Celebrate Women’s History Month by supporting these five female-owned businesses in the Granite State.
New Hampshire is home to many wonderful women-owned businesses, from restaurants and bakeries to hair salons and boutiques. To celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting five of our favorite female-founded small businesses and inviting you to support them.
Each business brings something special to its community and might just become your new date night spot or go-to when you’re craving a sweet treat. Keep reading to learn more about five women-owned businesses you can support this Women’s History Month—and beyond.
1. Daisy Jack Studios
Address: 5 W. Main St., Hillsboro
Daisy Jack Studios is a family-owned paint-your-own pottery studio run by Sarah Toles and her mother, Jacki. The studio is located in downtown Hillsboro inside The Emporium, which is filled with other women-owned businesses.
“The studio is small and cozy, so it feels more like a one-on-one experience, and our customers often say that they love the vibe,” Toles told us.
The items you can paint at the studio range from figurines and ornaments to dishware and outlet covers. Toles said there is no studio fee, and she strives to keep the business affordable. (Many of the unpainted pottery pieces cost less than $25.)
“We want a whole family to be able to come in and have fun without feeling like they are spending a fortune to do so,” Toles told us.
If you don’t have time to hang out and paint in the studio but still want to support the business, you can purchase a to-go kit and paint it at home.
2. Super Secret Ice Cream
Address: 2213 Main St., Bethlehem
Kristina Zontini started making ice cream at home, and after batches started piling up in her freezer, she called her hobby her “super secret.” Then she transformed an old ski-tuning shed into a pick-up ice cream shack behind her house. Word spread, and Super Secret Ice Cream got a new home on Main Street in Bethlehem.
Super Secret Ice Cream is a small batch ice cream company that prioritizes real ingredients sourced from local partners.
“Our passion is in the kitchen. We start with local milk and cream from Hatchland Dairy Farm, modifying each recipe to fit what local ingredients we want to highlight with the perfect balance of sweetness and texture. Not all flavors share the same components—that’s part of the magic,” Zontini told us.
Flavors are constantly changing based on seasonality, but at the time of writing, some available options included Coffee Cardamom, Hazelnut Stracciatella, Swirly Peanut Butter Brownie, and Cranberry Gooey Butter Cake. All mix-ins are baked and chopped at the shop, and produce is steeped and blended in-house as well.
“Running a small business has been a wild ride, but it’s so fun to come to work every day,” Zontini shared. “We have an incredibly dedicated and talented staff that care about our community and work really hard to make great ice cream.”
3. The Suite Studio
Address: 15 Fourth St., Dover
Before The Suite Studio, owner Jess Keefe was leading fitness classes in her front yard and working part-time at other gyms. When one of the gyms went up for sale due to uncertainty about the industry’s future in the midst of the pandemic, Keefe took the opportunity to own something of her own.
“Owning a gym became terrifying during the pandemic, as nobody knew when or if people would be willing to sweat together again. The crisis became a unique opportunity for me to buy an established fitness studio,” she told us.
Keefe rebranded the gym and expanded it immensely—from about 1,000 square feet to 6,000. Now, the facility has three studios under one roof and offers an extensive selection of group fitness classes, including barre, high-intensity training, pilates, yoga, bootcamp, and chair dancing.
“Our goal was to foster the connection of people through health and fitness, to create a space where everyone feels comfortable to give what they can and get what they need,” Keefe said.
Not only is the studio women-owned (Keefe co-owns the business with Jackie Garnett), but it’s also women-led by a crew of all-female instructors. Single-class passes can be purchased for $25, with a variety of multi-class packages and personal training sessions also available.
4. The Country Bookseller
Address: 23 N. Main St., Wolfeboro
Owning a bookstore was a long-held dream of Jeanne Snowdon’s—and in 2025, that dream became a reality. One day, Snowdon walked into her local bookstore and discovered it was for sale.
“A few years prior, when we first moved to Wolfeboro, I had playfully told my husband, ‘If that store ever goes on the market, we’ll have to buy it,’” Snowdon told us.
After careful consideration and many conversations with her husband, Snowdon bought The Country Bookseller.
The store was founded in 1994 by Karen Baker, who hired a teenage girl named Autumn to help run the store. Autumn worked at The Country Bookseller for more than 20 years and eventually took over ownership of the shop.
“Now, I am the very fortunate third woman to own this charming bookstore, and all I can do is hope to continue nurturing this Wolfeboro treasure,” Snowdon shared.
The Country Bookstore takes pride in being a small-town bookstore with a big-town selection of books. You’ll find fiction and non-fiction books, as well as a children’s section. The store also hosts a monthly book club and other events, like author readings.
5. Wine on Main
Address: 9 N. Main St., Concord
Emma Stetson has been in the wine industry for more than a decade. She’s written about wine, worked in restaurants and distribution, and managed a boutique wine shop. A few years ago, Stetson finally opened a place of her own.
Wine on Main is an independent wine shop in Concord that doubles as a gathering space for wine lovers.
“New Hampshire doesn’t have many independent wine shops, and I’m so glad I can offer that. I also wanted to take the traditional retail model further and create a community space where people come together for events, tastings, and more,” Stetson told us.
Wine on Main offers a selection of wines you won’t find at every other store. Stetson said the shop sources its wine from small-production, family-owned estates, and some of the wines it carries are exclusive to the store. However, this doesn’t mean all of the wine is expensive, with some options starting at just $10.
Wine on Main also carries non-alcoholic options, accessories, and merchandise. The store hosts classes, pairing events, workshops, wine certification courses, and tastings. In May, it will host its first group trip to Italy.
