couple plans to open locally focused bar and restaurant in Newmarket

Concerts by legends like Richie Havens, Johnny Winter and Loudon Wainwright still echo between The Stone Church’s walls. But aside from a CD release show in March, there has been no music performed in the Newmarket venue since it was sold at auction seven months ago.

That will soon change. Owner Adam Schroadter recently leased the first floor of the historic building to Christopher McClain and Melissa Poirier, who aim to open a new restaurant and music venue there in June. The married couple has not yet settled on a name (they are considering retaining The Stone Church title), but they have clear plans for the space.

“It’s going to be a full-service restaurant with as much live, mostly local music as possible,” McClain said. “We definitely want to concentrate on local music, because this area has a ton.”

McClain has plenty of experience with area restaurants. He has previously worked at Portsmouth establishments like Poco’s Bow Street Cantina, The Library Restaurant and The Portsmouth Brewery. He and Poirier used to live in Portsmouth but now reside in Rochester with their three-year-old son.

Poirier is a graduate of the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University and currently works for HDS New England, a digital dining service. She’ll be running the kitchen. Although the venue will continue to emphasize live music, Poirier said she wants people to see The Stone Church as more than just a concert hall.

“We also want them to see it as a place where if they feel like grabbing a bite to eat they can pop in there, too,” she said.

Poirier and McClain said the restaurant will utilize as many local, organic ingredients as possible, as well as local and craft beers. The menu will consist of standard pub fare, including appetizers, entrees, soups and salads, with a few unique meal options. The couple is still working on acquiring a food permit and liquor license and has not yet firmed up an opening date.

Schroadter said the search for a suitable tenant at his newly acquired building was lengthy. He moved to Newmarket less than a year ago from Los Angeles, where he worked at the Staples Center—home of the L.A. Lakers. He bought The Stone Church with two other people in September, but the other two have since backed out and turned their shares over to Schroadter.

“I was on a big word-of-mouth campaign ever since I bought the place trying to find what the best fit for the building would be,” Schroadter said. McClain and Poirier were the first interested parties who fit his vision for the space. “These guys, Chris and Melissa, are really nice, really cool people,” he said.

Now, Schroadter is focused on developing the building’s spacious second floor. The previous owners conducted extensive renovations on the upper floor but never completed the work. Schroadter is looking for sponsors to help fund the remaining work and put the space to use.

Ideas for the second floor include renting it to musicians for band practice during the day, and then renting it out as a function hall for banquets, parties and art shows at night. Schroadter has also heard interest about broadcasting an independent radio station out of the second floor, or using it as headquarters for a local artists’ co-op. He is also in conversations with the town about holding a farmers’ market in the parking lot on weekends.

Schroadter is still in the process of securing funds for completing necessary renovations to the second floor, such as installing a sprinkler system and soundproofing the room. He is considering hosting a series of benefit shows with local bands to raise money for the cause. But until then, he remains enthusiastic about the plans downstairs.

Poirier said she and McClain plan to host a gathering of area musicians to collect feedback and ideas about the space. They have not nailed down an exact date, but musicians interested in attending should e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Even on nights when there is no full band playing, they want to have light acoustic music to accompany the dining experience, and they welcome other ideas.

“We want to have a good working relationship with local musicians,” Poirier said. “We’d certainly be open to letting them experiment and try something new.”