Downtown Food Shuffle

104 North Pleasant Street, Amherst

Souper Bowl, a 2,200 square foot, five-year-old downtown restaurant could be calling it quits, but another somewhat unique food establishment could soon replace it.

All Things Local Store, a sort of indoor farmers and crafts market, is attempting to raise $15,000 by July 31 in order to transition from cyber dream to bricks-and-mortar reality. 

The operation would act like a consignment store allowing farmers and crafts persons to sell their wares and simply pay a small commission to the store for each item sold.  Organizers are currently negotiating to buy all the restaurant equipment from Souper Bowl which would allow for safe food preparation and storage.

The building is owned by Barry Roberts, a tireless advocate for a thriving downtown.

Certainly demand is there:  The Amherst Select Board just approved an expansion request for the 42-year-old downtown "flagship" Amherst Farmers Market, allowing them to use a piece of Boltwood Avenue in front of the Lord Jeffery Inn.

Last winter the Amherst Middle School hosted a Saturday Winter Farmers Market. And the outdoor Wednesday Farmers Market at Kendrick Park seems to be growing.

 

Wednesday Farmers Market Kendrick Park

 Amherst Community Market, another competing group, has organized around the concept of a cooperative food (super) market jointly owned and operated by workers and consumers.  In the late 1970s Amherst supported a thriving natural foods coop, Yellow Sun.

Thus, a year-round indoor facility could certainly find a successful niche -- especially in health conscious Amherst.

Indeed, the business will still involve farming

We're Number Seven!

Amherst:  Where education is King (and Queen)

Yes, ever since some Search Engine Optimization geek discovered "top ten lists" (or even top 100) are hit magnets everybody in the Internet publishing world has a top list about something.

Last week it was a list of words used in emails or phone calls that would draw the attention of NSA snoops.  "Amherst" made the list.  Bad.

Today it's a much better list:  Business Insider is hawking a list of the "50 Smartest Cities in America;" and yes overly-enlightened Amherst comes in at #7.  Good.

Of course Amherst is a town not a city.  And to be more precise we're a "college town."  But that's why we're soooooo smart.

Now if only we could keep that tiny minority of students from painting the town red every weekend when schools are in session.

Maybe then we could move up the list a few notches. 

Open Government?

 

Eastern Hampshire District Court, Belchertown

Sign out front

Remembering Those Who Served

Amherst's "Sacred Dead Tablets" (before the renovation)

Too many of our men and women have laid down their lives in service to our country in far flung wars across the globe.  We remember them on Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and perhaps -- in Massachusetts anyway -- Patriots Day.  Or 9/11.

The Civil War was distinctly different.  That terrible conflict produced America's greatest loss of life because each side engaged in battle were the good guys, fighting on home turf.  Americans killing Americans.

On many, many days it was more like a slaughter. 

Amherst men answered the call to "defend the Union."  Over three hundred of them, including 21 African-Americans.  In all, 57 perished.

All of those who served in "The War of the Rebellion" are remembered -- their names etched in stone on the Sacred Dead Tablets.  Four years ago Amherst Town Meeting appropriated $45,000 out of Community Preservation Act funds to have all six tablets restored.

Today State Senator Stan Rosenberg announced the town won a $5,000 MA Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission matching grant, which will cover interpretive signage relating to the tablets when they go on display at Town Hall, in the Town Room -- our seat of government.

Slow Climb

 These signs spring up like mushrooms on a moist summer morning

If business takes you further south past Atkins Country Market by way of Route 116, be prepared for a slow bumpy ride up The Notch.

Yes, construction continues in the southernmost part of Amherst where the state has expended $10 million in the past two years installing two roundabouts and now this realignment project.

 

Country Corners Road, Amherst

C & A Construction from Ludlow was the low bidder at $3,128, 938 coming in under the state's "initial construction estimate" of $3, 354, 684.  The project started last fall with the clear cutting of trees and is currently less than 20% completed.   Completion is not expected until the spring of 2014.

 Start of the .6 mile climb

In other words, it's going to be a l-o-n-g hot summer for travelers trying to negotiate that gauntlet.

 

 

New section of road center, old road on left

Near top, new road on right

Editors note:  This photo shoot occurred after 5:00 PM when construction was done for the day 

UPDATE Wednesday afternoon:  Arrived at base of mountain at 1:47 PM and made the summit at 1:58 PM.  Once I started moving, total time for climb was three minutes.

Block Party Sequel

In perhaps his final public appearance as Director of the Amherst Business Improvement District, Alex Krogh-Grabbe this evening gave the Amherst Select Board a heads up on the downtown block party as it enters its sophomore year.

The event happens September 12, almost exactly one year after the first one brought thousands of people to the downtown.  This year the North Pleasant Street road closure will be more constricted on the northern border, but still runs directly through the heart of the downtown. 

With that prime stretch of road closed to cars, town center becomes a safe, friendly party zone.  Music, food, and friends = fun.  And it's all free! 

What more could you ask for? (besides good weather).

Anatomy of a Bust

Returned Search Warrant, 11 Phillips Street, Amherst

So I guess you could argue this well publicized APD operation was a waste of time and resources since no charges were ever brought before the District Attorney concerning the operation of an  illegal cash bar in the basement of 11 Phillips Street.

  

11 Phillips Street, Amherst

Just as you could argue the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong never won an individual battle large enough to have a name during the US intervention in Vietnam.

But in the end what matters is, well, the end.

By most accounts Vietnam cannot be chalked up as a US victory; and I would argue the raid on 11 Phillips Street turned out to be a turning point in the battle against rowdy student party houses.

For  that particular house at least.

   Search Warrant, 11 Phillips St, Amherst