ABOUT US
Amy and Aaron purchased the building at 39 Main Ave. N in the Fall of 2019. Built in 1905-1906, the building opened as First National Bank in 1907. The second level was home to doctor's offices at this time. During the Depression, Harmony's three banks closed/consolidated. Our building then housed Dr. Newell's dentistry office on the main level from the 1940s-1970s. When we purchased the building, it had sat empty since the 1970s. Having sat vacant for 50 years, it needed A LOT of work! And yet, it's a gorgeous building, and had tons of potential. It has been a labor of love bringing it back to life.
That first winter we rented a roll-off dumpster and quickly filled it with plaster, old cupboards, etc. Having gone through fifty years of cold winters and hot humid summers without any temperature control, the plaster had seen better days. Much of the ceiling plaster was already on the floor and some of the walls had cracked or fallen plaster as well. We hauled many trash cans full of plaster down the staircase.
Everything needed work. The pipes for the radiator heating system had been cut, the electrical panels were ancient, the boiler and hot water heater weren't functional, the plumbing pipes were cracked, the building needed a new roof, and the plaster was in disrepair. Among other things. We set to work removing old pipes and hauling plaster. After having hauled the radiators away for sandblasting/repainting, and having copper piping run throughout the two levels as well as installing a new boiler and pumps, we had heat as of the second winter!
During 2020 we decided to remove the many layers of old paint from the woodwork. What a task, but the woodwork underneath was beautiful! We also scraped the many layers of flaking paint from the walls. We had the floors sanded (yellow pine upstairs and maple on the main level). We tore out the 1950s bathrooms and kitchens (the second level was converted to apartments during that decade). We removed vinyl flooring and tarpaper from the kitchens and baths.
We had new plumbing run to both levels and the electricians brought power back to the building. We had a new roof and gutters put on, had the original 7ft windows and 8 ft front doors restored, and were fortunate to receive a grant to help with the costs of tuck-pointing the exterior. Harmony also received state grant dollars for renovation to buildings within the historic downtown, and with some of those funds we were able to have the original tin ceiling dry-ice blasted. This process safely removed the flaking lead paint without turning it into airborne dust, and did so gently to maintain the integrity of the soft tin ceiling.
The yellow pine floors of the second level and maple floors of the main level were sanded, repaired, and rehydrated with many applications of tung oil. The woodwork upstairs was shellacked (as this was the original finish, albeit in a darker color). We repaired window frames and sills so that the restored original double-hung windows could return and had new storm windows installed to protect them.
We repaired delaminated wall plaster and fixed holes and cracks, but also allowed brick to show through where the plaster had failed entirely (due to water intrusion). We then painted the main and second level with a natural clay paint which allows the walls to breathe.
The work will be on-going, and there are many things that must still be addressed, but we're nearing a point where we can open the main storefront as a new business here in Harmony. We've landed on the name Seed & Stone, which sums up some of the products we'll be carrying.
Amy Bishop
Owner/Operator
