Coven market in Salem soft open

While the big opening day isn’t until Memorial Day weekend we stopped by the new market/cafe the other day to check it out.

Coven of Salem

The shop is not fully functioning but they do have some fun and hard to find products. If you’re into a crunchy lifestyle you might be pleasantly surprised that Coven has some hard to find vegan foods.  Vegan fake bacon, cheese, ice cream and other soy based alternatives are available in their market section.  They also stock some fruits, veggies and a good selection of herbs.

Fruits, veggies and herbs

One of the features everyone is talking about is their cereal bar. Plenty of your childhood favorites to choose from.

Coven cereal bar

There is plenty of seating at Coven, both up front by the giant glass windows and in back, decorated with funky rock memorabilia and monster style painting.

lounging at Coven

Right now their desert coolers are pretty bare but based on the look of these brownies I’m guessing they will have some delicious morsels soon.

Brownies

The staff was friendly and hectic trying to work out the kinks that arise during a pre-opening.  We look forward to going back when they have a full blown opening.

Baby Artichokes

Special thanks to Forrest Frazier who took these pictures for us.

Howling Wolf Taqueria

Yesterday a regular reader Geoff, along with the people over at North Shore Dish via Roost and our friend The Hungry Mouse, all dropped a dime about the soon to be open Howling Wolf Taqueria.

Howling Wolf will be opening across from the fire station at 76 Lafayette Street. This is great news for if you have a hankering for tacos, burritos, quesidillas, nachos or any other Mexican inspired foods.  You can check out their full menu here. Of note to anyone in the know about restaurants and liquor licensees here in Salem, it appears they will be offering Sangria, wine and beer.  So you will have to get your margarita fix elsewhere.

There is no set opening date as of yet however, when more info becomes available we’ll let you know. We’ll also be in the front of the line for some tacos.

Thanks to everyone who hooked us up with some info for this post.  Much appreciated.

Last week our friends at Build Guild sent out a notice via Twitter:

Just received word that Spirits is about to be purchased by the owner(s) of the Pickled Onion. I spoke with a gentleman who said they’re excited to honor the Build Guild’s schedule/routine. April’s event is still on, May’s and/or June’s will be determined later.

So what the heck is going on?

According the the Salem News, Peter Kelly, owner of the Pickled Onion in Beverly, is indeed in the process of purchasing the former Spirits location  (which is the former Roosevelt’s location) to open up an Irish pub called Murphy’s.  The menu and entertainment style would be similar to the Onion, affordable pub food with music at night and traditional Irish music on weekends. The optimistic opening date would be in May.

This past weekend I heard that Murphy’s has already contacted some DJ’s in the area and are planning an open mic night as-well-as a Karaoke night.  There was much speculation but either way the local talent is looking for a venue and are hoping Murphy’s will be more receptive than Spirits.

We here at the Insider think the layout and location at 300 Derby St. has way too much potential not to be a major player in the restaurant/night life scene here in Salem, and welcome a pub owner that can make it a success. Many thanks to our friends over at Spirits and lets all hope the residents at Derby Lofts will take a chill pill and let Murphy’s do the best job they can.

Salem Literature Festival

The Salem Literature Festival

From March 27th through March 29, Salem, Massachusetts will take the weekend to celebrate the literary arts with author readings, writing workshops, open mics, word-game tournaments, parties, and more.

Events are being held all over town including: Hamilton Hall, the Salem Athenaeum, Cornerstone Books, Front Street Cafe, The Old Town Hall and an handful of other places. You can meet authors, learn how to hone your skills, see plays, read, write or listen to poetry, attend a tribute, play Scrabble, even make your own paper.

One of the best parts of this lit-fest is that most of the events are free.  Hopefully my writing will improve a bit so you will keep reading this site faithfully

For more great info on the Salem Literature Festival check out their site at SalemLitFest.com.

The Build Guild, a montly Salem meet-up for web professionals is hosting a special event tonight they will have a few special guests: Eric Meyer, Ethan Marcotte, Dan Cederholm, and perhaps Rob Weychert. If you are a web person then you know these names.

Admission tonight at Spirits (upstairs)  is limited and this will meet it’s capacity.  If you can’t make tonights 6:30pm event the Build Guild meets every month at Spirits, hit their website and sign up for notification.

This special pannel of noteable internet professionals is sponsored by.

• BuySellAds.com
• Simplebits
• Booyant
• iMarc

Be there or be ◻

Last night the City of Salem’s Licensing Board flexed their muscles and told Fresh Taste of Asia to  close their doors this Thursday and they are banned from having entertainment after 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights for the rest of the year.

Recently some trouble has occurred which garnered the attention of Salem PD.  In fact if you remember our video from last week Bad Cop, you might be interested to know that events precipitating this were caused by people who attended Fresh Taste earlier that night.

I’ve heard much talk that its because of the type of music they play combined with alcohol that draws the out of hand patrons.  Having worked in Boston on Lansdown Street for quite a few years I can tell you that it is an undeniable fact, venues that play hip-hop music have more altercations than those that play other types of music.  However, when you compare the number of police reported issues of Fresh Taste to that of O’Neills (that has a larger capacity) on hip-hop nights the results show a big problem at Fresh Taste that does not exist at O’Neills.

I am a fairly large guy who has worked in the night club industry for years and has learned to spot and deal with problematic and physically violent people.  Recently I went to Fresh Taste on a hip-hop night with a lady friend of mine.  We were seated at the bar and had some dinner and cocktails.  Shortly before 10pm the tables were cleared to make room for a “dance floor”.  It was about this time that the bar started to pack in with girls in short skirts and guys wearing Affliction, or Tapout brand clothing.   My friend had to go to the little girls room and no sooner had she stepped away from her chair than some meathead decided to sit there. I politley told him that the seat was occupied and the young lady was to be right back.  Next thing you know he was up in my face telling me he would kill me and kick my head in.   When I asked him which he would do first he instantly became physical.  Thankfully I was able to handle the situation but the mood for me was ruined.  It’s acts like this that usually end up sprawling outside and becoming problematic for bar staff, patrons and police.

As much as I love to see Salem businesses doing well and people spending their money to have a good time in our city, I think this wake-up call is a good thing.   One of the board members last night was upset telling the bar owner that by having entertainment and dancing he is acutally running a club not a restaurant.  I don’t have a problem with that either, my philosophy when working at or running a club has always been offer the people a good time while keeping them safe.  Establishments that do that turn out to be successful, those that dont do that end up feeling the wrath of the city.  Hopefully Fresh Taste will learn something from this and offer a better environment keeping both their patrons and the City happy.

Do I need to hire a professional?

A web developer, who read our post yesterday, said on Twitter “Somebody had to do it, good for you. Supports my theory that 90% of the intertubes should just use WordPress.”  Honestly, I couldn’t agree more.  In fact, this web site is run on the WordPress blogging platform.  Many Salem businesses run their sites on a blogging platform and it eliveates a world of headaches.

• http://www.picklepot.com uses wordpress and their own url
• http://www.theartcorner.blogspot.com uses a shared platform called blogspot (a google product) this is not as versatile or professional as a standalone solution

However, if you want your site to stand out while using a blogging platform as a Content Managment System (CMS) you will need to create a custom theme (like we have) and you might want a developer who is familiar with the platform to help you set it up and get you going.

For everyone else who doesn’t want a blog, but still wants a professional site that adheres to yesterday’s rules, it’s time to find a designer & developer (or full service web shop) to get you moving.

People contact me daily to promote their Salem based businesses, projects, groups, bands and events.    Marc Amos and Angelo Simeoni, recently formed a group of web professionals called the Build Guild. When they contacted me I knew it was a great opportunity for people who live in and around Salem. It’s through this group I discovered just how many Salem-based freelancers there are.  Some build flash sites, others focus on ecommerce. Some build cool applications you can add to your site, while others just make your web presence pretty.

For the average Joe who doesn’t know what  hex values, rails, xml, seo, ppc, css or any number of other acronyms are, finding and hiring someone to help you create a professional online presence is a daunting task.  Why does one person tell me I can build a site for $200 while the next guy says its $20,000?  I sat down with local developer Marc Amos, who runs a Salem-based business Boston Web Studio, to help demystify these issues.  The following is what he suggested to get you started.

