Common Man to Get a Little Bigger

The Common Man restaurant on State Street will get a little bigger soon after owner Alex Ray acquired a single-story wooden building next door.

The additional space, which was formerly occupied buy the Canine Cupboard, will allow the Common Man to expand its lounge and add 30 seats, according to Ray.

“It will give us more of the Common Man rustic appeal,” Ray said. “It is small and it was affordable.”

The Common Man first came to the city in 2009 after it leased the space occupied by the former Victory Restaurant and Ray saw an opportunity to grow his Portsmouth restaurant further.

"We have been there about 2 1/2 years and we don't own the building, we lease it," said Ray during a cell phone interview on Tuesday morning. He said that while some people might consider the black, wooden shingle building ugly, he believes it reflects Portsmouth's history and culture and couldn't resist the opportunity to acquire it and add some space to the Portsmouth restaurant.

"We are going to expand our lounge and make that the new entry area into the restaurant and that will help us with our market appeal," Ray said.

Ray would not disclose how much he paid for the 600-square-foot, black, Cape-style structure at 102 State St. But he did say the addition will allow him to add more lounge seating and create an outdoor dining deck above the current lounge, which has a flat roof. If all goes accordingly, Ray said the outdoor dining deck could be ready to serve up to 25 patrons by June 1.

“It should be nice. It will be in the shade in the afternoon,” Ray said.

Ray said his company owns 19 Common Man restaurants, two inns and one performing arts center in Plymouth called The Flying Monkey.

According to Erica Murphy, the Common Man's director of communications and community relations, the news about the Common Man's expansion coincides with the restaurant chain's new spring/summer menu that is now offered at all of its New Hampshire restaurants.