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Wildlife Sport Outfitters in Manchester up for sale; Friendly Red's Tavern continues to expand

jon phelps, the new hampshire union leader, manchester
·3 min read

Jul. 29—FOR DECADES, Wildlife Sport Outfitters on Candia Road in Manchester has been the go-to place to buy hunting and fishing gear. Kids often would get their first fishing licenses there and head to nearby Lake Massabesic.

Randy MacArthur bought the business in 2017 after being a longtime customer. The shop, which opened in 1978, was originally called Wildlife Taxidermy and Sport Center. Taxidermy stopped being offered years ago.

Now the place is up for sale again. The listing, which went live last Monday, gives potential buyers the chance to buy the "land, building and business" or "buy the land and building and put your own business there."

The business at 2188 Candia Road is located in a prominent spot at the Massabesic traffic circle. The listing price is between $865,000 and $1,365,000, according to a posting on New England Commercial Property Exchange.

Because of health issues, MacArthur is looking to completely step away and not looking for a lease-back deal.

MacArthur said the store has seen growth each year since he bought it, but the economy and weather have hit sales this year.

"I base my business on good weather, even in the wintertime," MacArthur said. "We had no ice this year. The weather just wasn't cold enough. Then we had all this rain. People don't want to go fishing in the rain."

The store will continue to operate as is until the sale is complete.

Friendly Red's expands

Not even a week after Windham's Friendly Red's Tavern opened its second location in Derry, the owners confirmed a third location is in the works for Hudson. The spot will open "in the near future," according to a post on Facebook looking for more staff. (Who isn't looking for more staff?)

The Derry location, at the former Derry Restaurant & Pizza at 111 W. Broadway, opened last Monday. The Derry Restaurant closed in September 2022 after owners Nick and Ann Samaras, decided to retire after 38 years.

The new location has an outdoor patio and features a "Bottoms Up" tap system, which fills the glass from the bottom. (You'll have to see the video posted on social media.)

Doughnuts on the highway

The Common Man Roadside opened a doughnut and ice cream shop at the Welcome Center on Interstate 93 south in Hooksett. The space is designed to look like an old mill building.

The theme was chosen because of the popularity of Common Man's apple cider doughnuts stand on the northbound side.

"Not only are we making your favorite apple cider donuts but we are experimenting with many others! Chocolate, blueberry, red velvet and whoopie pies!" the company wrote on Facebook.

'Judgement Free'

If you need help to work off those doughnuts, a Planet Fitness will also open in Hooksett, though not on the interstate. The gym know for its "Judgement Free Zone" will open in the former Goodwill spot at 1292 Hooksett Road.

Goodwill moved down the street to a 12,000-square-foot space in the Hooksett Village Shops at 1328 Hooksett Road, which opened on July 22. That plaza is also home to Shaw's.

Planet Fitness is also planning a third location in Nashua — at 281 Daniel Webster Highway, in the former Eastern Mountain Sports space.

Liquor flowing

The New Hampshire Liquor Commission and DHL Supply Chain held a grand opening for the 27,000-square-foot expansion of DHL's distribution center in Bow on Friday.

The 270,000-square-foot distribution center houses and transports all products sold in New Hampshire's 66 NH Liquor & Wine Outlet locations and by more than 6,200 licensees across the state.

The latest Liquor & Wine Outlet opened in the Pinkerton Place shopping center in Derry in June. The space was previously occupied by Goodwill.

If you have an interesting business or commercial real estate story idea email reporter Jonathan Phelps at jphelps@unionleader.com.