List of questions a business should ask a developer.

1. “How long have you been designing and/or developing websites?”
2. “Can you name a few of the companies you’ve completed projects with and what your role was in those projects?”
3. “Have you designed/developed a website for another company in our industry?”
4. “Are you solo or do you work with partners/a team?”
5. “Do you also providing a hosting service, or can you recommend a quality hosting company?”
6. “What sort of target-audience research do you do before starting the design?”
7. “What is the general project process? (How do the unique phases progress? [discovery, information architecture, wire-framing, design, client-review, etc.])”
8. “Are you self-employed or are you freelancing at night and on the weekends?
9. “Once the project is complete, what source files do you provide to us?”
10. “Do you design every site from scratch, or do you use templates?”
11. “How do you stay on top of web design & development trends?”
12. “Do you attend any design/development events, big or small?”

How to interact with a developer

Many designers/developers that I know prefer to communicate through non-traditional mediums rather than by phone. For example, after a project is kicked off much of the conversation will happen via a project-management tool such as Basecamp or Unfuddle (both of which send out email notifications). If there isn’t a project-management tool in use, email is probably the preferred method. It allows the designer/developer to have a “paper trail” of requests, conversations, files, deadlines, and other important information that they can refer to later; it’s often the case that when a client calls their designer/developer, they don’t receive the full attention they expect because that designer/developer is in front of a computer and probably working on something that is consuming their focus. To this same point, a designer/developer may even let many of the phone calls go to voicemail for that same reason–they’re too deep in a consuming task to break their focus and answer a call. Doing so usually results in the designer/developer having to back-track to the beginning of their task to re-establish their focus. (Wow, that was a long point)

If you’ve hired a well-qualified designer/developer, understand that, most of the time, they will know what is best for your web site’s visitors. Don’t hesitate to allow your well-qualified designer/developer to make suggestions or decisions that you yourself aren’t so sure about. Just as a well-qualified contractor has a reputation to lose if he does shoddy work on a home, a designer/developer stands to lose if s/he does shoddy work on your web site.

List of what questions to expect from a developer

1. “Do you have any analytical data for your website?” (referring to Urchin stats, Google Analytics, etc.)
2. “Can you describe your target audience?” (Sex, age range, interests, location, etc.)
3. “What existing marketing/branding material do you have?” (Company logo, brochures, letter-head, etc.)
4. “What marketing has been done recently?” (Radio, T.V., online pay-per-click campaign, etc.)
5. “What companies are your direct competitors?”
6. “Could you show me three websites you think look great, regardless of industry?”
7. “Could you show me three websites you think look terrible, regardless of industry?”
8. “Do you have a budget?”
9. “Do you have a deadline?”
10. “Who will be my direct contact during the project’s duration?”
11. “Do you have content written for the website?”
12. “Do you have all photos/videos/media files for the website?”

Hopefully this primer helps you separate the hacks from the true professionals. Here in Salem (as you can see if you’ve looked at some of yesterday’s example sites) we have our fair share of clueless lunkheads masquerading as web professionals.  I encourage you to look at who built some of the more horrible sites and avoid them.  In my experience bad sites often have links back to bad portfolios giving you a head’s up not to use that guy.

Or they link to a “designers” email

• http://www.grapevinesalem.com

Or worse of all, they link back to some bad DYI that let you build your own site.

• http://www.sophiasofsalem.com
  see the link at the bottom of the page

Most good sites, on the other hand, are above linking to the developer.  You need to ask the site owner who built it.  Most people won’t mind if you drop them a line and ask who did their site. You might even get an insight as to how the developer was to work with.

There are some larger or more notable shops around town if you need more specialized treatment or an entire team to get your project going.  You can even find they guy who wrote the book(s) on proper design and how to implement it, right here in Salem.

Where can I find a developer for my project?

My first bit of advice is if you are a local business, band or organization, then try to hire someone local. Build your community up.  The best route is word of mouth. Find someone locally who does a great job. How does that person’s portfolio look? Do the sites they build stick to the rules we discussed yesterday?  If so, then contact them and ask some of the questions we talked about today.

Watch out for poseurs. Recently I met a guy trying to sell one of Salem’s new businesses a website.  He had read a few books and took a JavaScript class at a local community college.  Doe-eyed, he asked me for advise about getting into the development field. I told him:

It’s easy to get sucked in to the glamorous lifestyle that is the web professional.  Let me tell you from personal experience the days of razor scooters, pinball machines and funky loft spaces are over.  Being a developer in Greater Boston or San Francisco is like being an actor in LA – start waiting tables now.

We’ve got some great talent here in the Witch City, talent you don’t see when you walk around town.  Do yourself a favor when it comes to your website, build a georgous hotel with a doorman not a flea bag pay-by-the-hour motel.

I invite local web professionals to comment on this post and link to their own portfolios, talk about their work or show some examples in order to help our readers get a more personal connection than a simple google search.

Does my web site suck?

Look at the following rules and rate your website objectively, better yet have a stranger do it for you.

RULE #1 In today’s super-highway-information-tubes age people no longer pick up the phone to get the information they seek, they use google at any hour of the day or night and bypass pesky human interaction.

It might be hard for some elderly people to grasp but consumers comparison shop and gather information online. This is especially true for destination locations (like Salem, Massachusetts: the home of Halloween and all things spooky) where people might not be in the same time zone or don’t want to spend money for a long distance call. If people can’t find you, you don’t exist. Take the time to search for your site and see if it can be found.

When preforming a search, look for your business from the perspective of someone who doesn’t know of you.

• Don’t search for “Bella Verona” (yay #1 result)
• Do search for “Salem MA Italian restaurants” (boo not found in first 1000 results)

RULE #2 Just the facts ma’am

Once someone finds your site make sure important information is served up in an easily digestible fashion.  Remember the five W’s of journalism (Who? What? Where? When? Why?) and show them to your potential customer. People don’t want to be burdened by lengthy load times or superfluous BS. Content is King!

Good: http://www.picklepot.com
Poor: http://www.cilantrocilantro.com

RULE #3 Your online property is just as important as your bricks and mortar property.

For the love of God people, get a good domain name and have your web site hosted with a real company!  Your restaurant is in the bustling down town area or over by the college or on a heavily trafficked thoroughfare because you understand the first lesson in real estate – location, location, location. That lesson carries through to online properties. Own a domain name that is reflective of your business.

• Good : www.RedsSandwichShop.com – Name of business: Reds Sandwich Shop
• Fair: www.HipFinz.com – Name of business: Finz (I get it, they’re hip)
• Utter Failure: http://www.geocities.com/str_mw/ Name of business: who cares

Oh, and don’t let your domain name expire. If you buy a new one have the old one forwarded in case it’s indexed anywhere. Otherwise you might end up like this.

• http://www.pyramidbooksofsalem.com

RULE #4 The design of your web site is more important than the visual merchandising of your product or the exterior upkeep of your shop.

A polite and well groomed doorman greeting you at your fancy hotel goes a long way to justify the price you pay to stay there. He is a welcoming ambassador there to serve you. Your website is a silent doorman greeting more potential customers than you can imagine. It’s in your best interest to put on a good face and inspire confidence in those who might spend money with you.

Your best friend might have a flare for decorating a room or your brother-in-law might be a networking engineer, that in no way qualifies them to be interactive designers. Keep them away from your web site.   Let’s look at another three local Salem based websites and marvel at their design, which one is clean, has good use of color and font, is easily readable or inspires you to pull your wallet out?

• http://www.redssandwichshop.com
• http://www.grapevinesalem.com
• http://dodgestreet.com

That’s right, it was a trick question none of them do any of those things. This is not to say that they don’t provide good content but they fail on the delivery method.

Like it or lump it, a poorly designed site is a direct reflection of your actual business, by the same token a well designed site is also a reflection of your business. Can you walk right in and easily find what you are looking for or do you have to go through a few doors then guess at where to find things based on some kooky organization that is understood only by the owner (Derby Books *cough*)?

