Dining – Page 15 – Salem Main Streets

New Year’s Resolution: Open A Business In Salem Ma

Jan 042014

You have been talking about launching your own business for the last year; you’ve been dreaming about it for longer than that. We are of course biased in support of the diverse Salem Ma Downtown District as your future location. So don’t take our word for it. However, Small Business Trends has mapped out the “Top 50 Small Business Shopping Destinations to Visit” and not one but six Massachusetts communities are on it— including Salem:

“… retail has become big box stores and moved to strip shopping centers and malls. But there are still communities across the United States that have thriving small business districts where local entrepreneurs abound. We’ve identified 50 of the standouts…”

While the survey may have as its purpose to give shoppers a bird’s eye view of small business friendly destinations, it is also a close-up on communities which are successful incubators for budding owners of such businesses— notably Salem Ma.

From the January 2012 report of the Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy:

“Small businesses continue to be incubators for innovation and employment growth during the current recovery. Small businesses continue to play a vital role in the economy of the United States. They produced 46 percent of the private nonfarm GDP in 2008…”

That could be your business.

And, according to the US Census Bureau Data (2009):

“There were 5.8 million employer firms in the U.S. Firms with less than 20 workers made up 89.7 percent of these businesses.”

Salem stands ready to support you. Salem Main Streets. The Salem Chamber of Commerce. The City of Salem. Destination Salem. We are rich in organizations to answer every question and help you along the way. We actively support and work with our businesses through festivals, events, and national activities such as Small Business Saturday.

And then there are the businesses along the Downtown District themselves. Best resources of info. Don’t take our word for it. 2014 is here. Resolve it’s time to stop thinking and time to act on your dream.

Our Datebook Seems To Be Full This Week

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Nov 162013

When exactly are things supposed to slow down in Salem?

We just finished Fall Restaurant Week. Well, actually two weeks of fine dining.

We are in the midst of Winter Market, Thursdays (except Thanksgiving week) from 3-6pm at Old Town Hall.

The soon to be Turner’s Seafood Restaurant will be opening this week (or next, everything needs to be just right). Yes, another different flavor of dining comes to Salem. Described in their own words, “Salem experiences the heritage, dedication & expertise of our family’s four generations… sourcing, preparing & serving the freshest, best tasting seafood at our authentic New England seafood restaurant & market in storied Lyceum Hall.”

Brunonia Barry (The Lace Reader and The Map of True Places) noted author from Salem —a New York Times Best-selling author we may add— Baccante award winner & Strand Fellowship recipient will close out the 2013 “Seven Lectures at Seven Gables” series at (where else) the House of Seven Gables, Wednesday at 7pm.

CinemaSalem is running a special double feature this Thursday on the 8pm premiere of Catching Fire by preceding it with the original Hunger Games movie at 5pm.

Another celebrity comes to town on Thursday, when Jenny Johnson, the Emmy Award Winning producer and television host of TV Diner visits J. Mode for a “Girls Night Event,” 6-8:30pm. The evening’s guests will enjoy wine, small bites and a beautiful spread offered by Pretzel Crisps, plus of course shopping. Space is limited and the first 25 guests will receive a swag bag filled with surprises. Attendees will also be treated to a raffle and the opportunity to earn double points in J. Mode’s customer loyalty program.

But before that you might want to visit the Peabody Essex Museum for Members’ Appreciation Day. This holiday season, the Museum Shop wants to thank members for their support with a special gift and additional discounts. Visit the shop and receive your exclusive PEM swag bag!

Join then from 1-3pm for a book signing with Benneville Strohecker, founder of the Salem-based Harbor Sweets. He’ll sign copies of his new children’s book, The Day the Ocean Changed to Chocolate. Also meet a representative from Tea Forte, and sample delicious teas.

Close out the evening with the latest in the PEM/PM after hours gathering. This month Anime and Manga; these are Japanese comic books and animation that have taken America by storm. Come celebrate this fascinating medium from 6:30-9:30pm with a visual music performance, drawing with professional graphic artists and an engaging conversation organized by the Tannery Series. Members and Salem residents (with ID) free, non-members $10. Cash bar. Refreshments available for purchase in the Atrium Cafe.

