Walking into the The Penguin on a quiet Wednesday morning in early
November, one would expect to be greeted by sparse crowds. Throw
Covid-19 into the mix, and it’s easy to envision empty aisles and
salespeople with bored looks on their face.
And then you step inside.
One step off the sidewalks of North Conway Village and into the store
and it becomes abundantly clear the magic of The Penguin is Covid
proof. As long as the state allows them to open the doors, it seems
there is no end to the throngs of people stepping inside to be
enchanted by what they find.
“For 50 years we, truly, have been a gift shop,”said Tiga Scheupp, one
half of the mother-daughter team that has run the store for the last
decade. “We pride ourselves on having something for
everyone. Ideally something eclectic, and whenever possible something local”.
As if to underscore her point, two umbrellas float from the ceiling
behind her, just above a rack of “My Fairy Wish Kits” and “Little
Night Lights”. Whimsical enough, but noteworthy because one umbrella
replicates a Degas painting and the other Van Gogh’s iconic Starry
Night.
That’s the Penguin in a nutshell.
November, one would expect to be greeted by sparse crowds. Throw
Covid-19 into the mix, and it’s easy to envision empty aisles and
salespeople with bored looks on their face.
And then you step inside.
One step off the sidewalks of North Conway Village and into the store
and it becomes abundantly clear the magic of The Penguin is Covid
proof. As long as the state allows them to open the doors, it seems
there is no end to the throngs of people stepping inside to be
enchanted by what they find.
“For 50 years we, truly, have been a gift shop,”said Tiga Scheupp, one
half of the mother-daughter team that has run the store for the last
decade. “We pride ourselves on having something for
everyone. Ideally something eclectic, and whenever possible something local”.
As if to underscore her point, two umbrellas float from the ceiling
behind her, just above a rack of “My Fairy Wish Kits” and “Little
Night Lights”. Whimsical enough, but noteworthy because one umbrella
replicates a Degas painting and the other Van Gogh’s iconic Starry
Night.
That’s the Penguin in a nutshell.
A place where impressionistic paintings mingle with unique children’s
toys in an effortless way, all framed by the breathtaking backdrop of
the White Mountains.
Moving through the store, shoppers are greeted by hand crafted
jewelry, whimsical clocks,, beautiful floral themed gifts, and finally
a sea of interesting wines. Well, wine, and waves of mead. Waves of
our very own Sap House Mead dominating the landscape in the “wine room.
At first glance The Penguin seems like an unlikely place to find our
award winning meads, but then again, this is the gift shop with
something for everyone.
“People love finding eclectic bottles,” points out Tiga. “Our New
Hampshire wine room not only has local wines, but we carry unique
boutique batches you can’t find at the liquor store. Sap House meads
are perfect and in high demand. They are diverse, high quality and
made locally.”
---
In typical Penguin fashion, their collection of locally sourced meads
is the most diverse collection that can be
found anywhere. A collection that must be seen to believe! Just like
everything in The Penguin
But don’t take our word for it. Next time you are in North Conway
Village, park the car near Schouler Park and step into the Penguin to
see for yourself.
Ohh, and bring your cellphone!
Inevitably you’ll find yourself reaching into your pocket to snap a
picture of something on the shelves. Only to quickly fire off a text
to a good friend.
“You are not going to believe what I found!”.
---
The Penguin Gallery is located at 2655 White Mountain Hwy, North Conway, NH 03860 and is open seven days a week from 9AM to 6PM Sunday through Thursday and 9AM to 8PM Friday and Saturday.
You can find them on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PenguinGallery
In typical Penguin fashion, their collection of locally sourced meads
is the most diverse collection that can be
found anywhere. A collection that must be seen to believe! Just like
everything in The Penguin
But don’t take our word for it. Next time you are in North Conway
Village, park the car near Schouler Park and step into the Penguin to
see for yourself.
Ohh, and bring your cellphone!
Inevitably you’ll find yourself reaching into your pocket to snap a
picture of something on the shelves. Only to quickly fire off a text
to a good friend.
“You are not going to believe what I found!”.
---
The Penguin Gallery is located at 2655 White Mountain Hwy, North Conway, NH 03860 and is open seven days a week from 9AM to 6PM Sunday through Thursday and 9AM to 8PM Friday and Saturday.
You can find them on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PenguinGallery
Author: Joe FernaldEverybody knows Joe! A native son of Jackson. When he's not slinging mead behind the bar or on the road you can find him building his own company, Winnipesauke Whisker Oil. The absolute best beard and skin care around. |