• Easily findable segmented information: http://www.sacredgear.com
• Wait a tick, is this a site about a dead dog? : http://www.goddesstreasure.com
• What the hell? Get me off this kiddie ride! : http://www.penelopespetboutique.com

For people doing some research prior to their trip to Salem, their first impression is made at your web site.  Why would they come and visit your physical location if your competitor has similar product at similar prices but has made a better first impression?

RULE #5 Don’t piss off your reader with poor user experience.

Have you ever seen an ad saying that new HDTV you want is on sale but when you get to the store, you find the sale over? What about getting directions to somewhere but along your way you find an error and end up getting lost, stopped or misdirected? The same thing can happen on your website.

What makes a reader leave your page faster than a cop scooting down Washington Street on a segway? Broken links. Why even have a link on a page if it goes to nowhere?  I understand that sometimes you might link off of your web site to some other site and they might change their pages (although you can check for that) but linking to a non-existent page on your own site is a total bonehead maneuver.

• Bonehead maneuver: http://www.historicsalem.org (click on site guide in the footer)
• Try almost any link: http://www.wlpssp.com pathetic

Any copywriter worth her/his weight in Red Bull and Twinkies will tell you usage of “click here” as a link is dead. Looking beyond that, if you are going to tell your reader to “click here” you had better a) make it clickable and b) make it go to a live page somewhere.

• Click here fail : http://www.redlionsmoke.com/index_files/Page790.htm

Proper Coding

People don’t like to wait around. The average person will only wait 7 seconds for a page to load. Honestly, there really is no reason for any site to take longer than 7 seconds to load if coded properly.

• Fail: http://strombergs.com/directions.html 27.789 seconds (due to third party app)

That brings about another issue: pictures on your web site. Make sure they are the proper size and resolution. Don’t try and cram huge images in a small space.

• Photo Fail: http://strombergs.com/calendar.html that little photo is 2288 x 1712 px and 882 kb – WTF?

Links as we mentioned above are a major issue:

• link coded wrong http://www.salemathenaeum.net/resources.html House of Seven Gables link has an extra quotation mark within the link code
• even the heavily-trafficked http://www.hauntedhappenings.org/stay_eat.php didn’t close their link tag on the Clipper Ship Inn link properly

Great lots of sites suck, what does this have to do about being a Salem Insider?

I’m glad you asked.

If we were in some podunk little town with only dial-up service, dueling banjos playing in the background and the latest Charlie Chan film playing at the bijou theater, then I might cut you some slack. But Salem, Mass is filled with some outstanding web professionals, freelancers, design shops and authors. Because this historic seaport city focuses it’s efforts on publicizing retail, museum and historic businesses, you might not be aware of the abundance of talent working in the internet arena.

Tomorrow I will introduce you to some local web professionals. I’ll give you some tips on finding the right designer/developer/company to help get your website to where you need it to be. And best of all I’ll teach you how to head into a new site build or site redesign with your eyes open, knowing how to get the most from the person you hire.

As the new cool kid in town Rita’s serves up some frozen treats.

Rita's Italian Ice Salem

With the scooperbowl just happening and the ice cream wars heating up a new hat was thrown into the ring recently when franchise frozen ice water shop Rita’s Italian Ice opened up.  Thankfully for them their big opening was a couple weeks back when we still had some summer heat.

Their shop along the pedestrian mall on Essex Street, next to Witch City Ink and across from Pamplemousse is a colourful explosion of red, green and white. Commonly misconstrued as an ice cream shop Rita’s is a whole different ballgame.  They serve up frozen treats of Italian Ice which is a blend of ice and fresh fruits, Cream Ice, a cold creamy mix of goodies like bananas, cookies n’ cream and fudge brownies.  There are even frozen coffee drinks and blended mixes of Italian ice and cream ice.

Scooping Italian Ice

I wouldn’t suggest this as a replacement for your Maria’s or Capt. Dusty runs but as a new pitfall along the road back to the gym.  For those of you still trying to watch you weight Rita’s offers some Sugar-Free Italian Ice that’s also Fat-Free, Cholesterol-Free and Trans-Fat Free so you can keep that beach figure you worked on so hard these past few months.

As a goodwill ambasador to the outside world, Rita’s mascot can be seen all over town drumming up business and good cheer, you can even be Mr. Ice Guy’s friend on myspace!

Atmosphere: C (for cartoonish)
Food: B (bonus points for being unique)
Service: C
Overall: B-

Matt told me that he and his wife were not looking to become shop owners here in town but felt compelled to keep this well established clothier open and expand it with a focus on local artists and some edgier products.

The Grand Re-opening of Fools Mansion in Salem

Grand re-opening of the Fools Mansion

Traditionally the Fools Mansion cornered the North Shore market on Goth and Ren-Faire clothing with a good bit of Edwardian and Victorian pieces thrown in. Today they still have the cloaks , pirate shirts, and corsettted womens clothing but have expanded their inventory to add more contemporary hats, a line of day-of-the-dead bags, printed shirts from a local artist and more. In addition to clothing Fools Mansion carries jewelry, art and music all from local Salem artists.

Last Saturday night following their Friday ribbon cutting ceremony with the Mayor, they held their Grand Re-opening party. With a packed house well known goth/industrial DJ Addambombb spun a great mix while a newly opened back room served as the dance floor. Earlier in the night Orange Nicole preformed as did local belly dancer Aepril Schaile.

Fools Mansion

The opening party brought together plenty of Salem insiders, shop owners and a few out of towners. I’m sure that with their new community focused approach, inspiration from fabled NYC St. Marks street shops and great customer service Fools Mansion will continue to be a staple shop for tourists and insiders alike.

For more pictures from this event check out our Flickr page.

Much of the information regarding Salem shops here on TheSalemInsider.com has to do with new businesses in town or changes happening, today we’re jumping in the way back machine and telling you about a fantastic little gem that started 202 years ago and is still going strong today.

A long long time ago (1806) in a town much like this one (actually exactly like this one because, it was this one) a woman from England along with her son were found shipwrecked. With nothing but the generosity from her new neighbors and her candy making recipes this woman started a business. Mrs. Spencer went on to produce the “Salem Gibralter,” said to be the first candy made and sold commercially in America and carried around the world by sea captains and their crew. The company was sold to John William Pepper (for whom it is now named) in 1830 and eventually an employee of Pepper’s purchased the business in the late 1800′s and it has remained in his family ever since.

Today Ye Olde Pepper Companie located across from the House of Seven Gables, still sells some of the same candies it made hundreds of years ago. They even have a jar of candy that was made 175 years ago in their shop and no you can’t try any of it, I asked.

In addition to some olde favorites you can also get a great selection of jelly beans, fudge, chocolates and sugar-free candies for diabetics.

Like any good candy shop worth its weight in errr sugar… you can watch some candies being made right there on premises. Locals, if you’re looking for a great gift or just interested in feeding your sweet tooth head over during the week to avoid the crowds. Tourists, don’t miss this quaint shop when you come to Salem. It really is a sweet surprise.

Recently I was asked to come and cover the ribbon cutting ceremony with the Mayor, Chamber of Commerce and some business owners over at one of Salem’s newest and most unique shops in the down town area, Witch City Ink.

Jennifer Bell(l) Witch City Ink Staff with Mayor Kimberly Driscol and Renus Oosthoek(r)

Your first reaction might be – Why? Why is there a tattoo shop in down town and why would there be a ribbon cutting ceremony there? Why does this shop interest the mayor and the chamber of commerce and why does this new retail space draw other business owners?

First of all take every old stereotype of a seedy tattoo parlor filled with bikers and sailors and toss it out the window.  If you keep up with current trends on TV (TLC or Discovery Channel) you know that there is a new era of tattoo, piercings and body modification being ushered in by young artists turned business people with a focus on quality, respectable work.  Witch City Ink is one of this new breed of tattoo studios raising the bar for their field.

