Meredith Lee, who runs Maple Street Mercantile in Contoocook, has been hearing from customers who say they want lattes and cappuccinos – something different from the traditional cup of coffee she serves now.

So after three years of running the home decor store with her mother, Lee said she is ready to hand off to a business that can meet that demand.

“We built this super successful business,” said Lee. “This is truly an ever-great reminder of why we love this town, because they have just come out and constantly supported us. We will certainly miss the connections with the customers.”

Moving into the space are Lee’s friends and neighbors, Alyssa McKeon and Luke Simon, owners of Witching Hour Provisions, an environmentally friendly refill shop and coffee roastery located across the street.

“We will never be able to do what they did on home decor, but what I can do is coffee and community spaces,” said McKeon. “This is a new evolution, but we’re really hopeful to create a space that creates frictionless experiences for our community members.”

Through the process, McKeon said she will be working with staff from both businesses and no employees will lose their jobs in the transition.

The last day for Maple Street Mercantile is May 18.

Lee said home decor remains her “one true love,” and while she plans to explore it in a new way down the road, it’s time to pause for now.

Coffee, she added, isn’t where her heart is.

“It’s just not something that I’m passionate about, but this is what the people want,” Lee said, explaining that her friends would be the perfect fit for the role. “I can’t wait to come in, sit down and just have a cup of coffee while also getting one of the things I need to get done, like getting my laundry detergent refilled.”

Maple Street Mercantile already serves by-the-cup coffee from Witching Hour Provisions, making the transition a natural next step.

McKeon said she’s aiming to create an “eco-friendly general store” atmosphere, one that blends sustainability with everyday essentials and a strong sense of community. Her shop sells refills of household products, including soaps and lotions.

The new store will feature expanded seating, inviting people to linger, work or catch up with neighbors over a freshly brewed drink.

Throughout the entire process, the two families who have been friends for years have been supporting each other every step of the way – from planning what opening day could look like to moving out inventory and collaborating on decor for the new space.

“If at any time we feel like this is going to hurt our friendship, let’s just stop. That has been our guiding light throughout the process,” said McKeon. “That has made it one of the most pleasant, collaborative business experiences of my entire life.”

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be reached at sgopalakrishnan@cmonitor.com