In Bow, there’s no place to sit down with a cup of coffee and catch up with friends or family. The nearest coffee shop for residents is a drive away in Concord or Hopkinton.
But a new development proposal could change that.
For months, people in Bow have wondered about the large stretch of trees cleared along 12 Logging Hill Road. Now, an application from Charlie Morgan, longtime owner of a New Hampshire storage business, offers some answers.
His plans call for a large warehousing and distribution center set well back from the road. Closer to the street, Morgan envisions an establishment where residents can gather.
“We’re talking to a restaurant owner that’s well known, and we’re trying to reach a business agreement,” he said. “But in any event, it will be an eatery, a coffee shop, maybe a mini-mart, someplace that the people can go and have food and have a cup of coffee.”
The only place to grab coffee in Bow is a Dunkin’ Donuts location on Route 3A.
Morgan’s site sits in a mixed-use district; a special exception from the town government would be required to build warehouses there.
Morgan said a gathering place for residents is a “concession that the town is looking for” to allow industrial buildings on the property, and he is receptive to that.
On Tuesday, the zoning board of adjustment will take up the request for a special exception to build storage facilities on the site.
The parcel is in Bow Mills, a part of town with a blend of homes, businesses, undeveloped land and connections to the highway that the town has long looked for ways to develop.
It also lies close to the I-89/I-93 Bow-Concord corridor, where the state government plans improved access and safety as part of its 10-year transportation plan.
“Whether it’s a year or two years, the state’s going to spend millions of dollars to improve that whole intersection, which will allow direct access to my property, probably a prime location for a hotel,” Morgan said. “So there’s a lot of opportunity here. Nothing is cast in concrete.”
Residents have also made clear their appetite for a local hangout.
A 2025 town survey drew 475 responses, and at least 80% of those respondents said they would like to see a coffee shop or restaurant in the area.
Karri Makinen, the town’s community development director, said that, despite plenty of public interest in coffee shops and restaurants, no proposals have come before the planning board in at least the last couple of years.
It’s still undecided what would occupy the warehouses if the zoning and planning boards sign off on the proposal. Morgan said tenants could include an electrical supply company, a distribution firm, or a lumberyard, and he left the door open to other kinds of businesses too.
“It’s a very, very strong location, right next to 89,” Morgan said. “It’s a beautiful piece of property. It rises up, and when you walk at the top of the property, you see beautiful views of New Hampshire.”