And that is just this week.

On Nov. 30 we take part in Small Business Saturday, but that’s another blog.

PEM Creatively Celebrates The Future

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Nov 092013

Point to one store, one attraction that proudly proclaims that there is life in Salem before, during and after Halloween and you would be looking at the Peabody Essex Museum. This is not your grandparents type of museum, nor most likely your parents. It is a vibrant, enticing, welcoming community meeting-house environment with exhibits for any age group.

Saturday Nov. 9th is a perfect example as PEM presents Future Creativity Gala from 7:30pm to midnight. There will be dining, dancing and cocktails as they celebrate the future of the creative process. Yes, in a museum. There will also be creative experience rooms which will feature opportunities to interact with guests and artists with activities designed to engage the senses.

For example, future-themed hors d’oeuvres and small plates, both sweet and savory, will be passed throughout the evening to create a unique dinner-by-the-bite culinary experience.

Matthew Aucoin will compose new work in real time. Guests become part of the process by influencing the style of his composition. Collaborators Kier GoGwilt and Nick Pope will simultaneously react to his composition through additional music and visual art. (Aucoin is PEM’s first composer-in-residence and an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.)

Utilizing taste, touch, sound, sight and smell, Janice Wang will explore the ways we interact with food and with each other through culinary experience. Wang is interested in cognitive psychology in the dining room. (Wang is an MIT Media Lab researcher as part of Kevin Slavin’s Playful Systems group.)

But more than words are needed to explore the creativity that is the PEM. John Andrews of Social Palates posted a link on Twitter this week to the photographs he’s taken highlighting the PEM’s brand of community interaction. With an eye to the future of creativity at PEM, we invite you to also look at the recent past.

Tickets may still be available to Saturday’s event. For more information contact 978-542-1611 or email gala@pem.org. Proceeds from the Future Creativity Gala provide necessary support for the museum’s education, outreach and public programs, as well as new exhibitions.

What Do We Do For An Encore?

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Nov 022013

What makes Salem the great place it is to live and work in is that there is always something going on that is different than what just finished. Point in fact, we just closed out the craziness of Haunted Happenings. Before the dust settles we shift to the serenity of fine dining and the casualness of shopping at a winter market.

Beginning Sunday Nov. 3 through Thursday Nov. 7th and repeating the following week Nov 10-14, the 7th annual Salem Fall Restaurant Week offers an invitation to residents, and anyone within driving distance along the North Shore.

Participating Salem restaurants (over 20 at this point) will offer either a prix-fixe two-course dinner menu for $18 or a prix-fixe three-course dinner menu for $28. Some restaurants will offer both course options. Prices are per person and exclude beverages, tax, and gratuity. This event is sponsored by the Salem Chamber of Commerce. Check their website or their blog for an updated list of participating restaurants, menus and offerings.

But what if you are the master chef— your family the only regular customers? Then we have a supply of fresh products for your table, beginning Nov. 7th when the Salem Winter Market opens its doors in Old Town Hall.

It will include produce from local farms, pasture-fed meat, spices, pickles, soup, baked goods, artisan soap, jewelry, wreaths, and more. All items are grown or produced in New England.

“The Winter Market is a fantastic opportunity to support local farms and artisans through the holiday season,” states Kylie Sullivan, manager of Salem Main Streets and organizer of the market. “We’re very excited to showcase so many summer farmers’ market favorites as well as some new vendors in this historic space.”

Current vendors at the 2013 Winter Market include:

Farm Vendors (produce): Clark Farm, Grant Family Farm, Long Hill Orchard & Farm, Wally’s Vegetables

Non-Farm Vendors (not produce): Big Sky Bakery (bread), Fishwives Specialty Foods/Mandy’s Seafood Chowder (chowder), Piper Ranch (meat), Salem Spice (spices, also selling Maitland Mountain Farm’s pickles), Valicenti Organico (pasta/sauces), Wolf Meadow Farm (cheese)

Artisan Vendors: Salem Soapworks, Shine Jewelry/Heritage Industries

This list is still subject to growth.

