Chamber ribbon cutting welcomes Lavery’s Gift Shop and Café to the region
DOVER-FOXCROFT — A Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony helped celebrate the grand opening of Lavery’s Gift Shop and Café on Saturday morning, July 11.
The shop is located on Lavery Acres Lane off Greeley’s Landing Road shortly before State Park Lane and Sebec Lake. Owner Pauline M. Lavery offers local cheeses, breads, pastries, gourmet foods, gifts and handcrafted goods from local artisans. She is passionate about supporting local producers, artisans and the community she now calls home.
Lavery’s goal is to offer quality products and create a welcoming place where people can gather, browse and connect.
GIFT SHOP AND CAFE — Lavery’s Gift Shop and Cafe owner Pauline Lavery cuts the ceremonial ribbon during a Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting for the Dover-Foxcroft business on July 11. Holding the ribbon is Chamber Board of Directors President Matthew Spooner and Director Linda Moon with Executive Director Kerry Glover looking on.
Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kerry Glover thanked ribbon cutting attendees for being there to celebrate Lavery’s milestone.
“This shop is her lifelong dream and it’s a great thing for her to come to realization,” Glover said.
“It’s more than a cafe and a gift shop, it’s a place where people can come and sit and feel welcome and she’s done a wonderful job inside and outside to make it welcoming for everybody,” Glover said. She thanked Lavery for choosing Dover-Foxcroft.
“To everybody here I encourage you to come back here often and support local and just keep continuing to support Pauline and her dream,” Glover said.
Lavery’s Gift Shop and Cafe is a dream come true for the owner, allowing her to bring to life many ideas she has had.
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. She opened her business 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 bought Lavery Acres as their retirement destination.
The location where Lavery’s Gift Shop and Cafe stands was always known to the family as “Polly’s Gift Shop,” making it 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.