BusinessWest

And This Year, Consumers Will Be Focused on Getting Their Money’s Worth

With Black Friday just a few weeks away, there is no shortage of speculation about what this holiday season will bring for retailers and how the season will impact a still-sluggish economy. The consensus seems to be that consumers will likely spend about the same amount as last year, which is one of the factors retailers take into account when they say ‘good year’ is certainly a relative term.

The holidays are fast approaching, and in just a few weeks, Christmas shopping will begin in earnest. But this year, after people make their lists, they will be checking them twice as they focus on buying gifts that are practical or will last over time.
“People always find a way to celebrate the holidays with gifts, and as retailers, we will always be optimistic,” said Tamara Beauregard, vice president of Wilson’s Department store in Greenfield. “But we expect more purchases of things like sweaters, robes, down comforters, and well-made toys this year that are durable and educational, because people want to feel they are getting their money’s worth.”
Mina Lussier agreed. “Gift giving does not take a back seat. But what people choose during a tough economy is considered more carefully,” said the president of Zanna in Amherst, which sells women’s clothing, jewelry, and accessories. “A customer may still spend $300 on a gift for her daughter, but instead of buying something that isn’t practical, she might purchase a pair of boots that are useful, fashionable, and will stand the test of time.”

The trend toward purchasing practical gifts is seen in every arena. Mark Wineburg, owner of Yes Computers in Northampton, said sales of Apple products are already beginning to take off. “Last year was the biggest Christmas we have ever had, and our sales are up 25% this year over last year,” he said, adding that he expects to sell a large number of iPad 2 and MacBook Air notebook computers during the holiday season. “But they are not just gifts. They are tools, and people regard them as educational, a way to get work done and manage the tasks in their lives.”
Diana Gisolfi, who owns the Sister’s Kids store in Springfield with her sisters, Rosa Falvo and Joanna Ferrentino, said her venture also expects to do “very well” this holiday season. But she noted quickly that this is definitely a relative term.
“People are buying less impulsively than they did in the past. We are hoping to have a steady business and do at least as well as we did last year. In today’s economy, you can’t expect to do better than that, and if you have flat sales right now, it’s a good thing,” she said, adding that 2007 was a fantastic year, and retail spending has been on the decline since then.
National survey results show that her expectations are right on the money. According to a Gallup poll conducted Oct. 6-9, the average American family expects to spend $712 this year on Christmas gifts, close to the $715 they estimated they would spend at this time last year. The figure is significantly lower than the $907 spent on average in 2007, and this year, only 54% of people polled say they will definitely spend as much as they did last year.

Present Tense
The economy grew 2.5% in the third quarter this year, which Karl Petrick says is considerably better than the first quarter, when growth was limited to 1 %.
“But the downside of that number means that we’re treading water,” said Petrick, assistant professor of Economics at Western New England College. “It is not a fast-enough growth rate to put a dent in unemployment, which is a primary concern when we are looking at consumer spending.”
More than 14 million people in the U.S. are unemployed, and that number reflects only those who have looked for work in the past four months, he explained. “It doesn’t capture the people who are working at a part-time job hoping for full-time work, people who have been unemployed for a significant amount of time, or the discouraged worker who has stopped looking. So you can basically double the rate to get a better picture of employment.”
What’s more, the average U.S. median family income has fallen to $47,000, and most wealth creation has been captured by the top 1%, meaning the general outlook is far from merry and bright.
Petrick says consumer confidence and spending are linked, and the most recent Gallup polls show that self-reported spending peaked in July at $74 a day. In September, it fell to $68 a day, and in September, the number went down to $65.
“The downward trend doesn’t bode well for Christmas shopping,” Petrick said. “Twenty-nine percent people of people in a recent poll said they would spend less than last year, while in 2010, only 15% said they planned to spend less than they did the  previous year.”
However, shoppers can expect plenty of sales at most stores, and Beauregard said Wilson’s is no exception. “Most retailers will have a sale every week during the season because the big-box stores have trained customers to expect it,” she said.
To that end, local businesses are stocking their shelves with what Beauregard hails as the right items at the right prices.
“We have worked very hard to be able to offer shoppers the right selections,” she said, adding that well-known clothing brands such as North Face and the Melissa and Doug line of educational toys have become popular because they are well-made and will last for generations. “The holidays are important, but people’s choices will continue to be different,” she said. “They want to make their homes warm and comfortable, and gifts may include new comforters, throws for the couch, or warm robes, as people have turned down their thermostats.”
Games and arts and crafts top the list at Sister’s Kids. “Parents want to be able to sit down and do things with their children, especially during the holidays,” said Gisolfi. “And they are buying gifts that make sense. Sometimes less is more, and a game is something that can be played by two or three children or the whole family.”
But, thankfully, she says, she is in the right business when it comes to holiday gift giving. “Christmas is for children, and parents will buy the toys their children want.”

