A: My wife Kaitlyn and I feel extremely fortunate to have acquired Main Street Kitchens from Mary and Marv Schouten. Main Street Kitchens has been on Main Street in Hanover for more than 21 years and has a widespread loyal following from all over New England. We are closing the store on Memorial Day weekend and will reopen on June 1st. Kait and I are keeping the name Main Street Kitchens and the concept of a kitchen store that Marv and Mary started in 1997. The store already has a great reputation, and we wish to continue that legacy.

Q: I hear you’re a local boy who’s returned to the area. What were you doing before you came back to Hanover?

A: Yes, Kaitlyn and I both grew up here. I lived in Hanover and Kaitlyn lived in Norwich. Kaitlyn (maiden name Sanders) moved to Norwich with her family when she was three and graduated from Hanover High in 2000. I moved to Hanover in sixth grade and went to the Richmond School and then to Kimball Union Academy for high school, where I graduated in 2005.

Before I came home, I was most recently working as a chef at Walt Disney World in Orlando. I had spent seven years working at the Grand Floridian Resort there, the Contemporary Resort, and Golden Oak (the private residence affiliated with The Four Seasons), focusing on signature dining experiences for our guests. Before Walt Disney World, I was working at a fine dining restaurant in Bristol, Rhode Island, named Persimmon, which is a James Beard nominated restaurant.

Kaitlyn had worked in retail for many years before becoming a litigation attorney while we lived in Florida. She is looking forward to returning to the retail world and having more flexibility for spending time with our baby Zoey (born December 4, 2017).

Q: Why did you buy the store?

A: First, Main Street in Hanover has been the downtown my wife and I have known all our lives. Moving back to the Upper Valley recently, we saw the many changes that have occurred in Hanover. When we saw that Main Street Kitchens was for sale, we jumped at the opportunity to keep it going for at least one more generation of small business owners. Besides the pure nostalgia draw to purchasing Main Street Kitchens, I have a passion for the culinary world. During my career, I have had experience using the same equipment and tools carried by Main Street Kitchens. I will let our customers know what brands I believe work best and how to get the most out of your kitchen gear. My aim is to help our customers get the perfect items for their kitchen and to teach them whatever I can based directly on my experiences in the industry.

Q: Do you have any plans for the store? Changes?

A: Overall, we are keeping it the kitchen store everyone knows and loves. One of the small change we are excited about is bringing specialty foods to Main Street Kitchens. We will be bringing in local jams, jellies, and honey while also stocking a world pantry that contains oils, vinegars, and sea salts from around the world. During my time as a chef, I used many specialty food products, and I aim to bring in the best products from my experiences and have them here in the store. We are creating a small tasting table so that our guests may sample some of the products, and we will be conducting demos with our equipment and specialty food items.

A: We are excited to be back in the Upper Valley and for the opportunity to keep Main Street Kitchens a family owned, culinary and hospitality focused establishment for many years to come.

We want to thank everyone who has wished us the best in our new adventure, and we look forward to seeing you at Main Street Kitchens!