within. Whatever brought us here was a good thing and we couldn’t be happier with how nice our home has become. We truly are happy doing what we do every day! All our customers now, feel like one big extended family.
Jon has always had an independent side and discovered his artistic abilities early on which prospered in his cooking interests. Graduating from Johnson and Wales University in 1983 with a Culinary Arts Degree, his career started in large hotels and restaurants, included some Vocational school teaching, then continued in the Business and Industry food service. Needing more than the corporate cafeteria companies could offer he ventured out and created his own contract food service company and enjoyed a dozen years of self employment managing “Jonathan’s Café” with locations centered in Concord, Massachusetts and surrounding towns.
The B&I service atmosphere changed enough after the events in 2001 that a choice was made to try another avenue in the industry and Jon dabbled in Foodservice Sales and Marketing with the largest restaurant supplier in New England. Within a few years the independent streak surfaced again and recalling how working in a large, numbers-driven corporation was not enjoyable…the need for change came up again. This sparked our looking at the property here at 128 North Lowell Road and the potential began to form which led to our founding Windham Junction Country Store followed by the restaurant and Jon is now “AT Home” in his Kitchen!
Over the years, our kids have been involved in numerous ways. Our son worked here during his school year cooking and now has moved on in his career as a web developer. He helped create this nice website you are on. Our daughter pursued a career in ceramic arts and holds many workshops at our store, that have become very popular. We also stock our shelves in the gift shop with her beloved pottery.
Our beloved pets have passed on, We just keep their picture present for the smiles they bring.