No one had a worse New Year's Eve than Diane Robinson.
While everyone else was partying, she was clearing out her seven-year-old store on the Harbor, Nautical Treasures, after being given an eviction notice. Her lease had run out and rather than considering an extension, or letting her stay while people bid on the spot, she was kicked to the curb.
She was and is miserable about the action and feels even worse now that the Harbor is suing her, claiming she left the store in less than perfect condition, even though the view on New Years was of a clean space. Robinson says she left it better than she found it, adding $100,000 of upgrades.
Friday, she finally celebrated a new year in a new location, across from the Museum of Art & History at 111 Cooper Street.
"This is the first place downtown with nautical things," said Vice Mayor Lynn Robinson (no relation to Diane), during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. One of the city's goals has been to tie the downtown to the beach and have tourists easily visit both.
The store owner was happy for more foot traffic, but sad about leaving the Pelican project she had started at Harbor, raising funds to help the injured birds that turned up there.
Meanwhile, her collection of "Beauties of the Sea" includes artwork and sculpture, as well as some kid-friendly devices, such as the giant candlelit flying sky lanterns, which some have mistaken for UFOs and the mini kites that can be flown by anyone.
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