Situated in the Pedestrian Mall on Essex Street (with an additional entrance from the Museum Place Mall) across from Pamplemousse, , this new business features Italian marble floors, Tibetan red walls, and a selection of antiques collected by shop proprietor Natan on his various world trips.  It is obvious that much care was spent transforming this old retail space to a new high end shop in the same vein as Salem Wine Imports or Sacred Gear.  The front retail/waiting area leads to a hallway where various artists have rooms for tattooing and piercing.  The back area of the shop (where one enters from the mall) is another waiting area with racks of “flash” or pre-drawn art.  These 6 foot tall 3 foot wide displays contain thousands of examples of traditional imagery which a customer could ask for or use as inspiration for a custom piece of art.

Why is this a big deal?

Unlike many of the businesses in the Museum Place Mall and allong the Pedestrian mall the hours of Witch City Ink promise not to be 9-5.  This draws the interest of the Salem Chamber and other local business owners as there is a push to bring life to this area at night.  The Salem Chamber “after hours” events (similar to “alive after 5″ campaigns) highlighting the fact that many businesses close up shop at 5pm.  On some of the web forums that residents participate in a large concern is that shops that some locals would like to patronize are closed up by the time people get out of work.  With Witch City Ink staying open later into the evening and a Rita’s Italian Ice opening up next door (many franchises have 10pm closing hours) this could be the catylist Salem needs to bring about friendlier hours in some of our down town shops.

In addition to the obvious economic implications the arrival of Witch City Ink could have to the area,  its location is key in opening the eyes of those who still have negative connotations about this type of business. Derby Streets’ Purple Scorpian has been doing tattoos and body piercings for some time now and the recently opened Sacred Harp Tattoo on Boston Street prove that Salem is forward thinking in its acceptance of this art form.  However neither shop is as visible to the passer-by as this Essex Street locale.

Whether you love or loathe tattoos and the people who wear them one thing is for sure, new and diverse businesses in the down town Salem area is a positive step for all local businesses. Many residents sit on the side line complaining that there are too many of one type or the other stores yet they do nothing about it.  It’s refreshing to see young entrepreneurs with a new perspective opening up (or taking the reins of) shops like Hex, Fools Mansion and now this upscale tattoo shop Witch City Ink.

Many of the areas local artists, photographers and businesses use the framing services of  The Art Corner faithfully knowing that they always try to make a positive impact on our community.  Now it is our turn to help them. Being a patron of the arts and loving to see small local business succeed, we feel this benefit is a worthy cause. Even though this info is all over town it’s our pleasure to repost the following.

“Toast” to Benefit The Art Corner

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Ward 2 Social Club – 1 East Collins Street – Salem

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT THE SALEM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 265 ESSEX STREET AND EXPERIMENTAL ART GALLERY AND STUDIO IN SALEM’S ARTISTS ROW.  You may also contact Sara Ashodian at 781- 771-2587.

The Salem Arts Association will host a Benefit for The Art Corner on Saturday, June 28, 2008 at the Ward 2 Social Club from 7pm to 10pm.

Tickets are $10.

The event includes music by Charlie Chesterman and the Motorbikes with a special guest appearance by Barrence Whitfield.

Raffles will include juried works of craft and art, artist designed jewelry and gift certificates donated by local artists and business owners.
With special thanks to the folks and businesses who have donated funds, materials and gift certificates for our raffle:  Jennifer Bell, Cafe Graziani, Carol Dearborn, Digital Imaging, Ditto Editions, Fire Fox Studio, The Fool’s Mansion, Sandy Heaphy and the Kensington-Stobart Gallery, Marine Arts Gallery, Mickey Northcutt, Pamplemousse, The Salem Chamber of Commerce, Salem Main Streets, Ward 2 Social Club, and more on the way!

Stupidity and being lackadaisical when operating a bar, club or restaurant will always come back to bite you in the ass. In the Salem newspaper the other day and all over the television today is a story about local restaurant Bangkok Paradise getting busted for underage drinking.

There are two tirades I feel need to be let loose. First, if you are an underage kid and are drinking at a legit restaurant DO NOT blab about it on your myspace or facebook accounts. Police, as well parents, actually read what you post. You are telling them that you are involved in a criminal enterprise and where you will be doing said illegal activity so they can come and catch you.

Secondly, if you own or manage an establishment that sells alcohol it is your responsibility to enforce the law. This country has a mandatory drinking age of 21, whether you agree with that or not it is the law and you need to abide by it. Your staff must check IDs. And your staff should be trained to spot fake IDs, warned not to over-serve and keep an eye on other problem situations. Everyone who works in the bar, club, restaurant industry needs to be vigilant because when they fail to do their jobs they are risking the livelihood of their co-workers.

At TheSalemInsider.com our contributors and I am always talking about where to go to hear a good band or find a great drink. Safety and respect are paramount in your decision to party in Salem. I wrote a lengthy article the other day discussing Night Life in Salem. These recent public transgressions specifically go against what I was talking about. I enjoy the Bangkok Paradise for their thai food, live jazz and good cocktails, but one bad apple in the bunch will have impact on other businesses.

Why the proliferation of underage drinking at the Bangkok?

When I first started going to the ‘kok it was slam-packed with a line out the door on Friday and Saturday nights. They did a great jazz night from 7 to 11 or later. Since I lived over by the Witch House I would walk up Essex, cut into the parking lot by the YMCA and slip in the back door. Like a scene from Goodfellas or Swingers, I’d make my way by the kitchen pop into the dining room where there wasn’t a seat to be found. With the music be-bopping away I’d slice through the crowd till I came to rest at the bar. Don, the fabulously flamboyant and wonderfully knowledgeable bartender, knew everybody in the house and introduced me too many of Salem’s known characters. We would chat and enjoy the music till the kicked us out at 12:30. At that time there were few people under 25 who patronized the ‘kok.

Last year sometime Don left Salem to see where life would take him and the owner felt she could squeeze a few more pennies out of Salem by reducing the jazz music and adding rock, hip-hop and jam bands that would appeal to a younger crowd. Now at 10pm when the jazz used to kick in to high gear, a new band would take the stage. The existing crowd would leave and youngsters would show up. Rarely is there a doorman and hardly ever do the servers or bartenders check IDs. The number of people coming in late night fluctuates wildly and I can only imagine that the service personnel are trying to make ends meet by overlooking some minors once in a while. Everyone has to make the rent but this is no way to run a business.

Bangkok Paradise is loosing their liquor license for 3 days April 28th to April 30th and all employees must undergo the TIPS program. Does this restaurant deserve to loose their license? You bet it does. Will this “teach them a lesson”? Only time will tell. I would like to see this bring about a positive change and perhaps make them take a look at their current strategy.

• The Black Lobster at Stromberg’s Cove
• Capt.’s Waterfront Grill & Club
• Cilantro
• Finz Seafood
• Grapevine Restaurant
• Lyceum Bar & Grill
• Nathaniel’s
• Passage to India
• Regatta Pub at Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites
• Rockafellas
• Sixty2 on Wharf
• Spirits at 300 Derby
• Strega Restaurant & Lounge
• Tavern on the Green
• Victoria Station

Do yourself a favor and go check out that place you always wanted to try. For suggestions click on the interactive map icon in our right column to see our Map of Reviewed Restaurants and get in depth information on many of the participating local Salem eateries.

Why is Salem a hot spot for nightlife?

Last year and beyond if you were looking for live music your choices were somewhat limited. Dodge Street offered up Rock music in a dive bar atmosphere, Rockafellas offered dance music in a bit more upscale atmosphere, Bangkok Paradise offered Jazz in a weird atmosphere (for jazz) and occasionally Edgewater, O’Neills and The Old Spot (formerly McSwiggins) would have live music. Sitting just outside the down town area, Bay Bridge was a staple of the Salem nightclub scene with local and national bands, karaoke and DJ’s playing almost every night. Let’s not forget the Lobster Shanty in the nice weather months.

© Danielle Blue

Competition raises the bar.

As a reader of TheSalemInsider.com you probably know that due to a combination of sprinkler system legislation and non-payment of taxes the Bay Bridge is closed. There has been no movement on this property so it looks like it’s gone for a long while. On the flip side, new establishments in Salem have made others stand up and take notice.

