News – Page 8 – Salem Main Streets

Who Is NOT Afraid of Snow in Salem Ma? We Have the List

Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Shopping, SMS News 1 Response »

Feb 152015

Let it snow, let is snow, let it snow. We can’t do anything about the fluffy white stuff that is falling and being blown about— but we can make sure it doesn’t diminish one of the things that makes Salem such a great place to reside in and visit: our Downtown Shopping District.

Many of our restaurants and retailers braved the weather, cleared the sidewalks, pathways, doorways and parking lots to hang their “open for business” signs today. As was said in a tweet, sure they are looking to generate income, but they are also in a sense performing a public service, giving us all a reason to get out of our houses and congregate with fellow townsfolk.

We set up a constantly updating thread on our Facebook page to share the info on who is and is not open. We thank everyone who chimed in. And we give a big frozen thumb’s up to the retailers that offered “Blizzard Specials” to the adventurous New Englanders who made the trek to their favorite Salem haunt.

(Image courtesy of artur84 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Snow Day Tuesday – Shop & Dine Downtown Salem

New Businesses, Salem Dining, Salem Event, SMS News No Responses »

Feb 092015

We are all in this together. Salem merchants and Salem residents/visitors/shoppers. Snow kept falling and blowing on Monday. Most of us were home-bound. Tuesday the MBTA will not be operating. The Governor has declared a State of Emergency so you should not drive unless it is vital. What to do? Stay home? No! Support our local Downtown Merchants who have been taking financial hit after hit with these snow storms.

There is a Facebook page urging just that: “The recent weather hurts our beloved local businesses. If you can walk downtown tomorrow (or drive depending on what happens with the parking situation) then spend some money to keep Salem in business! ”

Check out the site. Business are trickling in with whether they will be open or closed on Tuesday.

You can also post questions for your favorite eatery or regular store.

We think it is a great idea. The shopping community working together to support the businesses of Salem.

Call your favorite spot before heading out, as some may indeed be open but with abbreviated hours. Boot up. Bundle up. And we’ll see you out there for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just gift shopping (Saturday is Valentine’s Day!).

(Erin Cyr event photo)

How Great Are the Stores in Salem?

Contests, New Businesses, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Jan 312015

It’s your turn! Salem Main Streets through this blog & website, our Facebook page, our Twitter account and other sources is constantly waving the flag in support of how great the merchants and organizations in Salem are. But now there are two ways for you to show your support— with a vote!

As it turns out, voting is underway for the Wicked Local 2015 Readers Choice Awards (ballot appeared in 1/30/15 edition of Salem Gazette) and Northshore Magazine BONS 2015 Best of Northshore (begins 2/1/15).

Rules, regulations, how to vote, when voting ends, etc. etc. can be found on their respective websites.

Through both the newspaper and magazine voting, you can single out gift shops, food stores, restaurants and so forth that provide the kind of customer experience you not only appreciate but want to share with others.

In both of the “best of the best” balloting our merchants will be competing with other businesses in North Shore communities, so be sure to convince friends to vote as well for their Salem choices.

If you’d like an idea on how well we fared last time on the BONS event, here is a link to a past blog As you’ll see, Salem was well-represented. Let’s do it again. Show these local merchants you like not only their products & services, but also the way they conduct business.

(Image courtesy of chayathonwong2000 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

House of Seven Gables Closed For Two Weeks

History No Responses »

Jan 022015

If you tried visiting the House of Seven Gables at any time over the past couple of days you discovered that you could not get in. But no need to worry. Nothing is wrong.

In fact, according to Kara McLaughlin’s Executive Director comments in the Gables newsletter, everything is fine.

“We saw 25,000 guests in October alone. On September 21st, more than 250 people attended our annual fund-raising event, Taste of the Gables. On November 15th, more than 120 Salem residents took part in our Salem Residents Appreciation Day party as we launched a program to offer free museum admission for Salem residents. Salem residents can now enjoy our historic house museums and waterfront gardens on a complimentary basis year-round, with the exception of October.”

So why close down?

In their own words….

Dear Friends,

The House of the Seven Gables Annual Shutdown will take place from January 1 – January 15, 2015.

From January 1 – January 15, 2015, The House of the Seven Gables will be closed for our annual shutdown. During the shutdown we will be working on maintenance projects and housekeeping, to ensure that we are ready to welcome in the new year. We will continue to be active on social media, and update our website as events and programs become scheduled.

2015 is sure to be an exciting year here at The House of the Seven Gables, as we have a lot planned for the months ahead. Be sure to check facebook.com/7gables, and our website www.7gables.org for updates.

We will reopen on January 16, 2015 at 10:00 AM. Check our website for the most current hours and schedule.

Be sure to have a happy and safe New Year, and we will see you in 2015!

Sincerely,

The Staff of The House of the Seven Gables

Over the past few months they have also completed some highly visible projects, including the installation of a new, wooden shingle roof on the Hooper-Hathaway House and the construction of a new, architecturally appropriate porch on The Settlement House.

The House of Seven Gables is located at 115 Derby Street, Salem MA.

Salem Makes Top 20 List of ‘Hot’ Mass. Communities

Salem Event 2 Responses »

Nov 162014

You may have missed this item this week, so it bears repeating: WCVB in Boston reported on a survey by numbers-crunching company NerdWallet that puts a bright spotlight on Salem and neighboring communities.

Granted, it’s our job at Salem Main Streets to say how great downtown Salem is as an entertainment, dining, and daytrip destination. Same rationale applies to Destination Salem and other local groups dedicated to promoting Salem to the masses. So, it is nice when someone else says it, and with tons of statistics.

According to WCVB “NerdWallet crunched the numbers for the 61 communities in Massachusetts with more than 20,000 residents to find those demonstrating growth in jobs, income and population. The most recent data — from 2009 to 2012 — was used.”

Here are some cities and towns in our area:

#50 Gloucester
#49 Danvers
#45 Boston
#40 Peabody
#32 Marblehead
#15 Beverly
#14 Lynn

And in 13th place (where else would the Witch City be?) is Salem. We are in the Top 20; almost the top 10. All this goes to say that besides being a nice place to visit, Salem is a good place in which to live, and getting better. Thanks NerdWallet for sharing!

(For the curious, 1st place was awarded to Westfield Ma.)

Image courtesy of Pong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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