Our Story

Going out to eat at Spencer’s Place in the Village of Walpole is more than just the superb meal that is placed before you – it’s the friendly and casual atmosphere, the visually-pleasing surroundings with copper accents, the helpful wait staff, and the bonus...a portion of the proceeds from some meals go to the Boston’s Children’s Hospital. This locally owned and operated family restaurant – dubbed “A Place With a Heart” – was formulated around the idea of giving back because of a local boy, Spencer Harrington, who was born with a congenital heart defect. Spencer was flown to Boston when he was born and underwent five open heart surgeries in his first four years of life. Just during his time at the Walpole Middle School, he went through three more surgeries, including a heart transplant at age 11. “Throughout all of the months at Boston Children’s, Spencer found joy in his love for food. From making waffles on Christmas morning in the hospital cafeteria to making shrimp scampi with the hospital’s head chef in his room,” says Steve (aka Beau) Donovan, Walpole resident and owner of Spencer’s Place, along with wife Shanda. “Food is his passion.” He goes on to say that when Spencer was home and felt well, he loved helping the Donovan family serve food at the Hubbard Park to baseball fans. “All that he endured, we never saw him without a smile,” Steve adds. The Donovan's have a large family and always stressed the value of having a great work ethic and the importance of giving back to the community as they raised them. They spent much of their time involved in the Walpole community. Then the opportunity to open a restaurant that focused on “giving back” was put before the Donovan's. A plaque that reads “Help Someone Today” hangs on the wall in this space as a reminder of just what this eatery is all about.

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-Above content sourced from The Monadnock Shopper-