Seabrook City Council on June 17 ratified a Seabrook Economic Development Corporation incentive agreement of up to $41,400 for Solfry Holdings LLC (doing business as Soul Freak) to open at 1305 Main Street, despite sustained public opposition from Old Seabrook business owners and residents.

The vote followed a lengthy public-comment period in which multiple small-business owners and residents urged the council either to reject or to reconsider the EDC recommendation. Jennifer Pitts, owner of Genuine Treasures, told the council the incentive would “not just affect my livelihood and the livelihood of my neighbors, but the health and diversity of our local economy.”

Why it matters: the council endorsed EDC’s recommendation even after repeated testimony that the Old Seabrook commercial area is already crowded with similar food-and-beverage businesses. Opponents said public dollars should not be used to subsidize a new business that directly competes with long-established local operators. Supporters said the incentive will help a small business expand into the city and bring new customers to the area.

Council action and context
The item was presented to council as a ratification of a SEDC-approved business development incentive in accordance with the city’s posted business incentive program project resolution. After discussion, the motion to approve the ratification carried; Councilmember Cervantes recorded the lone vote against the item.

Public comment highlights
- Melanie Diemer, a Seabrook resident at 2123 Waterway, opened public comments in support of the EDC recommendations, saying the awards “will help the community of Seabrook to grow.”
- Jennifer Pitts, owner of Genuine Treasures, argued the council should not “reward competition with government funds” and said cluster congestion can harm existing businesses.
- Kelly Stewart (resident) criticized the EDC’s transparency and asked for clearer, objective criteria for awarding grants, citing missed required reports and overlapping federal funds in budget documents.
- Amy Albro, founder of Soul Freak, said Soul Freak’s model is collaborative and promotes other local vendors rather than directly competing by roasting its own beans, and described plans to promote order-ahead pickup to reduce drive-through traffic.
- Mel Jarnigan, a long-standing Old Seabrook business owner, said adding another coffee shop within walking distance would “oversaturate” the market and risk existing firms’ survival.
- Diane Gao, an Old Seabrook resident and business owner, asked that tenant improvements be handled between landlords and tenants rather than paid for with EDC funds.

Council discussion
Council members noted the tension between promoting economic development and protecting existing local businesses. One council member observed that a decision to deny the incentive would require quickly creating and publicizing a detailed eligibility policy so other property owners and potential investors would understand where incentives apply. Another noted prior EDC review and said the corporation had returned the application to council after its own deliberation.

What the incentive covers
The council packet described the action as a ratification of a SEDC decision under the city’s business incentive program project resolution. The packet did not specify operational subsidies; the incentive language presented to council applied to tenant/tenant-improvement support consistent with previously posted EDC program guidance.

Next steps and local impact
The developer may proceed with tenant improvements and permitting consistent with the agreement and applicable city codes. Opponents urged the council to consider targeted assistance for existing small businesses — for example, parking, signage, or façade grants — if the city is to use public funds to support downtown vitality.

Ending
Councilmembers did not adopt additional eligibility criteria or immediate follow-up measures on the EDC program at the meeting. The ratified incentive will appear in EDC records and the city’s financial documents for future reporting and audit.