Lavery’s Gift Shop and Café grand opening, ribbon cutting Saturday

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The community is invited to celebrate the grand opening of Lavery’s Gift Shop and Café on Saturday, July 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 3 Lavery Acres Lane. The Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m.

Owned by Pauline M. Lavery, the shop offers local cheeses, breads, pastries, gourmet foods, gifts and handcrafted goods from local artisans. Guests can enjoy samples and tastings, explore the shop, meet Lavery and enter to win a prize.

New to the area, Lavery is passionate about supporting local producers, artisans and the community she now calls home. Her goal is to offer quality products and create a welcoming place where people can gather, browse and connect.

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to own my own gift shop — a place where I could bring to life the many ideas running through my mind,” Lavery said. “Lavery’s is the realization of that dream.”

Lavery’s love of hospitality began early. Her parents owned a pizza restaurant while raising seven children, and years later, she and her husband owned and operated an Italian seafood restaurant.

Lavery and her husband were married for 45 years, and she opened Lavery’s on what would have been their 46th wedding anniversary. After years of family vacations at Peaks-Kenny State Park, they fell in love with the area and purchased Lavery Acres as their retirement destination. The location where Lavery’s now stands was always known to the family as “Polly’s Gift Shop”, making it especially meaningful that it has become home to Lavery ’s lifelong dream.

Lavery ’s love of creating was also inspired by her grandmother, an incredible baker who lived to be 101 and passed along her love of baking. Even at 98 when her eyesight began to fail, she would say, “If only I could see, I would bake some bread.” Her grandmother’s joyful spirit and desire to create continue to inspire Lavery as she begins this new chapter.

“Although Lavery’s has only been open a short time, I have already had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful people,” she said. “Thank you to everyone who has supported and encouraged me on this adventure. With God’s help, I look forward to continuing this journey.”

Everyone is invited to visit Lavery’s Gift Shop and Café on Saturday to enjoy samples and tastings, shop for local products and gifts, enter to win a prize and celebrate this new business.