Everything But Anchovies restaurant is planning to expand and add two rooms for private parties this September if the Hanover town planning board approves the renovation of retail space to restaurant space.
The restaurant hopes to expand into the space currently occupied by the Folk art and clothing store and the Hanover Luggage and Cobbler Shop and construct two rooms for private parties at the end of next month.
The leases for the other two businesses are expiring and EBAs was offered the space, according to EBAs' co-owner Charlie Dowd.
S&R Associates of Hanover, the company that owns the property, applied to the Town Planning board for permission to expand EBAs. A hearing July 1 will determine if the building meets standards such as parking and fire codes for the conversion from a retail space to a restaurant, Dowd said.
Dowd said he is certain the expansion will be approved and the hearing is "just a formality."
Folk and the Cobbler Shop must leave their present locations by July 31.
Folk Owner Ted Degener told the Valley News his business was "muscled out" to allow EBAs to expand and he may not be able to find a new location where his business can continue to succeed.
"The big guys get more space and the little guys get screwed," he told the Valley News.
Folk has occupied the space for 23 years and loyal customers were circulating a petition to prevent a location change.
Degener told the Valley News he may contest the ending of his lease in court because he had verbally expressed his wish to extend his lease for five years.
But Degener was supposed to notify S&R Associates by registered mail in order to extend the lease, Steve Buskey, a partner in S&R Associates, told the Valley News.
Dowd said Degener did not renew his lease because the rent was too high.
"It's really [Degener's] own fault," he said, but Folk should be "all set" with new location possibilities the business has been offered, including the current location of Home Decor Shops Inc. at 53 South Main Street.
Other possible locations could be the current locations of Subterra Sports and Traditionally Trendy on Main Street and Tom Mowatt Cycles on Olde Nugget Alley in Hanover, Dowd said.
Dowd said the petition circulation has "died down" since Folk was offered new locations.
Buskey told the Valley News the Cobbler Shop's five-year lease had no option to extend and it expired.
Hank Truman, owner of the Cobbler Shop, was unavailable for comment.
Dowd said the expansion of EBAs will begin as soon as the shops relocate and he hopes to complete the construction, which will include an additional 70 seats to the restaurant's present 90, by Sept. 1.
He said there is "no question" that EBAs will be able to fill the new space due to the number of patrons that come with Dartmouth events such as the Freshmen Trips and busy weekends.
In addition to the physical expansion, EBAs will also be offering a full-service liquor selection for parties and an expanded catering menu, including such options as steak and prime rib, Dowd said.
The restaurant, which has been open since 1980, also expanded in 1995.