Gulu-Gulu Cafe brought with it a huge beer menu, interesting live music and a packed house of well-tattooed hipsters. A cascading effect of late night changes shortly ensued. Bangkok Paradise shifted their Friday and Saturday jazz to a 6-9 time slot allowing them to promote “rock” bands (rock, hip-hop, roots, metal and cover bands) in the 10-12 time slot. New comer Fresh Taste of Asia, saw an opening and decided to spin the wax with an ambient hip-hop groove catering to a young urban Asian set.

Established locales aren’t impervious to the phenomenon either. The Lyceum has started a live music series on weekend nights, their acts are targeted to their existing clientèle featuring more mellow music and the occasional 70′s rocker. The Old Spot stepped up their bookings also, with live music 3 to 5 nights a week (unfortunately they still are having a hard time getting the word out - get a website people). O’Neills does the DJ thing and packs in a good college-type crowd.

In the “everything thats old is new again” department, Spirits of 300 Derby (formerly Roosevelt’s of Salem) opened recently and has an entertainment license that allows for up to 5 musicians. We’ve seen some great guitar player/singers and Salem favorite, Preacher Jack. Look for changes to happen over at Spirits soon as they work out their menu and eventually open up the second floor. Dodge Street marches to their own drum beat and has been doing live music well before it got trendy.

It seems like musicians from all around are hip to the new explosion of Salem night life. Musicians contact us through our myspace page asking about gigs or adding us to their guest list just so we can have a listen. Killer Boston bands like The Indefinite Article, Ichabod and the Love Dogs play gigs in Salem all the time. Plenty of local musicians ply their craft here in town also. With all the great venues and opportunities out there I wouldn’t be surprised to see Salem songstress Mary Lou Lord playing out somewhere soon.

If you build it they will come.

Now that restaurants and bars are offering entertainment, where is everyone coming from? Many people are throwing around the phrase “Salem is the new Cambridge” and that just might be true. I personally know a bunch of people that used to live in Cambridge, Boston and Somerville that have recently moved to Salem. Salem offers a city feel, walkability, MBTA access, and rent at half the price of places in Boston and parking is slightly better.

While census stats for this exact information is unavailable it’s a safe bet to say that more young professionals, 20 and 30-somethings have been moving into Salem. You see them walking to the commuter rail in the morning or having a cup of coffee at any one of our coffee shops on the weekend.

An informal poll taken in January by TheSalemInsider.com showed many people are taking advantage of Salem’s night life live North of Boston (from Revere to Gloucester). When asked “why Salem” the answers were varied but revolved around bang for your buck, quality entertainment, safety and less hassle.

What’s next for Salem’s scene?

Any insider can tell you that there is a yearly cycle that Salem goes through. Like many of it’s North Shore neighbors Salem sees a direct influx of people based on the weather. Spring finds more locals that have been hibernating in doors all winter out walking about and making their way to many of our local hang outs. Once June hits and schools close, tourists arrive taking full advantage of our waterfront, the Willows and off shore locations like the Salem Harbor Islands (i.e. Baker’s Island). As the summer draws to a close and fall hits the second wave of tourists hits in full force for the Halloween season.

With spring right around the corner what will the face of Salem nightlife look like? If last year is any indication, outdoor seating will be all the rage. Like Newbury Street in Boston, anyone with a few feet of real estate in front of their place will plop down a table and start serving out side. Last year The Lobster Shanty, Salem Beerworks and Victoria Station had by far the largest patio seating with Rockafellas showing nicely for down town. This year the tide has changed, be on the lookout for Spirits to dominate summer outdoor space. If they book quality live music and are allowed to play outside, they could give the Shanty a run for their money.

Summer finds tourists and locals alike beating a path to Pickering Wharf. Finz and Victoria Station have nice on the water seating but Capt’s open air second floor offers perhaps the best view on the wharf. If you want a more nautical dinner experience than just eating by the water, you can dine on the water at Salem’s floating restaurant the Rockmore which is scheduled to open on May 23rd. The Rock is a perennial party pad pushing a plethora of pleasant pabulum and plenty of potable potions.

Is Salem’s art and music boom sustainable?

Twenty years ago when the Cambridge music and arts scene started to take off people said that venues like TT the Bear’s and the Middle East would never survive across the river from Boston landmarks like the Rathskeller, Narcissus, The Boston T Party and M-80. If you look at the Boston/Cambridge seen today you’ll find that two of the Boston clubs mentioned are now BU condos the other two are now Lyons Group clubs, changed names, had about 50 face lifts and just last month one (now Avalon) was sold to the House of Blues. In Cambridge, TT’s and the Middle East are still packing people in every night of the week.

I don’t think we will see the migration to Salem slow down for quite a while. New condo housing is being built and affordable rentals abound. More 20 and 30-somethings with disposable income, no kids or very young families are still flocking to Salem. With their arrival you find business that cater to them popping up. Prime examples are hip baby shops like Crunchy Granola Baby, hang outs like Front Street Coffee House and Gulu-Gulu Cafe and new businesses like the recently opened Hex and the soon to open Witch City Ink. When independent businesses open up focusing on a college/post college/young professional demographic it makes the city more appealing to that demographic.

With available retail space, new space coming shortly (Old Salem News building, and Courthouse area redevelopment) there is no question the night life scene in Salem can grow. One fear many people have is corporate establishments encroaching on down town. Salem’s unique charm is in part due to it’s independent businesses. When local pizza chain The Upper Crust moved into Salem last year there was plenty of talk regarding their “corporate” status. Will future restaurant/bar/nightclub owners in Salem keep an independent spirit alive? That remains to be seen.

What is missing from Salem’s scene?

One aspect lacking in Salem is a true “night club”, one with great sound and lights that focuses on entertainment every night. While this type of place can’t realistically exist in down town Salem, there are plenty of locations that would work.

Where is the Salem Art scene? In the summer, Klopp Alley is full of artists, sculptures, jewelry makers and musicians. Through out the year The Salem Art Association throws a few events promoting art and their artists in particular. The Art Corner, Front Street Coffeehouse and Gulu-Gulu Cafe always have something on exhibit but is this enough for our city? Often during Halloween season the old Newmark Gallery on Essex Street is taken over by locals and puts on quite a show. This year that wont happen as it will house the Lizzie Borden Museum (why? I didn’t know she was from Salem). There are plenty of local artists and the only galleries to be found in Salem are devoted to miniature ships and maritime paintings. With all the talent in our own backyard it’s too bad there is no daily way to showcase it.

Salem could also benefit from a “local only” night. In some smaller cities you will find venues that promote from within, by featuring only local musicians and artists on a particular night (every Thursday for instance). Given the number of bands and artists that call Salem home this could be a successful concept for a mid-week night.

Last Call

As more people come to Salem for their night out the venues need to keep up their great offerings while simultaneously ensuring client safety. By keeping patrons safe from harm (usually due to fisticuffs and/or over imbibing) the city licensing boards and police will allow a greater expansion of this city’s night life. When people come to Salem and have fun, everybody wins.

Right now is a great time to live in Salem, Massachusetts. Night time fun is in style and choices are abundant. If you want to have a quiet bottle of wine with friends, see live rock music, dance to a hip-hop DJ, or sit in on a jazz set – Salem has it all. And it’s only getting better. With the proliferation of patrons, establishments are seeing a bump in their bottom line which means they are more willing to offer you what you’re looking for, a good time on a night out.

The Lobster Shanty

Is back in action. Starting today warm beer, lousy food, rude bartenders, surly waitresses, cranky cooks and rowdy regulars have their summer home back. Look for cheap beer, live music and Salem friends new and old to be hanging out on Artists Row.

Gulu- Gulu Cafe

Our friends over at G2C are back in full force with a brand spanking new liquor license and fun new hours. Open till 10pm Sunday – Wednesday and till 1am Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Bring on the beers!

No, this is not an April fools post. It’s the real deal baby.

The photo is a bit out of date but a new one is on the way @%*# digital camera

Calling themselves a “coffee shop” is an understatement. Nick’s serves up an affordable breakfast and lunch in a quaint atmosphere. The restaurant seats about 40 people but I’ve never seen it full. That means there is no lines and no waiting. The staff is pleasant and doesn’t rush you (or themselves).