Wrap Music
The reduction in holiday sales since the economy went downhill has led to a decrease in the number of people hired for temporary positions at retail establishments, said Petrick, referencing another important aspect of the season — hiring, or a lack thereof, and its impact.
“Those jobs used to give a Christmas boost to the economy, as the workers would spend the money they made on gifts,” Petrick said. “But since retailers are more pessimistic, they are hiring fewer people, which reinforces the vicious cycle.”
Still, shop owners are doing all they can to encourage an upswing in sales, and as a result, layaways have made a comeback. “Stores advertised them last year, but this year it’s almost like a blitz,” Petrick said. “It’s a sign that many businesses are not very optimistic. By October, they were advertising that people could pay for things in monthly installments, and even the chain stores are bringing them back.”
Petrick said recent layoffs at MassMutual and Hasbro, coupled with news that Bank of America will let several thousand workers go across the country, has created a heightened sense of insecurity around employment, which makes people more cautious about spending and incurring debt. “It’s part of the reason why we will do well if we tread water this year,” he said, referring to holiday shopping. “This is a very challenging time.”
However, two measures could help. Right now, the extension for unemployment benefits and the 2% reduction in payroll (FICA) taxes for employees are set to end Dec. 31. “If Congress extends those two little lifelines, it certainly would improve the chances of retailers doing as least as well, if not slightly better, than last year,” Petrick said.
Despite the consumer-confidence index, retailers are optimistic. “This fall has been better than last year, and we are buoyed by that; our guests keep our business going,” said Lussier, adding that customers frequently ask how well her shop is doing because they don’t want to see it close. “We tell them it’s doing very well, but it’s because they are shopping. It’s a very symbiotic, person-to-person relationship.”
Zanna allows customers to create ‘wish lists,’ which the store keeps on file, so if husbands, boyfriends, or significant others come in to do their holiday shopping, they will know exactly what to purchase.
“And statistics show that, when women go shopping for gifts, 75% of the time they buy something for themselves,” Lussier said, explaining that she and her staff encourage the trend.
Mary Gancarz, regional manager for Hannoush Jewelers, said the chain also expects to see robust sales. “We are always excited going into Christmas. It is a lot of fun,” she said.
But like other retailers, Hannoush has adopted measures to ensure shoppers will find gifts at price points they can afford.
“We’ve brought in more silver styles,” she said, citing just one example. “Everyone is very aware of the price of gold, so we have shifted our focus and are carrying more sterling-silver lines and sterling silver combined with gold. White metal has been hot for the past decade, with platinum in the forefront, but the price of platinum and gold are almost neck and neck. So, to capitalize on the trend, we have gone to silver. We still carry gold and platinum, but we want to keep gift giving affordable for those who want to watch their budget.”
Gancarz says people have become very conscious about where they are shopping and what they are buying. “And with our reputation, they know what they are getting. So, tying it all together in a pretty package for Christmas, we will continue providing high-quality products because, when things get tight, people return to things they know in terms of gifts and service. They are careful and want to know they are not taking any risks.”

The concept of value carries over into every market, including luxury vehicles. Tony Erceg, general manager for Balise Lexus in West Springfield, said his dealership sells about five to 10 vehicles every year that are surprise holiday gifts. “December is our biggest month, and we have the best deals of the year then,” he said.
The buyers typically have wanted to own a Lexus for a long time, are in their late 40s to early 50s, and have finished putting their children through college, paid for their homes, and given to family members in other ways, but rarely treated themselves, Erceg explained. But even in families with high incomes, people are scaling back.
“They’re being conservative, and instead of buying a $60,000 brand-new vehicle, they may buy a $45,000 new vehicle or a certified, pre-owned one,” he said. “But sales are up, and December and Christmas are always a great season for us, as the holidays are promoted by Lexus, and we have a lot of incentive programs which will start in late November.

Bow Ties
Erceg said the Lexus holiday sales theme is “a “December to remember.”
It’s an appropriate motto for shoppers who will strive to purchase gifts this year that will not only be appreciated, but also used long beyond the Christmas season.
“People want to feel they are getting their money’s worth and value for every dollar,” said Beauregard. So, Santa’s sleigh will be piled with gifts again, but even stocking stuffers will be carefully chosen, as shoppers move from the realm of fads to selecting gifts with intrinsic value.