The Market will run six weeks on Thursdays from 3 – 6 p.m., Nov.7 through Dec. 19. There will be no Market the week of Thanksgiving. Old Town Hall is adjacent to Derby Square where the Summer Farmers’ Market is held.

The market is made possible through the generous support of Mayor Kimberley Driscoll and the City of Salem, the Salem Chamber of Commerce, and Mass in Motion Salem, as well as numerous volunteers. The market participates in the SNAP program and will accept the EBT card at the market.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets Manager, at 978-744-0004 or kylie@salemmainstreets.org, or visit http://salemmainstreets.org/salem-winter-market/ . You can also follow Salem Main Streets on Facebook and Twitter to keep current on Winter Market news.

All Roads Lead To Salem…

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Oct 272013

But, depending on the time 0f day/night, they may not lead out.

The City of Salem has published Road Closures & No Parking Zones for Halloween. And as a courtesy to our followers who may be nearby or are still miles away but planning to be here on the big day/night we are reprinting the schedule from the city website. Please note that all closures are subject to change based on conditions, crowd size, and other public safety factors.

Streets closed to traffic at approximately 4 p.m.( no later than 5 p.m.), and until approximately 11:30 p.m.

This means not only can’t you drive through these streets but if you parked there, you can’t leave either.

1.      Washington St. from New Derby to Bridge St.
2.      Essex St. from Barton Square to Union St.
3.      Derby St. from Lafayette St. to Congress St.
4.      Brown St. at New Liberty St. Second backup closure at Howard St.
5.      Lafayette St. from Derby to Front St.
6.      Hawthorne Blvd. from Derby St. to Essex St.
7.      Washington Sq. West from Essex to Brown St. Washington Sq. South closed. Washington Sq. North closed from Brown to Winter St.
8.      Winter St. at Bridge St. closed to inbound traffic.
9.      Williams St. at Bridge St.
10.     Congress St. closed at South Harbor Garage. Vehicles will be detoured to Pickering Way out to Derby St. Derby St. inbound traffic detoured to Little Hawthorne Blvd., right on Essex St. (Traffic direction will be reversed on Little Hawthorne Blvd.)

Streets closed to traffic from 10 p.m. until 11:30 p.m.

1.      Bridge St. will be closed to traffic between the westerly ramps and the Bypass Road.
2.      Incoming Bridge St northbound traffic will be detoured up westerly ramps to North Street. Bypass Road inbound traffic from Beverly will be diverted back to Bridge Street and back to Beverly. Incoming southbound traffic from Bridge Street will be diverted to the Bypass Road and back to Beverly.
3.      Franklin Street may be closed to traffic if needed.

Other closures or openings could be decided as special circumstances arise.

No parking tow zones from 4 p.m. to midnight. These will be enforced.

1.      Lafayette St. both sides Front to Derby St.
2.      Public parking lot along Front St. Public parking spaces located on Central St. in front of old police station.
3.      Essex St. from Barton Sq. to Hawthorne Blvd.
4.      Derby St. both sides between Congress and Lafayette St.
5.      Hawthorne Blvd. both sides.
6.      Front St.
7.      Central St.
8.      Washington St. from New Derby to Bridge St. both sides.
9.      Washington Sq. North, South, and West both sides.
10.     Federal St. both sides from Washington to Superior Court.
11.     Norman St. from Washington to Crombie St.
12.     Franklin St. on the Furlong Park/North River side of the street.
13.     New Derby St. between Klop Alley and Lafayette St.

Visitors planning to come to Salem on October 31st are strongly encouraged to take the commuter rail or ride the Salem-to-Boston Ferry. For more information about traveling to Salem during Halloween visit the Haunted Happenings website and to be notified about road closures follow @GetThruOctober on Twitter or our own Twitter account @SalemMainStreets.

We will also have this information at our new Visitors’ Info Booth, which is at the corner of Washington and Essex Streets, across from the Bewitched Statue.

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