I tried a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, grilled banana nut muffin and coffee. The eggs and coffee didn’t knock my socks off but the bacon was thick and crispy and muffin was hot buttered and perfectly golden brown. One of the best things about my trip to Nick’s was the affordable price. Their most expensive breakfast plate (loaded with pancakes, eggs, bacon, toast and juice) is just about $6 everything else is $4 or under. All lunch sandwiches are under priced under $6 .

Located on Church St. across from the Lyceum, Nick’s is centrally located. They keep unique hours 6am – 3pm Monday through Friday and 7am – 1pm Saturday and Sunday, so keep your focus on breakfast. This is a great spot for the frugal local or tourist that doesn’t have time to wait around and still wants a solid meal.

Portions: B
Service: C
Atmosphere: C
Price: A
Overall: B-

See Salem from a Trolley Tour

There are two tour company’s that operate in Salem, City View Trolley Tours and Salem Trolley. I noticed both companies were out this past weekend. City View has taken up residence in an empty retail space on Essex Street and is looking for employees if you need a cool April through October job. Both Companies start their regular schedule next week, in the beginning of April.

(c) jdong

Salem Trolley
8 Central St.
978.744.5469

Salem’s original narrated Trolley Tour, the red Salem trolleys that you see around town have been here since 1982. For a flat fee you can board this trolley and take a one hour 8 mile ride around town. One reason tourists love the trolley is because with your ticket you can get on and off the trolley all day long. It is so convenient for someone who isn’t familiar with all the side streets of Salem and still wants to maximize their sight seeing time.

Salem Trolley’s fleet consists of two handicapped accessible trolleys and two traditional ones. Their service runs from 10am to 5pm and a map of stops and times is available here on their website. You can also charter a trolley if you are having an event in Salem.

Ticket prices (available at select locations in town)
Adults $12
Seniors $10
Kids $3
Toddlers free when accompanied by an adult so don’t let your 1 year old ride the trolley by himself.
They also have a variety of combo packages.

(c) City View Trolley Tours

City View Trolley Tours
PO Box 729
Salem MA 01970
978.594.0969

City View is the new kid in town and is easily recognized by their silver trolleys. Their business has been running in Boston for over 25 years, but they just came to Salem a few seasons ago. With nine stops, including one at the Salem Ferry, the City View tour is a one hour narrated historical ride. Like it’s competition, you can get on and off all day at whichever stop you wish. Unlike it’s competition, City View offers service to the ferry and MBTA Commuter Rail station. A full map of stops is available here on their website.

Ticket prices (available onboard or online)
Adults $12
Students & Seniors $10
Kids $5

Seeing Salem MA from a different perspective

Regardless of which Trolley company you decide to try, they are an excellent way to learn more about Salem. I always suggest to new visitors and locals alike to give it a ride at least once a year. Each driver has a different perspective and is knowledgeable about different aspects of Salem’s history. One driver might know more about the maritime history where another might have a better understanding about the early settlers and witch-related items. Either way you slice it, seeing things from a new angle is always a treat.

Music

Friday March 7th

• Acme Music (dance, rock, pop) @ Rockafellas
• Cherry S/T (rock) @ Dodge Street
• Wendy Nottonson (jazz 6:30-9:30) The Kicking Moon (rock 10) @ Bangkok Paradise
• Radio Scotvoid Productions aka RSVP (Alternative / Experimental / Electronica 8pm) @ Gulu Gulu
• Soul Baby (R&B, Funk, Soul) @ The Lyceum

Saturday March 8th

• New Life (dance, rock, pop, disco) @ Rockafellas
• Akiko Aoki (jazz 6:30-9:30) On 3 (rock 10) @ Bangkok Paradise
• The Winstons (rock) @ Dodge Street
• 2nd Saturday Bluegrass Jam (2:30PM – 5:30PM) 500 Plastic Dragons (cd release party- Indie / Pop / Country 8pm) @ Gulu Gulu
• Grateful Ted (classic rock 9pm) @ The Lyceum

Movies

Cinema Salem will be showing:

10,000 BC (PG-13)
Fri & Sat: (11:15 AM), (1:45), (4:15), 7:00, 9:35
Sun: (11:15 AM), (1:45), (4:15), 7:00

Spiderwick Chronicles(PG)
Fri & Sat: (12:15), (2:30), (4:45), 7:15, 9:30
Sun: (12:15), (2:30), (4:45), 7:15

Vantage Point (PG-13)
no-times listed

Art

Body Politics — Visions in blood and ink: the return of Maori tattoo @ PEM
This exhibit is a joy for photography fans and those interested in an insight to other cultures. Remember Salem residents get in for FREE.

Insider Picks

Last month their gig was canceled due to snow but tonight the insider pick goes to the always fun Soul Baby playing over at the Lyceum. Saturday get out an support local Salem band 500 Plastic Dragons as they celebrate their CD release. And for all you Sunday Brunchers, Sixty2 on Wharf is jumping into the heavily saturated market starting Sunday.

As always have a blast, don’t drink & drive and tell us about your weekend.

Witch City Rickshaw is looking for drivers for the upcoming season. If you are 18, responsible, hardworking and active this is a great seasonal job. Mr. Chris is hosting an open house to give you the ins and outs of the pedicab business.

Interested? You can RSVP via MySpace or swing down to 63 Jefferson Ave in Salem on Monday Apr 07, 2008
at 7:00 PM.

Salem’s affinity with wine doesn’t end there (nor did it start there). Pamplemousse, Salem’s eclectically cute home, kitchen and bath store on Essex St. has been in the wine business for years. They stock a variety of wines, meads and micro brews. They also offer tastings
(I recall plenty of them on Sunday afternoons during tourist season) and the occasional wine class. Now Pamplemousse along with local art / craft gallery The Picklepot is hosting a celebration of food and wine.

Spring Fling: a Garden of Earthy Delights

Fashioned after the Bacchanalia – a religious festival in honor of the wine god Bacchus – Spring Fling -
will feature a tasting of over 50 fine wines and international and domestic craft beers. Local breweries
Ipswich, Cape Ann Mercury and Harpoon, among others, will be pouring their spring offerings.
Professionals will be on hand with an assortment of fine wines from around the world.

Salem Restaurants such as The Old Spot, GuluGulu Cafe, 62 on the Wharf, Rockafellas and more will
tickle and tantalize your palate with delectable culinary delights! North Shore Artists will be offering an
eclectic variety of art to please your eye and warm your home. Boston singer-songwriter Katrin Roush will
be performing live – often compared to Bonnie Raitt, Katrin is spellbinding on stage, both soulful and
passionate. A siren to awaken the gods of spring!

Meet familiar characters from myth and legend and enjoy the goddesses and nymphs that wander the
“Garden of Earthly Delights.” Seek out The Oracle of Delphi to hear your fortune. Traditional ancient
attire is encouraged! This is Salem, after all. Experience the intoxicating power of this celebration on
March 15th from 3 – 6pm at Old Town Hall in beautiful, historic downtown Salem, Massachusetts.

We’re always happy to see any event that gives props to one of our favorite painters Hieronymus Bosch. Also, it’s great to have an opportunity to sample some great wines, beers and food. Make sure to mark your calendar for fun.
SPRING FLING: A GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS
Saturday, March 15th from 3 – 6 pm
Old Town Hall, Essex Street, Salem, MA
Tickets $20 advance/$25 door available at www.pmousse.com

Perhaps I was correct when I stated “now is the time to pick up retail space in the pedestrian mall.” When Cool Jewls moved out of their corner spot in the mall, Salem’s Vintage Photography saw an opportunity and moved right in. The prime location will surely boost their bottom line. Acupuncture Solutions is also moving from their current home next to Cinema Salem to a more prominent spot just down from Essex N.Y. Deli & Pizza.

Another move from inside the Museum Place mall and expansion into a more prominent location in the pedestrian Mall was Signatures. The womens clothiers storefront and interior looks much more clean and sophisticated. Now if they could get their website out of the early 90′s they would achieve a total transformation.