When Making a Christmas List, Check Out These Hot Items

Christmas is a time to dream, when children traditionally spend hours perusing toy catalogues; tweens surf the Internet; teens make pricey wish lists of electronic devices, high-end cell phones, and video games; while adults imagine golf clubs, skis, clothing from boutiques, fine jewelry, or luxury items beneath the tree.
“Everyone aspires to have something different,” said Tony Erceg, general manager of Balise Lexus in West Springfield. But there are some items this season that will definitely top many people’s lists.
Tamara Beauregard of Wilson’s Department store in Greenfield said the store made sure to stock up on a new kitchen appliance manufactured by Sodastream. “It’s a really hot item, and we have it,” she said, referring to the company’s countertop fountain-jet soda maker that costs about $90 and lets people turn water from their kitchen sink into their favorite carbonated beverages in about 30 seconds, at half the cost of buying cans.
Meanwhile, sales of Apple’s iPad 2 tablet and MacBook Air notebook are also expected to soar and put smiles on the faces of those who receive them. “The MacBook Air weighs less than three pounds and is lighter than other notebooks with smaller screen sizes,” said Julian Feller-Cohen, a sales associate at Yes Computers in Northampton. Both items have already been flying off their shelves, and owner Mark Wineburg says they expect to sell “tons” of these Apple products.
Most people enjoy music, and iPods continue to be popular. They range in price from $129 for a tiny nano, which is ideal for a runner or sports enthuiast who just wants to play music or keep track of their fitness routine, to three other models priced at $199 to $399. They include the iPod Touch, which is the lastest and is being manufactured in white as well as black, and the iPod Classic and iPod Shuffle.
In addition, radios by Tivoli Audio, which the Boston Globe named the best tabletop radio on the market this year, are also topping many wish lists. “They are high-end and compatible with iPod and other MP3 players,” Wineburg said.
LCD/LED televisions are expected to be big sellers for folks with large budgets or who are buying them as a family gift. They allow people to double or even triple their enjoyment — if the devices are used to play video games or as giant computer screens.
Many gamers are longing for the new Microsoft Xbox 360 with Kinect, priced at $200 to $300. It brings games and entertainment to life without a controller, which is what makes it revolutionary. People can control a high-definition movie with the wave of their hand, and even virtually float in outer space, experience the thrill of roaring rapids, or tackle mountaintop obstacle courses, which are all memory-making experiences that can be enjoyed with friends and family members.
And those who already own an Xbox will be thrilled to find Xbox 360 Kinect Console under the tree. Amazon lists it as one of the most sought-after gifts this season, as it enables voice activation for the Xbox 360 system. People can tell the Xbox to play or pause, and the Kinect allows it to recognize voice commands. In addition, it lets people play Xbox 360 video games without a remote.
Many video game lovers have been waiting for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 to be released. The series has been exceptionally popular, and the newest game continues the exploits of characters Soap MacTavish and Captain Price as they hunt down international terrorist Vladimir Makarov.
PlayStation Move, priced at about $99 retail, is the newest component for the Playstation 3 and is on Amazon’s list of the 10 most-wanted Christmas gifts for 2011. It brings motion gaming to PlayStation systems, and the Move motion controller and Eye camera track every move a player makes and puts them right in the game they are playing.
Bibliophiles of all ages will be happy to curl up under the tree with the newest Kindle Fire e-reader. Priced at about $200, the tablet offers instant electronic access to millions of movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books, as well as thousands of popular apps and games.
Christmas is for kids, but this year there isn’t one special toy being promoted. Instead, ‘sturdy’ and ‘well-made’ are the selling points shoppers are looking for.
“The industry isn’t worried anymore about making a new hot toy for the season; they’ve been focused on safety for the past few years,” said Diana Gisolfi of Sister’s Kids in Springfield. She explained that 85% of all children’s toys are made in China, including those sold by American companies, and problems with lead paint and other safety issues have caused manufacturers to shift their priorities.
However, Gisolfi and other local retail store owners concur that the Melissa and Doug line of educational toys and small furniture, including rocking horses, easels, and tables and chairs, is all the rage because the products are durable and will last for years.
Accessories for the iPod and iPhone make ideal stocking stuffers or inexpensive gifts, and are expected to be snapped up. Wineburg says iPhone covers sell well, and his store stocked up in time for the holiday season. “People like to get protective covers for their phones, and they are also becoming a little bit of a style statement. People change them all the time to update their look,” he said, adding that they cost from $15 to $35.
The high price of fuel and home heating has made gifts that help people stay warm a welcome surprise. They include heated mattress pads with dual controls, which turn beds into warm nests and allow people to turn down their thermostats, as well as electric blankets, which have made a comeback.
In short, there are a wide variety of gifts that are ‘hot’ this season — in more ways than one.

Restaurants, Banquet Facilities Optimistic about Upcoming Party Season

The past several years have been up and down for venues that host corporate holiday parties. On one hand, the recession has affected companies’ celebration budgets, yet most employers still see value in thanking their staffs for a year of hard work. As a result, area party bookings have largely remained steady, although many companies have scaled back on their size and cost. Still, restaurants and banquet facilities say the early signs are positive that the end of 2011 could be a merry season.

