Hours of Operation (Sort Of)

I remember the first time I saw a business with hours posted that included the phrase "by chance."

I laughed.

Then I wondered, How on earth does anyone know when to come?

My entire life has been governed by schedules. I can still hear my mother calling out, "Hurry up, you don't want to be late!" as we piled into the car. Then came school buses, classroom clocks, work schedules, appointments, deadlines, calendars, reminders, alarms...

Time.

We've all spent a lot of it chasing time.

Now, as we open The River Runs Through Farmhouse Store & Coffee Shop, I find myself thinking about time again.

Only this time, it feels different.

Maybe it's because we live in the farmhouse attached to the store. Maybe it's because stepping outside to check the garden, watch the clouds, or admire the rhubarb somehow feels just as important as answering emails. Maybe it's because after years of dreaming about this place, being here matters more than watching the clock.

Whatever the reason, time has never felt more elusive—or less important.

Which brings me to our business hours.

We have them.

Sort of.

Officially we're open Thursday through Sunday from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

And yet this morning—a Monday—we were open.

And people came.

Apparently our customers had not yet received the memo about being closed.

The truth is, we're still learning.

We're learning how much banana bread to bake. We're learning how many coffee beans become a day. We're learning how often people want biscotti. (I am personally conducting extensive research on this topic.) We're learning what belongs on the shelves and what belongs somewhere else entirely.

And we're learning about hours.

So rather than "by chance," let's call our current hours flexible.

It's summer in Maine, after all.

Sometimes we're stocking shelves. Sometimes we're baking. Sometimes we're rearranging displays. Sometimes we're debating important questions like whether vegan ice cream should make an appearance in the store.

(For the record, we're leaning toward yes.)

If you stop by and there's something you love, let us know.

If there's something you'd like us to carry, let us know.

If you've been secretly hoping for vegan ice cream, definitely let us know.

This place is still growing, and we're grateful to be learning alongside all of you.

So come by.

Stay awhile.

See what finds you.

And if the sign says we're closed but you see us outside planting tomatoes, moving furniture, or talking to the cats, feel free to wave.

We might just be open after all.