Antique furniture and old relics fill the main dining room of the Appleseed Restaurant. The whole building smells rustic and lived-in. Bradford memorabilia and old license plates cover the walls and and ceramic mugs sit on the ceiling beams. This collection showcases the evolving history of the building and its centrality to the community.

Built in the late 1800s and originally called the Appleseed Inn, the restaurant has become a staple of Bradford. From the moment Peter and Mary Beth Fenton made their home on the second floor 48 years ago and opened the restaurant below, the couple has worked hard to support their business and their family, at the same time giving back to the community that has made their dream a reality.

“My parents have always felt if the community supports us, we have to support the community, too,” said Tim Fenton, the family’s younger son.

‘Fifth member of the family’

After managing a restaurant in Connecticut for some years, Peter hunted for a place to call his own. Eventually, he and his wife, Mary Beth, found a property in Bradford that had been mysteriously abandoned by the owner in the middle of the night. The plumbing was frozen over and leftover food still resided in the kitchen’s freezers.

The price was right, so they bought the Appleseed in 1977. The family kept the name and the charm.

“A lot of friends and family helped us to get this going,” Peter said, gesturing to the restaurant around him. He and Mary Beth were determined to succeed, even when those around them expressed doubts. “It all worked out,” he added.

When the couple moved in to the restaurant, they had their ten-month-year-old son, Peter Jr., with them. To avoid confusion, the baby earned the nickname “RePete,” and Peter Sr. was called “Big Pete.” A few years later, their second child, Tim, was born.

Both RePete and Tim, now in their 40s, still work for the family business full-time with their parents.

“We always referred to the restaurant as a fifth member of the family because it was just part of our life,” Tim said.

The brothers began working at the Appleseed in their early teenage years. They remember the dedication and passion their parents put into the restaurant from the very beginning. 

“There were a lot of rough years where it was real close and Mom and Dad had second jobs,” Tim said. While also running the restaurant, Mary Beth worked as a school nurse and Big Pete drove a school bus.

“My brother and I won the parents’ lottery,” Repete said. “We have the best parents and the best teachers and we’re just so fortunate that we get to work together as a family,” said Repete, who now works as the general manager.

RePete recalls that before he was old enough to pitch in, he would try to help out but end up sitting on the dishwasher’s shoulders. 

“He was always checking out what we were making at the stove,” said Big Pete.

‘Whenever there’s a need’

Both sons have been integral to the business – and to the community it serves.

Under 11 miles away from the Appleseed Restaurant, the Fentons expanded their business by acquiring Sunapee Cruises in the early 2000s and, a little over 10 years later, the family opened Fenton’s Landing: Good Food, Deli and Provisions right next to the boats on the lake. 

Tim runs the cruise line, which offers rides around Lake Sunapee. He hops back and forth between the lake and the Appleseed, always ready to lend a hand, not only to his family but to anyone in need.

For decades, the Fentons have been providing food for the Bradford Fire Department after they return from putting out a fire. 

“We just started doing the fire department when there was a major fire – kind of on a whim – because nobody was giving anything,” Big Pete said. “So one night, [Re]Pete said, ‘What do you think?’ and we started knocking out sandwiches.” 

Chris Lheureux has worked at the Appleseed for 11 years as a cook and remembers these nights fondly. “That’s how it happens every time. You hear about a fire in Bradford or anywhere near and drop everything, every time,” he said.

In partnership with the Bradford Police Department and Fire Department, the family also provides hot meals on holidays for people in need. Between Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas, the restaurant prepares 150-300 meals. 

“They'll never say it's cause they're too humble, but they’re a pillar of the community in Bradford, for sure,” Lheureux said.

Lisa Byrnes-Smart is another longtime employee at the Appleseed. She has seen firsthand the role the restaurant plays in the area.

“No matter what it is, no matter what they’re going through…even if they’re struggling, they jump in. Both feet. Every time. And we tend to jump in with them, no matter what,” she said.

The Fentons often host fundraisers for people in the community confronted with hard times, helping out in Bradford, Sunapee and the surrounding areas. Recently, they raised money for the World Central Kitchen to help the people affected by the hurricanes in North and South Carolina in the fall. The Appleseed team worked together to spread the word and raised $5,200 in a single day. 

“Whenever there’s a need, we try to jump in and do whatever we can to help that way,” RePete said.

The Fentons wants their establishment to remain part of the Bradford landscape for decades to come. With three grandchildren, Big Pete hopes to keep the family restaurant run with the help of their trusted workers.

“I’ve just been very lucky, very lucky we have good boys to work with and daughter-in-laws and three potentials on their way,” he said.

In the end, family means everything to the Fentons. By picking up and moving to Merrimack County, the family has been able to grow from the four of them to encompass to their employees, the fire department and anyone who needs a shoulder to lean on.

“My mom and dad were always good...even when they didn’t have a lot...They’ve always had really big hearts,” RePete said as his dad teared up across from him.

Kiera McLaughlin can be reached at kmclaughlin@cmonitor.com