In 2011, after 15 years as a stay-at-home mom, Linda Degler entered the world of small business ownership when she took over New Morning Schools at 23 Back River Road from founders Jess and Linda Shapiro. Fast forward to 2023 and New Morning is a thriving school on an upgraded campus serving children ages 3-5 in preschool & kindergarten and 6-12 at the after-school Imagine Program. New Morning also provides before and after-school programs at public schools in the greater Manchester region. Over the years, Linda has enjoyed meeting the children and their families and especially helping the teachers and staff learn and grow as a team.

Linda is now writing her next chapter with three new ventures plus another in the planning process.

Lighthouse Local, at 21 Kilton Road, opened in early January. The first floor is a retail bakery, café, market, and gift shop featuring locally grown and produced goods, including coffee, teas, an oil and vinegar refill station, chocolates, and maple products. The second-floor houses a full-featured bakery, The Bedford Baking Company, that will provide fresh specialty bread, pastries, and other baked goods for retail and wholesale customers.

The Bedford Event Center, at 379 S. River Road, was built in 2018 and reopened under Linda’s leadership in February. The event center was built specifically for hosting weddings and receptions, parties, and meetings and features an inviting lobby, a large ballroom, a medium-sized meeting space that can be divided into two, and two smaller meeting rooms that do double duty as bride and groom dressing rooms. A catering kitchen and bar area support food and beverage providers. Linda has assembled a team of event managers and planners to assist clients in planning and hosting memorable special occasions as well as enjoyable and productive functions. Linda can’t wait for spring to arrive so she can refresh the landscaping and outdoor décor.

When asked what motivated her to take on these challenges Linda responds, “These are both beautiful buildings that the community should be enjoying. Bedford and the State of New Hampshire have been very good to us since we moved here in 2006 and this is an opportunity to help support the local community.” When asked what ties these seemingly disparate ventures together, she says, “They all support families and family celebrations.” Jeff, her husband and behind-the-scenes supporter, observes these ventures combine Linda’s interests in children, education, developing others, food, and hosting parties. Linda also enjoys gardening, and she now has a larger palette to create beautiful landscapes and gardens around town.

Visit lighthouse-local.com and BedfordEventCenter.com for the latest details. We hope to see you soon!