Downtown Concord's Viking House Rises Again

There have been a lot of stories about the ups and downs of Concord’s downtown, with stores coming and going, and more often than not, going again.

Recently, the Viking House, a mainstay on North Main Street for about three decades, closed its doors. But then, another buyer swooped in and bought the store, in an effort to keep it open.

As Sue McCoo puts it, she was sick of looking at the dayglo “going out of business” signs and decided, she would give it a shot.

“It was really breaking my heart,” she said. “My neighbor asked me, ‘What were you thinking?’ I said, ‘I’m insane.’ She said, ‘I have no answer to that’ … it’s something to strive for.”

The decision to buy Viking House and keep it open comes at a time when McCoo’s other store, Capitol Craftsman and Romance Jewelers, a store she has co-owned with her husband David, is about to celebrate 24 years in business, right across the street.

McCoo noted that she was friends with long-time owner, Cathy Koppang, so it felt OK to keep the business going. The store will offer many of the same offerings Koppang had in the store including the Scandinavian flair to some of the gift items, the popular Vera Bradley handbags, children’s gifts, and women’s accessories.

Earlier this week, McCoo, store manager Emily Galvin, and others were piecing shelves together to get the store re-stocked and ready for customers. The store officially opens this morning. 

“We will be, not really ready, but we will be open,” McCoo said. 

A grand re-opening celebration will happen towards the middle or end of June.