By Lisa Carolin
Two established Chelsea businesses will be moving to new locations, one where the other currently exists. Just Imagine will be moving in August from 115 S. Main St. to 115 West Middle St., the former home of Global Marketplace, and the Chelsea Alehouse will move into Just Imagine’s space.
Bill Harris, owner of Just Imagine, says he will continue to carry the same inventory, and his wife, Nancy Harris will move her Hearts Community Service nonprofit to the new location’s basement.
“It will be sad to be off Main Street but we will be in a minor retirement mode and have fewer days open, probably Wednesdays through Saturdays,” said Bill Harris. “I feel strongly that this has proven to be a service for Chelsea by providing the things I provide here.”
Just Imagine will remain in its current location on Main Street through the Sounds and Sights Summer Festival at end of July and will reopen in its new location sometime in August.
On Jan. 20, 2018, the Chelsea Alehouse is expected to open its doors at the 115 S. Main Street location, and will remain in its current location in the Clocktower complex until the end of this year.
“We always wanted to be downtown and on Main Street,” said Aubrey Martinson, who co-owns the Chelsea Alehouse with her husband, Chris Martinson. “We’re good friends with Bill Harris, who hooked us up with his landlord.”
Martinson said that they’ve been happy with the Clocktower location, especially because they need both retail space and manufacturing space to brew beer.
“Many people don’t see us a downtown business because we are set back from Main Street, so the location is not as visible, and we can’t put up a lot of signs due to restrictions,” said Martinson. “Our brewing area will increase in size when we move and will be in the basement.”
She says the pub will be a bit smaller but that they will have a more efficiently designed floor plan.
“We should be able to fit the same number of people,” she said. “We still are committed to having a flexible seating plan for big and small top tables.”
After the move, the Chelsea Alehouse will still host trivia, live music and special events.
“Our menu will be different than everything else that’s downtown, and we will add new options,” said Martinson. “We will make more in house.”
The Alehouse’s lease will be up in December 2017, and they will start working on the new space this fall. The plan is to have as little down time as possible.
Anyone who has questions or comments for the Alehouse is invited to fill out their survey here.
