Head of Westport experiences resurgence.

EverythingWestport.com

Friday, June 19, 2009

For the past 15 years there has been a slow but steady revitalization of the Head of Westport. The once prosperous 1800’s business community that supported the area’s thriving whaling industry saw its fortunes decline with the end of whaling. The Great Depression did little to help, and the closing of the Westport Manufacturing Company was the final nail in the coffin.

But a resurgence of sorts has been underway for the past 15 years. “Properties, whaling captains’ homes and small business buildings converted to residences, are being rehabbed,” said area resident Staff Hart, who just completed a rehab of his own. “The Head of Westport is now reflecting the values of a changing community.”

“The Head of Westport is an eclectic mix of stately Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, Victorian, Georgian, Greek Revival, Federal, Second Empire, Italianate, saltbox and cape homes,” said Suzanne Alden of Alden Hill Real Estate, a local realtor. “It’s nice to see the charm and elegance of these homes restored. It really is a beautiful area.”

The Country Store is leading the Head of Westport renaissance charge. Once a lonely stop on the long journey from New Bedford to Newport, the County Store’s location has been a home to a general store of sorts for as long as anyone can remember. “Shorrocks, Correira’s, R&S Variety, and now the Country Store. I’ve seen them all,” said Dorothy Hopkinson, area resident. “But the Country Store is a real jewel.”

Head resurgence comes from afar.

But the future success of the Country Store will not come from their neighbors but from folks they don’t know.

“We always wanted to be a destination point, a store that will attract people from all over the area. That’s always been our plan,” Rory Couturier said.

Convenience stores face too much competition from hypermarkets, and today’s price-conscious shoppers are experiencing an economic crunch of sorts. A neighborhood variety store needs to be much more than just convenient.

“It was fowl weather at the harbor a while back; wind and rough seas,” said Couturier, proprietor with his wife Cathy of the Country Store. “So a bunch of the fellows at F.L. Tripp’s boatyard left their vessels in the slips, grabbed their dinghies and motored up the east Branch to visit our store. They had heard of us and wanted to see for themselves.”

Click here to read about Country Landing’s grand opening.

The Country Store at the Head Town Landing, like the stores before them, does cater to the local community.

“But we knew we needed to broaden our appeal to residents outside the area to prosper,” Couturier said. “We have expanded our penny candy, offer sandwiches and soup from Whites, and now offer Dell’s lemonade. Our homemade pastries and muffins, and our Green Mountain coffee blends are big hits. We work really hard to build up the morning coffee crowd, and have developed a good lunch business. Our ice cream stand rounds out the offerings that are drawing people from outside of the Head.”

Their store is spacious, bright, friendly and well-appointed with product and convenience items. But it’s all the extras that make this store stand out.

Nowhere in the country is ice cream as popular as in New England, and the Country Store is taking advantage of this trend, offering cones and dishes and a riverside setting amongst restored sea captain homes and historical buildings that make going out for an ice cream something special..

Kathy and Rory are not going it alone.

The Westport Historical Society operates out of the beautifully restored 1841 Bell School House, and conducts informational meetings there on a regular basis.

The Head Town Landing was cleaned up last year by the Town of Westport, and has become a favorite spot for artists and vacationers, and families out for a picnic.

Samantha and Carl Ladd of Osprey Sea Kayak Adventures across the street operate a thriving business where whalers were once launched. “We provide comprehensive sea kayak instruction, surf kayak instruction, guided tours, team-building programs, kayak sales, rentals, and unique adventure trips along coastal Massachusetts, Cape Cod and Rhode Island,” Sam Ladd said. Visit their website.

The Ladds support many Westport River Watershed Alliance events at the Head, and conduct on-river training seminars and excursions that draw participants from all over the area.

Click here to read Paul Tamburello’s June 2009 story with photos about the sixth annual River Run (canoe and kayak) race at the Head.

“We work with Osprey Sea Kayak to provide lunches and snacks. The symbioses between our businesses works well for both of us,” Courturier said.

“People come here and sometimes gab for hours. They’ll come in the morning, get a newspaper and coffee, and talk about what’s happening in town.”

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