Arts Alley continues to host a whirlwind of construction vehicles and piles of granulated soil, but the project should soon be completed and ready make its debut to the Concord community on Aug. 1. 

The two-story event complex between the Concord Food Co-Op and the Bank of New Hampshire Stage on South Main Street features “The Courtyard,” an outdoor area surrounded by art, “Rose & Rye,” a retro diner that sits in the courtyard and a Friendly Toast, a brunch restaurant on the first floor. “The Main Venue,” on the second floor, is a private indoor function space seating 100 people, and “Rooftop Social,” a rooftop bar, will seat 60.

Arts Alley officially broke ground last July. Now, the main structures have been built; however, the team still needs to lay the pavement, place turf, complete renovations on Rose & Rye, bring in the airstream bar, finish electrical work and decorate. 

“We're really just looking to bring the community together. That's kind of our main focus as we open,” said Jen Abou Raad, the director of sales and programming for Arts Alley. “That’s why we’re looking to partner with local vendors, like the Chamber or Red River, and working in tandem with the Bank of New Hampshire Stage. We just want to be good neighbors to everyone.”

The Bank of New Hampshire Stage will partner with Arts Alley to manage and schedule all their music and concerts. On Fridays in August, Arts Alley will host their free music series in the courtyard from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., featuring artists such as Northern Cross, Ryan Williamson and April Cushman.

As guests enjoy the music and art, they can stop by Rose & Rye and grab a treat or a bite to eat – including hot dogs, ice cream floats, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.

“We’ve done a lot of market research. We’ve traveled all over the country looking at rooftop bars, looking at menus, what is cool, what’s hot, and we found some really fun drinks, and we think this drink menu is going to be really awesome,” said Sherri Ferns, the director of sales at Duprey Hospitality, which owns Arts Alley. “And our food and beverage director’s been taking really good lead and initiative, and has been giving great ideas and input.”

Arts Alley plans on having small, intimate community gatherings such as pasta-making or mixology classes inside Rose & Rye. Inside The Main Venue, weddings, sound baths, DIY art and sip and paint classes are already being booked.

“So while the rooftop and courtyard area will be closed during the winter, we’ll definitely be keeping it going in ‘The Venue’ with fun events for the public to join in on,” said Abou Raad.

Arts Alley is the culmination of a decade-long dream scheme shared by Concord developer Steve Duprey and his late friend, Van McLeod. McLeod served as the commissioner of New Hampshire’s Department of Cultural Resources for 24 years.

“He and I used to walk by what is now the Bank of New Hampshire Stage, which I had purchased but was sitting empty, and he said, ‘Hey, it’d be great if we could bring this theater back to life,’” said Duprey.

Around the same time ten years ago, talks began between Duprey and the Capitol Center for the Arts, which was interested in purchasing the building. Duprey agreed, becoming the developer and helping to turn the Bank of New Hampshire Stage into the beloved venue that it is today.

“When we had the theater done, I thought, ‘Well, that’s pretty good.’ But when Van [McLeod] and I used to stand there, he goes, ‘Somebody’s gotta do something with this side of it,’” said Duprey, referring to the space that resembles an alleyway between the Bank of New Hampshire Stage and the building on its left-hand side, where the historic Norris House stood.

Duprey knew that the alleyway was imperative to the success of the Bank of New Hampshire Stage for loading and unloading acts, so he also bought the property, along with the stable building it led to. This building will be turned into Duke’s, a Nashville-inspired restaurant and bar set to open in 2026.

During one of Duprey’s walks down South Main Street with McLeod, his friend offered up a name that Duprey could use for the alleyway: Arts Alley. And it stuck.

“I hope the community says this is a good addition, that they like how we handle the architecture in the building and that they find it a fun place to come to,” said Duprey.

The grand opening, coinciding with the start of Art Alley’s Friday Night Live Music Series in The Courtyard, will take place on Friday, August 1, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will feature the Wolff Sisters.

The hours will vary in the complex’s distinct spaces. Rooftop Social will be open from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. The Courtyard and Rose & Rye will be open from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. All of the individual venues can be rented out for private events.

Yaa Bame can be reached at ybame@cmonitor.com