Warming Up to Downtown Shopping

 New Businesses, Salem Event, Salem Farmers Market, Salem Shopping, SMS News  No Responses »
Nov 222014
 

KylieWhat do the over 100 restaurants, gift shops, other stores and attractions in Salem Ma have in common right now? Besides good bargains and eclectic choices, they have heat! Temperatures today (Saturday) are not expected to rise beyond the upper 30s. So you can sit at home, or go to a cold impersonal mall — or make Salem a one-stop warm & toasty shopping/dining daytrip destination. (This also applies to Sunday, or for that matter any day you would like to visit.)

But don’t take our word for it. Friday’s Salem Gazette had an article and an interview related to downtown shopping.

In the first of two front page stories, the emphasis was on the lengths North Shore communities (including Salem) go during the holiday season to invite and involve the community in local shopping over malls and big-box stores.

Ethan Hartley wrote “…local businesses in Massachusetts can offer something that you will be hard pressed to find under the bleak, florescent lights of a conglomerate store or a shopping mall — old-fashioned holiday cheer and excitement with an emphasis on building a strong community.”

Community is a key word. Salem Main Streets endeavors to work with our downtown merchants to design and promote events which increase business traffic and cement customer support/loyalty. The second article, an interview by Gregg Phipps with our manager Kylie Sullivan points to one of those projects, the Salem Winter Market.

Is the Winter Market successful in bringing people downtown to shop and do you think more and more people are turning away from mall shopping?

“That’s certainly the hope. There are so many great shops in downtown Salem, and we try really hard to ensure that our vendor offerings at the Winter Market complement rather than compete with the surrounding businesses.”

Kylie went on to explain that as much as the Market brings vendors to downtown Salem, it also creates a community gathering space in downtown Salem where residents and visitors from neighboring towns stop to chat with the vendors, other shoppers and even with merchants in surrounding stores.

Shopping need not be impersonal. It can be fun. The Winter Market will be closed this week in light of Thanksgiving but will be open again on Dec. 4, 11 and 18. Our stores, restaurants and attractions are open now. And the warmth you feel when you go inside comes from the people, as well as the heating vents.

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Dinner for Two or Three, Salem Fall Restaurant Week

 Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Festivals  No Responses »
Nov 082014
 

Salem Rest. week 1For those of you who visited Salem during Haunted Happenings in October and enjoyed diverse dinners, now is the time to return. Less crowds, same great service and dishes. And for those of you who didn’t visit, you are also cordially invited to take part in the Salem Fall Restaurant Week (Sunday, November 9 – Thursday, November 13 & Sunday, November 16 – Thursday, November 20).

Salem is indeed a culinary destination. It’s been said that you could very well eat at a different restaurant along just Washington Street each night for a week and not experience the same cuisine.

Salem Fall Restaurant Week is an annual project of the Salem Chamber of Commerce.

SRW2For 10 days only, participating Salem restaurants will offer either a two-course prix-fixe dinner menu for $18, or a three-course prix-fixe dinner menu for $28, or both (note that this price does not include drinks, taxes or gratuities).

As stated above, expect a wide variety of delicious foods – from steak to seafood, American to ethnic, there is something for everyone. Restaurants offer multiple choices for appetizers, entrees as well as desserts.

For example…
  • Adriatic Restaurant & Bar is a casual dining restaurant featuring the cuisine of the regions surrounding the Adriatic sea. Fresh fish and seasonal vegetables, together with a wood burning pizza, create the main menu. In addition to that, a nice cocktail list, a great wine program, and a professional staff, help the guests to enjoy a lunch or dinner with their family and friends.
  • Firenze Trattioria is chef Zamir Kociaj’s way of sharing his passion for the authentic tastes of Firenze with the historic town of Salem. Merging years of experience with a neighborhood vibe, Firenze Trattoria is the perfect place to celebrate the simple moments shared with loved ones and friends.
  • Naumkeag Ordiniary creates a warm, welcoming environment to enjoy craft beers, inventive cocktails, and comfort food with a creative culinary twist. Naumkeag features a bar made from reclaimed wood, an ever-changing selection of craft beers, and eclectic selection of specialty cocktails. The kitchen at Naumkeag ordinary prides itself on making every dish from scratch using locally sourced, sustainable ingredients. The Naumkeag Ordinary is a perfect place to enjoy a snack and drink at the bar, or to sit and enjoy a leisurely dinner. There is something for everyone on their frequently changing menu.

Reservations are encouraged, please contact the restaurants directly. Please mention “Restaurant Week” when making your reservations. For an updated list of participating restaurants please go to the Chamber website.

Come once for the spooky. Return again for the tasty.

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A & B Restaurant in Salem Serves Up Fundraiser for Northeast Arc

 Salem Dining, Salem Event  No Responses »
Sep 152014
 

Northeast Arc fundraiserCommunity involvement is a signature mark of many establishments in the Salem Downtown district. Tuesday, for example, A & B Burgers  is holding an event simply stated as “Burgers & Fries & Fundraising.” The restaurant will be donating 15% of non-alcoholic/food sales generated from 5 – 9 pm to Northeast Arc. And there will be local celebrity guests & hosts.

