New to the resort’s Town Square are The Lantern, an upscale, family-oriented restaurant with a focus on classic New England cuisine, and the Blue Moon Café, an eclectic eatery offering breakfast and lunch

(TRAVPR.COM) USA - January 8th, 2013 - Waterville Valley, NH – Visitors to Waterville Valley Resort this year will find several new shopping and dining opportunities in Town Square, the hub of the year-round resort village in the White Mountains.

New to the resort’s Town Square are The Lantern, an upscale, family-oriented restaurant with a focus on classic New England cuisine, and the Blue Moon Café, an eclectic eatery offering breakfast and lunch. And longtime visitors might notice new names, new looks and new offerings in some familiar spots: PigPens, a modern take on a 1950s ice cream parlor and candy store, replaces the former Mountains of Chocolate, a seasonal ice cream shop; The Valley Brand, an upscale retailer of Waterville Valley brand clothing and accessories, replaces the former Waterville Valley Shirt Company; and the former Jugtown Sandwich Shop has expanded and become the PotBellies deli and café.

“I’ve been coming to Town Square since I was a kid, and now I’m proud to be a part of its evolution into an even more vibrant center for one of the state’s most family-friendly resorts,” says Chris Sununu, CEO of Waterville Valley Resort.

The resort owns and operates The Lantern, which gives a nod to Boston’s rich history with its name – a reference to Paul Revere’s famous ride – and with its décor, a mix of modern bistro and authentic old-time Beantown. The restaurant is managed by Executive Chef John Richard, known for his work as head chef of The Sunset Room at Owl’s Nest Resort & Golf Club in Campton.

Across the square, The Blue Moon Café offers traditional breakfast and lunch fare alongside more creative and locally sourced meals, such as the New Englander: eggs scrambled with lobster and Vermont cheddar, served alongside home fries and a biscuit. Bob Fries, president of Waterville Valley Resort, bought the former Coffee Emporium this past summer, and he and his wife have renovated and expanded the space. The café gives a nod to beloved outdoor pastimes in the Granite State: hiking, fly-fishing, canoeing – and patrons can even eat at a bar made of old wooden toboggans.

Behind some of the square’s biggest recent renovations are Dave Rigazio and Sean Curtin, business partners and friends who decided to invest in Waterville Valley after visiting the resort for years. The two recently purchased the well-known Jugtown Country Store and its adjacent Jugtown Sandwich Shop, now PotBellies, as well as the newly renamed PigPens Ice Cream & Candy and The Valley Brand.

Rigazio, himself now a resident of the resort village, said he and Curtin wanted to make an investment in a place they’ve both grown to love.

“Being here is a departure from the everyday,” he says. “You get here on a Friday, and you don’t need to get in your car again until Sunday. We used to joke about buying the place, and now we have the opportunity to help it grow.”

Rigazio says he’s seen a renewed energy in Waterville Valley since Sununu and his iconic family purchased the resort from a California-based company in 2010. Sununu’s father, former Governor John H. Sununu, and his brother, former Senator John E. Sununu, have homes in Waterville Valley.

Sununu agrees. “Waterville Valley Resort is a New Hampshire resort once again,” he says. “It’s owned by local investors, and the profits stay here and are re-invested in the community. We have a long history with this special place, and we’re committed to its future.”

Town Square is home to a variety of different shops, from toys to gear. They include the Nordic Center, Legends, Olde Waterville Pizza Company, Dreams & Visions, Toad Hall, Bookmonger, I Dream of Beading, Waterville Valley Decorative Arts Center, Margret & H.A. Rey Center, Waterville Valley Realty, Town Square Condominiums, Sleigh Rides and much more.

Waterville Valley Resort was designed and planned specifically as a self-contained, four-season resort. In addition to its world-class ski area, Waterville Valley Resort features award-winning tennis courts, golf, hiking, biking, lodging, cultural activities and summer theater, an indoor ice rink, boating, a skate park, and a host of outdoor activities. Restaurant options include traditional favorites and elegant dining.

For more information, call 1-800-GO-VALLEY or visit www.visitwatervillevalley.com.

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