MANCHESTER, N.H. – A proposal to bring a small café to Bay Street moved forward after the Manchester Planning Board closed a public hearing on a conditional use permit application for the project during their May 7th 2026 meeting.
Property owner John Skiff told board members the proposed café, Lahala’s Coffee, would occupy approximately 360 square feet of existing first-floor commercial space inside the mixed-use building at 57 Bay St. The conditional use permit application requirement was triggered by a change of use for the area in the building where the café will be located, as it would be classified as a “restaurant” under the city’s zoning ordinance.
In documents submitted to the board, the first floor of the building would also house a nail salon as well as space currently awaiting a tenant.
Although the building would appear to look like a residential home from the outside, 57 Bay St. adjacent to numerous professional offices on Chestnut Street and directly across from a TD Bank location wedged between Bay Street and Elm Street.
According to testimony from Skiff, the café would focus on coffee and pre-made pastries, with no cooking, alcohol service or entertainment planned. Proposed operating hours are Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Following a question from Planning Board member Maggie Baldwin, café operator Jenelle Whitter told the board that no delivery trucks are expected to park near the building at any time, with small items bought at retail likely making up the café’s offerings.
Skiff explained that initially the building housing the café would have had 7 parking spaces. However, revisions to parking setback requirements for alley-loaded parking put the number up to ten spaces, with a space allocated to ADA-accessible parking and an adjacent access aisle.
Planning Board member Brian Beaupre noted the neighborhood already supports substantial pedestrian activity and on-street parking on Bay Street.
“We actually went out and introduced ourselves to some of the local businesses,” Skiff said. “It sounds like there’s a lot of support revolving around the ability to walk.”
Planning Board Chair Stephen Meno also recommended that bicycle parking near the café to support cyclists using nearby bike lanes on Elm, Pine and Chestnut streets, though no formal condition was attached.
Skiff added that signage on the building facing Bay Street would direct drivers to the café’s parking spaces to the proposed café’s parking spaces, which are in an alleyway on the eastern side of the building and not on Bay Street, which is on the western side of the building.
Planning staff also recommended restriping the parking area and adding bumpers for visibility and safety improvements, conditions the applicant agreed to accept.
No members of the public spoke during the hearing and no written comments were submitted before closure of the public hearing, with determination on approval of the conditional use permit pending at a future limited business meeting.
According to the Lahalla’s Instagram page, the business is expecting to open in June 2026.