Bakery prevails in free-speech dispute with N.H. town over pastry mural
Laplante's ruling doesn't declare Conway's sign code unconstitutional as written, and it doesn't foreclose the possibility that the town might lawfully regulate the display in another manner.
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Nonetheless, bakery owner Sean Young is celebrating the win and championing the painting that was produced by a group students from Kennett High School.
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'I'm thrilled that the students' artwork can remain up, I'm thrilled that my First Amendment rights have been vindicated, and I'm thrilled that the community can continue to enjoy the beautiful piece of art,' Young said in a statement released by the
'I think our mural is a wonderful depiction of everything that makes the Mount Washington Valley such a great place to live,' he added.
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Owner Sean Young poses at Leavitt's Country Bakery, in this April 13, 2023 file photo, in Conway, N.H.
Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press
Betsy Sanz, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, said towns can regulate the size and number of signs, but can't 'pick and choose what signs to regulate based on what they depict.'
The attorneys who represented Conway officials did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment.
The town has enforced its sign code
Young's lawsuit was paused for a few months in 2023 as residents considered revising how the town defines signs, in a way that would have allowed the painting to stay up. But that measure was seen as too broad and complex, and it failed to pass.
Last year, voters
This story includes material from the Associated Press.
Steven Porter can be reached at
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