Fool’s Mansion closed its doors which is sad to see, now the goth kids will have to be content with Hot Topic. Update: According to the current owner a couple has agreed to purchase the shop and continue carrying its current clothing lines hopefully re-opening in April.  The papers may be passed as early as next week. On the other end of Essex Street however, Salem’s own manwitch Christian Day is set to open up his new venture Hex. Salem’s latest witch shop, in a fantastic location between Harrison’s Comics and Laura Lanes Skin Care.

Also hitting the ground running is Salem Wine Imports (seems like we mention them often around here) with a variety of offerings. The newly reopened Spirit’s is packing in the customers at their bar and still working out their dining issues. The old Bella Luna space has been built out and opened as Sixty2 on Wharf it looks to be a sweet summer spot.

The pedestrian mall will also be seeing an other new shop next month when Witch City Ink opens up across from Pamplemousse. Witch City Ink will be Salem’s first down town tattoo shop since the 1940′s. It’s owner a Salem resident was a driving force behind this art form becoming legal once again in Massachusetts, and prides himself in his clean shops and exceptional artists.

It’s nice to report on Salem businesses opening up and doing well. Keep your eyes open for more reviews of the shops mentioned here and a few in depth inteviews with the people that make it happen.

Eric sent over a note that said:

Restarting tastings every Tuesday starting the 19th. Greek, Austria, and Swiss will be opened and evaluated. Come join us for an adventure in “emerging wines” at 6;30 or later.

If wine is something you have always wanted to know more about, Salem Wine Imports may be offering classes. For those of you who would be interested in attending wine classes, please contact them. If they can get enough interest classes would be every other Thurs. from 7-9.PM. A nominal fee of between $15 to $20 depending on wines tried.

It’s great to see a new business off and running! Good luck and go get your drink on.

SalemOpen.net
A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away there was a free internet provider for down town Salem: SalemOpen.net. If you are in the down town area you might even be able to log on to the network but apparently there was a disagreement between the provider and the merchants so the provider pulled the plug but left the hardware in place.

List of Salem locations with free wi-fi

Even though the SalemOpen.net project is dead, there are plenty of merchants that realize the value of offering wireless internet access to their customers.

• Cinema Salem Cafe
• Cornerstone Books
• Front Street Coffee house
• Fuel
• Gulu Gulu Cafe
• Hawthorne Hotel
• Jaho Coffee & Tea
• McDonalds
• Salem Public Library
• Salem Waterfront Hotel
• Starbucks

Also, if you have ever spent time at one of these locations then you know there are plenty of other unsecured wi-fi points in town that an unscrupulous person could use for free access (you would think that business would know better these days).

Map of free wireless access points in Salem MA

Where do you like to pop open your lap top and while away the hours?

This sculpture in front of the PEM was by far the best

due to the weather many sculputures like this one in front of New Civilitea met an untimely demise

We photographed all the sculptures and will get them up on our flickr page shortly.

Update: Spirits closed their doors in May 2009 and has reopened as Murphys.

One time Salem hot spot Roosevelt’s, after a few owners, much speculation, and many months of being closed, has reopened with a new name – Spirit’s.

We went in for drinks and appetizers the other night and our first impression is that Spirits has potential. The restaurant / bar is brand spanking new but the overall feel of the place is dark and not too inviting. Exposed dark wood beams, and a stone back wall give off a cavern vibe. There is a large stone fireplace opposite the bar in the dining room. The dining room holds a good number of rich wood tables set on a mix of dark stained wood and cream colored tile. Everything was kept very clean (including the spacious bathroom facilities). We were told the second floor space is set to be a function area.

The horse shoe shaped bar can easily fit 25+ people and was full from about 10pm on. We found the bartenders to be attentive and affable. One stand out feature of the aptly named Spirit’s is their exceptional top shelf liquor selection. Someone obviously with knowledge has taken the time to stock the bar with a wide variety of high quality spirits at reasonable prices.

While we did not order dinner, we did try the spinach dip and the nachos. Neither were very impressive. The dip was heavy on the cream and light on the spinach while the nachos were uninspiring with some cheese and veggies dumped on a heap of chips.

We are, however, looking forward to the summer at Spirit’s. They have by far the largest outdoor patio around which should make for some serious summer fun.

As was the case with Fresh Taste of Asia we will give Spirits some time to work out the kinks and go back in a month or two.

Atmosphere: C+
Food: C
Drinks: A
Staff: B
Overall: C+

I’ve seen the sculptures for a few years now, it’s a total crap shoot due to weather. Hopefully it will be cold and dry so the ice can survive a few days.

As for the chocolate, if you have a sweet tooth you will be in heaven.

According to the Chamber of Commerce press release:

The Salem Chamber of Commerce, Salem Main Streets and local retailers, restaurants and businesses will host the 6th annual Salem’s So Sweet, Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival, February 8- 14th. The festival’s focus will continue to be on decadent chocolate, sparkling ice sculptures and Valentine’s Day retail. The festival is free for all to attend

The whimsical ice sculptures can be found at 15 locations throughout downtown Salem, and Pickering Wharf on Saturday, February 9th & Sunday, February 10th. Local merchants, restaurants and attractions sponsor ice Sculptures. Designs for this years’ ice sculptures include Sophia Peabody Hawthorne, a bride, a witch, a child reading a book, a teapot, and the Salem Waterfront Hotel.

In addition to the free temporary art in the down town area you can pick up a “golden ticket” and be eligible to win a gift basket containing swag from many of the participating shops.

Calendar of Events

Friday, February 8, 6.30 p.m.
Chocolate & Wine Tasting at Hamilton Hall

Saturday, February 9 – All Day
Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival – Chocolate samples, events and promotions at participating businesses.
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Red Cross “Give From the Heart” Blood Drive in Old Town Hall Free chair massages for blood donors by Body and Soul Massage and Wellness Center.

Sunday, February 10 – All Day – Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival – Chocolate samples, events and promotions at participating businesses

Thursday, February 14 – Valentine’s Day

Chocolate & Wine Tasting
Friday, February 8: 6.30-8.30 p.m.
Hamilton Hall, 9 Chestnut St., Salem. $20.00 Admission
Tickets for Sale at Salem Chamber of Commerce, 265 Essex Street, at the door or by calling 978.744.0004.

A Special Note

A few years ago one of theSalemInsider.com’s frequent contributors was involved in a bad motorcycle accident and required over 40 units of blood. If it wasn’t for the great care he received and the available blood, he would not be with us today. Many people need blood. This Saturday a wonderful way for you to help your neighbor is to give blood at the old Town Hall. It’s quick, relatively painless and a simple way for you to do something helpful for others. Who knows, someday you might be the person in need.

Salem State College presents An Evening With Bill Belichick, Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 8:00 pm at the O’Keefe Sports Center 209 Canal St. Salem.

Sports commentators are calling New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who continues to shatter league record after league record, the best football coach in the history of the game.

Sorry to all you Tom Brady and Randy Moss fans, this is a Coach only speaking event (no autographs). If it is half as good as some of their previous speakers this will be a real treat for those who enjoy the game of football.

Tickets, ranging in price from $10 (for students) to $65 are available by calling the Series office at (978) 542-7555 or by visiting www.salemstate.edu/series.

I’m not one who goes to the movies that often, in fact until recently I can only recall 3 movies I’ve seen in the theater in the past 5 years. All that changed about a year ago when I was dragged kicking and screaming to the Salem Cinema.

Like many people I became disenchanted with the movies for a variety of reasons, there hasn’t been an original idea out of Hollywood in decades, movie lengths have shortened (80 and 90 minute movies) while prices have gone through the roof. While I love cinemas with stadium seating, big comfy chairs and troths of popcorn, I refuse to pay $12 for a ticket, $8 for a popcorn and $6 for a drink. Going on a date to the movies will run about $50. That is just crazy!

Since going to Cinema Salem my outlook has changed 180 degrees. Don’t set you expectations sky high when going to here for the first time. The theaters are old style with only a few hundred seats per screen. The seats themselves are also old skool flip down seats with no drink holders and not too much room.

