Olde Towne Portsmouth

Take a walk down High Street and many things become apparent: The history of the 1700s is alive and shines through the perfectly aligned city block squares, historic figures, town center and place names. The heartbeat of Olde Towne lies in the water surrounding it, and this can be admired from a table at Starboards Coffee Kiosk by the water watching ships roll in. It is a perfect walking street for tourists and passersby, peppered with antique shops, a variety of places to eat and local flares like the Olde Towne Art Gallery and The Queen Bees. Unfortunately, though, vacant storefronts and empty parking spaces in the middle of the afternoon bear the scars of a weakening economy.

Chris Anuswith, president of the Olde Towne Business Association, OTBA for short, notes that it has been challenging the past couple of years for small businesses and small merchants in Olde Towne. “We’ve been treading water the past couple of years,” Anuswith explains. “Money’s just not available. And we have great deals.” The OTBA has been around in the past 50 years, and exists to promote business and tourism and work with the city – a service that most owners in Olde Towne in appreciate as some feel the City of Portsmouth could do more to promote the district.

Despite its hardships, Olde Towne Portsmouth continues to amaze and astound visitors, as there are many hidden gems tucked away. Enjoy Brutti’s Bagel Nutz with a cup of Starboards coffee while meandering the local shops. Don’t be surprised if you hear about Col. Crawford walking the streets himself, and if you ever bump into him, his stories of Olde Towne streets won’t allow you to view Portsmouth in the same way again.


Created with flickr slideshow from softsea.

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