Salem Shopping – Page 22 – 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.

Some of the Faces of the Winter Market

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Dec 202013

Season Finale for Salem Winter Market

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Dec 182013

Making a list and checking it twice, we hope, has been the activity of our friends and neighbors this week in preparation for the final Winter Market of the season, Thursday 12/19/13.

Time to stock up for the Holidays! And to say “See ya next year” to the accommodating vendors who not only sell items but also share informative conversations with their customers.

To mark the event, Mayor Kimberley Driscoll will ring the bell at 3pm to kick off the final market.

“The Winter Market is a fantastic opportunity to combine your grocery and holiday shopping, all while supporting local businesses,” states Kylie Sullivan, manager of Salem Main Streets and organizer of the market.

“Whether you’re stocking up your pantry or crossing items off your holiday gift list, our range of vendors makes the Market a one-stop shopping destination.”

The Winter Market includes 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.

But for this final session there will be some extra “gifts” (enough to fill Santa’s sleigh!) for attendees:

Young visitors will have the opportunity to catch a visit from Santa! (hint 3 to 4:30 pm)
$1-a-pound specials for select produce at Clark Farm
Wreaths and trees from Wally’s Vegetables
Holiday gift baskets at Salem Soapworks
Gift certificates for cheesemaking classes at Wolf Meadow Farm
Sales on all Shine Jewelry items
New vendor We All Scream for Ice Cream Co will be there again with vegan, gluten-free ice cream in a variety of fun flavors (she’s come the past two weeks to test out this brand-new business)
Summer market favorite Tangerine Pastry will also be there
Dorothy Malcolm will be there selling copies of “Legendary Locals of Salem”
Historic New England will be our guest non-profit this week, sharing Christmas/holiday-related stories and information
City of Salem Ma will be holding a flu clinic

Current Vendors at the 2013 Winter Market

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

Non-Farm Vendors (not produce): Big Sky Bakery (bread), Great Cape Baking Company (baked goods), Piper Ranch (meat), Salem Spice (spices, also selling Maitland Mountain Farm’s pickles), Tangerine Pastry (macarons, pastries), Valicenti Organico (pasta/sauces), We All Scream Ice Cream Co (vegan, gluten-free ice cream), Wolf Meadow Farm (cheese).

Artisan Vendors: Salem Soapworks, Shine Jewelry/Heritage Industries

The Salem Winter Market is also looking for feedback. If you’ve visited the Salem Winter Market this year (or even if you haven’t), please take a few minutes to fill out this survey.

The final market runs from 3–6 pm at Old Town Hall. Old Town Hall is adjacent to Derby Square on Front Street, where the summer farmers’ market is held.

Salem Supports Shop Small Saturday

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Nov 292013

Expect Salem (plus Beverly, Marblehead and a score of communities on the North Shore) to be overflowing with shoppers on Saturday. Small Business Saturday, initiated by American Express in 2010, is sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It is a day for people to show support to local merchants who operate businesses in their communities.

In an effort to encourage Salem residents to “Shop Local First” this holiday season, Mayor Kim Driscoll announced that all parking in Salem would be free Nov. 28 – Dec. 1. This includes all on-street parking meters, City surface lots, and parking garages. Information about parking in Salem is online at http://parkinginsalem.com.

“These are some of the busiest shopping days of the year,” said Mayor Driscoll. “Hopefully, by taking this step we can help inspire more Salem residents to come downtown and discover all the great retail shopping opportunities available at our independent businesses and shops.”

Karen Gordon Mills, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration has stated:

“Small businesses are the back bone of our communities. And when we shop small, we not only get great products and services, but we support our neighbors and strengthen our local economies.”

She points out that, “Over the last two decades, small and new businesses have been responsible for creating two out of every three net new jobs in the U.S., and today over half of all working Americans own or work for a small business.”

That certainly sounds like the entrepreneurial spirit that drives the business economy in Salem.

“By shopping small,” she concludes “we can help America’s small businesses do what they do best: grow their businesses, create good jobs, and ensure that our communities are vibrant.”

More than 100 million Americans have participated in the Small Business Saturday promotion. Our merchants in Salem invite you to join the party.

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like…

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Nov 232013

No not Halloween. We do celebrate other holidays and traditions here in Salem Ma. In fact, we are building quite a resume as a December event destination for residents, North Shore neighbors and tourists. You will read about these in upcoming blogs.

As a lead-in have you noticed some subtle changes in Salem as you walked around (we love walking around the Downtown district, everything is so conveniently located) this weekend?

Ribbons and wreaths are appearing all over the place. Elves? Gremlins? (Well, it is Salem…).

There is a really tall tree in Lappin Park. Did Samantha twitch her nose and it magically appeared?

As residents know, every year we join Mayor Kimberley Driscoll in lighting Salem’s Holiday Tree at Lappin Park (next to the Bewitched Statue at the intersection of Essex and Washington Streets).

This year’s event will take place on Friday, Nov. 29 at 6:30pm. We invite you to bring the entire family to enjoy carols with the Paul Madore Singers; there will also be cocoa and snacks on hand!

The event is organized by Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem. This year’s tree comes from Benjamin Nutter Architects in Topsfield, thanks in part to a donation from the Meetinghouse Church. Decorations and lights are made possible by individual contributions and donations from a number of local businesses. Salem Main Streets would like to thank North Shore Marine and Bill’s Auto Clinic for their services in delivering the tree.

And keep an eye open for changes to the storefront windows of merchants along such Salem locales as Essex, Washington, Front and Derby streets. They will also be getting into the Holiday Spirit.

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