Northeast Arc ensures that children and adults with disabilities are able to live, work, engage in civic life and play in the community. This is accomplished by offering a wide variety of programs including Autism Services, Day Habilitation, Deaf Services, Early Intervention, Employment Services, Family Support, Personal Care Assistance, Recreation, Residential and Transition Services.

Among the celebrity hosts and special guests at Tuesday night’s event will be Senator Joan Lovely, State Representatives Jerry Parisella and Ted Speliotis, Mayors Edward A. Bettencourt, Jr. of Peabody and Michael P. Cahill of Beverly, Essex County Sheriff Frank Cousins Jr. and John Boris, owner of John A. Boris & Associates.

And, after your dinner, if there’s ever been a time to not feel guilty about extending your meal for dessert, this is it. All for a worthy cause.

A & B Burgers is located at 50 St. Peter Street. For more info, call 978-594-8607 or 978-498-4997.

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Playing With Your Food – Week 13

 Uncategorized  No Responses »
Sep 112014
 
20140814_145047

Eggplant varieties at Long Hill Orchard

Playing With Your Food” is a weekly post highlighting a few of the many great uses for the wide range of produce and artisan food at the Salem Farmers’ Market, a Salem Main Streets project.  The Salem Farmers’ Market takes place every Thursday from June 12 to October 23 from 3 pm to 7 pm on Derby Square.  While we can never predict exactly what our farms will be able to bring each week, we do our best to reflect some of the fun items we’ve found recently and what’s likely to be available for the upcoming week.  Hopefully this will give you a few new ideas to play with, and inspire you to try some new things at the market.

It’s true – the days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler, and some of those trees are starting to look suspiciously….not green.  But don’t worry, we still have almost 2 months of market days left!  In my opinion, this is really the best time for produce at the market because you can get almost anything.  If you love the summer produce, we’re still swimming in summer squash, peppers, melons, and greens and herbs of all sorts, but those who can’t wait for fall are already seeing apples, parsnips, and a few winter squash.

That said, now is the time to continue celebrating the summer produce while we still have it!  If you liked our first post about corn, tomatoes, and eggplant, get ready for a few more ideas.

Clark Farm 3 - Week 4

Corn at Clark Farm

Tomatoes

Eggplant

Corn

And even better….

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Pretty eggplant varieties at Heavens Harvest Farm

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Live From Salem, Mass – It’s Saturday Downtown Events All Day

 New Businesses, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Farmers Market  No Responses »
Sep 062014
 

Salem Best ChefIf you picked today to visit Salem, MA, you made an excellent selection. We of course hope you return next month for our Haunted Happenings month-long extravaganza in celebration of all things Halloween, but today offers a diverse menu of selections in our Downtown District.

Get here early enough today (or most likely keep in mind for another Saturday, because you know you’ll be back), there is the Salem Food Tours Saturday Morning Coffee Walk at 9:15am. Get the inside scoop on our great shops, restaurants, downtown Salem and the waterfront area. Ideal for locals and visitors alike. Includes complimentary organic coffee or tea and finishes with local cider tasting (no food tasting on these tours.) Runs approx. 1 hour & 20 minutes. For more info email info@salemfoodtours.com or call 978.594.8811.

Silver Moon 1Silver Moon Comics & Collectibles is a new comic book theme store having its grand opening in the Museum Place Mall, today & tomorrow. In addition to comics, there will also be figurines, posters, and tie-ins with movies and TV shows related to the industry— as well as guest artists on a regular basis. The store provides discounts to customers with military or Salem State University ID and is receptive to anyone wishing to bring in comics or collectibles to trade or sell. Hours this weekend are 9am – 8pm Saturday and 10am – 7pm Sunday. For more info call 978.594.8641.

The Salem YMCA is hosting its first annual Salem’s Best Chef  fundraising event, featuring chefs from Finz, 62 Restaurant and Wine Bar, the Ugly Mug Diner, and Scratch Kitchen. Takes place tonight 6-8 pm in the YMCA’s Ames Hall. The extra interesting aspect of this fundraiser for the Y is that for the competition portion of the event, each chef will be given a basket of secret ingredients, “Chopped” style from— the Salem Farmers’ Market! Tickets are still available. Call 978.740.9622. The YMCA is located at One Sewall street.

Peabody Essex Museum continues to intrigue, amaze and entertain with its selection of exhibits. Today it launches an all day session of events; it is the exclusive East Coast venue for Calder and Abstraction: From Avant-Garde to Iconic. This exhibition brings together 40 sculptures by Alexander Calder, one of the most influential and innovative artists of the 20th century. It will run from Sept. 6 to Jan. 4, 2015.

A menu of some of today’s Downtown events to delight the senses. Just for you from Salem Mass. Enjoy!

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