Now for the upside. They have three screens showing current films. The prices are quite affordable, with admission prices being $8, kids and seniors pay only $6. That is less than a matinées price at other theaters. Popcorn, drinks and candy is also inexpensive. A couple can go to the movies get a large drink and popcorn for about $20. Thats about what you would spend for two cocktails and a tip at many of Salem’s local bars.

Cinema Salem also has a little cafe on site where you can grab a coffee and see some art by local and national artists. The employees are helpful and seem happy to be there. I have also found that the people who go there tend to be more polite than those that go to the big googleplexes. Even when seeing movies with groups of younger people (teenagers) they were not rowdy or boisterous.

Cinema Salem, going beyond your average theater

In addition to being a great option for a night out, Cinema Salem is a community friendly business. They often do “mom & baby shows” where the lights are up a bit and the sound is not at ear shattering levels. This past October they did a Horror Movie fest featuring classic films like Psycho, cult films like A Clockwork Orange and even a late night Rocky Horror Picture Show. Coming up in February and March they are hosting the Salem Film Fest 2008, a celebration of film and music.

What I find exceptional about Cinema Salem is their giving back to the community. Each month a portion of each ticket sold goes to a Salem grant totaling up to $1000.

CinemaSalem Grants are awarded monthly to deserving and innovative non-profit organizations. We’re interested in honoring and supporting groups that are making a difference in the world, and who are effective at communicating their vision and mission. If your organization is interested in applying, please pick up an application form in the theater lobby, or simply click here!

For more information about Cinema Salem grants see the community page on their website.

Like most theaters you can find show times and puchase tickets online through their website.

Seating: C
Sight and Sound: C+
Ticket Price: A
Concession Price: A
Overall: B

A month ago I wrote about how to deal with your snow day in Salem. Since its a little too early to head out for a pint I think I’ll head over to the Army Barracks and pick up a snow hat.

I enjoy the bunghole for something fun and different once in a while. It’s also fun to share a friends first bunghole experience with them, I love to see the look on their face. The bunghole never fails to get a smile. I love Bunghole Liquors.

With the recent holidays, I hosted a few out of town guests who were excited to go to the bunghole of all places. This modest package store (packie and package store are Massachusetts slang for liquor store) probably sells more T-shirts than cases of beer. They have parlayed their unique name into an online brand and sell swag near and far.

Salem’s Bunghole has a storied past with the building being used as a funeral palour during the time of prohibition (19th century prohibition not Salem’s first prohibition in 1657). Downstairs in a room perhaps used for embalming, the funeral director and his cohorts would meet to put back a few cocktails (he put the “fun” back in funeral). For whatever reason, the group refered to this private drinking spot as “the bunghole.” A bunghole is actually a hole bored into liquor casks (think scotch, wine or rum) which is plugged by a large cork known as a bung. One of the owners drinking buddies suggested that if prohibition was ever lifted he should turn the place into a liquor store. On December 5th, 1933 when the Twenty First Amendment was ratified Bunghole Liquors applied for and was granted the second liquor license that Salem issued.

There are plenty of better package stores in town but the Bunghole is fine for a neighborhood packie. And if you are like many tourists you’ll want to swing by for a photo and perhaps a coosy, church key or t-shirt. Just don’t forget, they sell alcohol in there too.

Well, after much anticipation and a huge flame war on one of Salem’s message boards, Salem Wine Imports is now open.

Now we at TheSalemInsider.com are not oneologists but we do like a good glass of wine now and again. Thankfully the owner of Salem Wine Imports was available to help guide us through the store. Wines are arranged by region and nicley displayed around the shop.

A special bonus for any wine n00b is the eight bottle draught system in the rear room. A nitrous system keeps the wine fresh so you can sample a variety of bottles before you buy. This is a great feature and I can for see many wine tastings in the future.

In a time when so many other businesses are moving or closing their doors its great to see a new and somewhat unique shop open up in Salem. We wish them success.

One step inside this shop and you understand the difference between a normal bakery and an “Artisan Baker.”

photo by harold schmid

The husband and wife team of A&J King opened up earlier this year (June) on Central Street across from the currently (but not for long) defunct Roosevelt’s. Closed Mondays, their morning to evening (7am to 5pm or 8am to 4pm on weekends) hours are perfect for picking up delicious pastry treats and succulent breads. While you’re in there for your morning sugar high check out the new coffee bar, I suggest a hot chocolate, by far the best in town.

Quality and artistry doesn’t come cheap though with sticky buns, and chocolate bouchon pastries at $2.50 and coffees $2.50 for a tall 12 oz. and $3.oo for a grande 16oz., still a much better deal than Starbucks. Speaking of quality, you can watch all the breads and pastry’s being made right on premises. Let’s hope they start forming relationships with some local restaurants, everyone should get in on this fine local business.

The Salem Arts Association puts on this walking arts show each year. You can see some of the work from our diverse arts community and check out where they make the magic happen. Many of the participants are local artists living and working here in town.

Take some time this weekend to support Salem artists, you might even find that Christmas present you were looking for.

Looks like it’s a bad time to be an existing business on the mall. On the flip side, I bet you could pick up some retail space for a great price!

With Salem being one of the top tourist destination cities in the US for a variety of reasons, there are plenty of places for the traveler to stay. We have two large hotels, inns, a motel and a plethora of Bed & Breakfasts. For you thrill seekers, some rooms and houses are even said to be haunted.

Where to stay in Salem

Full Service Hotels

• Hawthorne Hotel
  18 Washington Square
• Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites
  225 Derby Street

Inns

• The Salem Inn
  7 Summer Street

Motel

• The Clipper Ship Inn*
  40 Bridge Street

Bed & Breakfasts

• Amela Payson House
  16 Winter Street
• Coach House Inn*
  284 Lafayette Street
• Henry Derby House
  47 Derby Street
• The Inn on Washington Square
  53 Washington Square North
• Morning Glory Bed & Breakfast
  22 Hardy Street
• Northey Street House
  30 Northey Street
• Stephen Daniels House
  1 Daniels Street
• Stepping Stone Inn
  19 Washington Square North

RV / Camping

• Winter Island Marine Park*
  50 Winter Island Road

* Not within 10 minute walking distance to down town

When to come to the Witch City

As with every other destination when you come determines what you pay. Since Halloween and all things spooky are why many people come to town, October is the most expensive month. What you might not know is Salem visitors start coming in April and don’t slow down until November. The hotels, inn and motel are open year round. If you are interested in a B&B check their sites because many close down November through January or November through April.

Room prices vary from an off season quaint B&B room for under $75 to a King Suite with a wet bar in October for over $300. Here is a simple chart to help figure things out.

January $
February $
March $
April $$
May $$
June $$
July $$
August $$
September $$$
October $$$$
November $
December $

Weekday rates are less expensive than weekends and reservations are recommended (required by most) in September and October.

Other things to consider

Salem is a walking city. With few exceptions ( see above) all of the accommodation’s are in walking distance to all of the attractions. There is no need to drive anywhere in town once you get to Salem. If you are planning to stay at one of the larger hotels parking is included. If you are thinking about a B&B you should call ahead and ask about parking availability. In the off season Salem has plenty of parking but starting in the summer parking gets tight. During October the city enacts a parking ban allowing only residents to park in many of the neighborhoods.

Food for thought

Regardless of where you decide to stay, seeing all that Salem has to offer requires you to keep your energy level up. If you want to stock some food in your room for when you get the late night munchies, keep in mind that Salem has one grocery store in the down town area (and one 24 hour quickie mart). We have many other markets in town but they are not within walking distance.

The hotels have restaurants serving round the clock and the Salem Inn has a dining room with limited service hours. Fear not because Salem is blessed with a variety of great restaurants, cafes and sandwich shops. If you don’t visit some of them you’re Salem trip will really be missing out.

Make sure to bring some good walking shoes and a hearty appetite. You’ll be sure to leave with a smile on your face and some great memories!

While there is no information on their website, the front window at their 177 Essex Street location is now sporting the big “For Sale” sign you see above.

I don’t know anything about the costume business but my guess is that you probably wont see a dime until next September.