In 1860, Harry Clay Lawder, Sr. (1842-1921) had begun a meat and grocery business on North Washington Street with his wife, Esther, but in 1902 the family moved the shop to this building. Harry Sr’s son, Harry Clay Lawder, Jr. (1881-1964), soon took over the business with his wife, Lillian, and later served some terms on the City Council. As Harry Jr’s son (Harry Clay Lawder III—1909-1988) grew up he helped his father to “modernize” their market, which operated until 1957 when they sold the property to Bayou Realty Company. The Lawders have been a well-known local family for several decades and own other properties in town. Harry Lawder, Jr.’s brother was Murray Vandiver Lawder (1891-1970) who also ran a well-remembered grocery store at 126 South Stokes Street from 1920 for several decades.

In 1977, Clovis R. Bolen (1925-2012) and Ramona Bolen opened the RA-BO Scrimshaw shop here where they carried on the work of etching on ivory or whale bone and captured the romance of ancient mariners who perfected this art. They sold other gifts also and the Bolens were supporters of the founding of the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum. Clovis was an WWII Army veteran and then served in the Maryland Defense Force for several years before working for the City of Havre de Grace from 1976 to 1992. Clovis died in 2012, having been married to Ramona for 62 years.

In 1988 the ground floor became home to Goldie’s Flowers & Gifts and in the mid-1990s it was Houndstooth Pet Supplies with premium food and gifts for pet lovers. The Bolens sold this property in 2000 to Doug and Theresa Strader. The Straders renovated the building including replacing the siding with wood and adding a copper roof to the front overhang. Additionally, they converted the storage space upstairs into an attractive loft apartment.

Around 2002, the store became Chesapeake Country Candles, with candles being made in the store by Sandy and Keith Williamson, while their baby played in a playpen. After the candle store closed, the Straders sold the property in 2006 to Billee Smith and the late Michael Smith, who opened Distinctive Décor, a home furnishings business. January 2021 has brought a new store here, “The Wedding Boutique of Maryland,” along with “Affairs Extraordinaire by Marta,” a wedding and party planning business owned by Marta Markline-Kastner. December 2021 brought “Blooms at the Boutique,” a flower shop to this location.

County Records
Built 1900. 1748 sq ft, retail store, 1546 sq ft lot.