Story

Inspired american cuisine in a relaxed country atmosphere

For more than 150 years, the Corner House has been a staple of the Sandwich, New Hampshire community. Built by David Hodgdon in 1849, it was originally a one-story dwelling with an attached harness shop. In 1855, the building was sold to Charles Blanchard and Pricilla Ambrose, and they housed boarders throughout the Civil War. By 1880, Dr. Christopher Fellows, a local pharmacist, added three large bay windows, which give the Corner House its Victorian appearance. The Hanson family purchased the building in 1894 and operated it as a boarding house for two decades.

In 1952, Anna Coolidge created what was known as the Corner House Inn, and her daughter Judy took over operations in the mid 1960s. The Corner House featured six guestrooms, and the barn housed a laundromat and coffee shop with a separate entrance and a pine paneled “summer dining room” that accommodated around 25 guests.

In the spring of 1981, the building was purchased by Alex Ray of the Common Man and Rex Seley of the Woodshed, and Don and Jane Brown were hired as innkeepers. The Browns soon took ownership and slowly began converting all the spaces to dining rooms, while elevating the restaurant’s dining reputation. Features in Country Living, Gourmet, and Bon Appetit soon followed. In 2000, Don and Jane renovated the barn to add an upstairs bar, meeting the local desire for a pub.

In April 2019, Don and Jane sold the Corner House to Lexi Townsend of Broome County, New York. Lexi continued the tradition of the Corner House until it was purchased in May 2022 by Sam Kachmar, an architect and homeowner in Sandwich. Sam is committed to honoring the tradition of this local establishment by strengthening its reputation for fine food and warm friends and restoring the property to its former grandeur. He looks forward to all the opportunities to connect with his community through food, architecture, and a shared love for this special town.

LEAD STAFF

Samuel Kachmar
Owner

CJ Scott
General Manager

Jerrica Blackey
Bar Manager