Early October is when things finally settle down on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield. For Jeffrey Daigneau, who’s busy booking holiday parties at his restaurant, Lattitude, they’re just heating up.
“We’re getting calls now. We probably have 15 or 20 parties already booked,” said Daigneau, who spoke with BusinessWest the day after the Eastern States Exposition — which dominates his street and hinders business for two and a half weeks — ended its 2011 run. “We haven’t gotten many calls with the Big E going on, but our busy season really starts today.”
Other restaurant owners and banquet-facility managers are reporting the same. So far, they say, business is looking up.
“Many companies feel parties are very important,” said Joe Stevens, owner of Hofbrauhaus in West Springfield. “They want to say thank you to their people who have been with them year-round — and we’re grateful to have them.”
He noted that the majority of companies that have booked parties have returned. “They want this certain Friday, this specific Saturday; usually, as they’re leaving, they say, ‘see you next year,’ and we just put them in the books.

“We’ve been blessed over the years because this place has been here since 1935, and most of our customers that have had Christmas parties over the years have stayed with us,” he added.
Newer venues are optimistic about a strong season as well, including Mill One at Open Square in Holyoke, which offers exposed brick, hardwood floors, and not much else in the way of permanent décor, allowing party planners to design their own night.
“It’s a beautiful facility from the 1800s,” said Michelle St. Jacques, property manager of Open Square. “It’s a blank slate, so we let people know that their event can be how they want it to turn out, without having the carpeting or wallpaper interfering with that.
“In addition, we have a selection of caterers to choose from, or you can choose your own, as long as they’re licensed and insured,” she continued. “We try to cater to individual wants. People can design their parties themselves in a very unique venue. They enjoy the fact that there are no set decorations that could interfere and conflict with their decisions. On the whole, people love it.”
For this issue, BusinessWest talks to several area dining facilities to get a feel for how they’re marketing the holiday season to area companies — and why they’re feeling good about the prospects so far.

They Shoot, They Score
“Right now, things are starting to pick up for the holiday season. We already have some bookings for December,” said Josh Belliveau, corporate event manager at the Basketball Hall of Fame.
That’s good news after a stretch of years in which employers across the U.S. have scaled back such late-fall, early-winter shindigs. According to Amrop Battalia Winston, a global executive-search firm that tracks a number of business trends, last year reflected the worst holiday-party slump in 22 years, with 79% of companies conducting some kind of celebration — lower than even the 81% figure recorded in both 2008 and 2009, at the peak of the recession.
Belliveau said it helps to be able to offer partygoers an uncommon experience.
“If you book your holiday party at the Hall of Fame, it’s a unique venue,” he said. “Our guests have many options — to tour the museum or do some additional fun things, like a scavenger hunt, shooting contests on center court, music, and dancing. We can even do [an electronic] sign outside the building, welcoming guests of that company. That makes it personal to employees who are attending. We think our facilities have the ability to provide that special atmosphere.”
Belliveau has booked a range of different groups, from formal sit-down dinner receptions to social receptions on the court, with hors d’ouevres, interactive play, and DJs and bands. “It’s a social atmosphere.”
Evan Mattson, controller at Tucker’s restaurant in Southwick, has seen the same variety of celebration styles.
“We do sit-down parties, we do station parties, we do buffets — we host all kinds of different parties,” said Mattson, adding that the facility handles gatherings of all sizes — “20 on up to 150” — and also conducts functions off-site when desired. Of all the options, he noted, “I think the station parties are becoming more and more popular.”
Stevens said there isn’t much Hofbrauhaus can’t do when it comes to party planning for groups ranging from less than 10 to more than 300. He noted that the facility hosts both formal sit-down services and cocktail parties with food stations and a cash or open bar.
“I’d say most people enjoy being served, getting waited upon, especially when it comes to the holiday season and businesses saying thank you to their staff,” he told BusinessWest. “Personally, I prefer a party where you can move around; I’m big into food stations and passed-around hors d’ouevres. I like to see people and circulate and not be confined to a certain table. But that’s just me.”
St. Jacques agreed, noting that many companies are getting away from sit-down dinners, and not just for budgetary reasons. “They realize there’s more interaction when people are getting up and getting food, passing by other guests, and that seems to be the trend, from what I’ve seen.”
She said Open Square is a good option for people who have very specific catering needs. “They can provide the food they like; some people like ethnic dishes and have to go to a certain caterer. You can’t get that at some facilities with their regular banquet staff.
“I think our venue is good because you can pick a theme and set the food choices,” she continued. “If you want to have an hors d’ouevres party, those are becoming popular. Cocktail parties are a nice holiday option without breaking the bank. That can be a good choice in this economy.”
Lattitude is making some improvements to enhance its party offerings, Daigneau added, including making the ‘wine room,’ where many functions are held for groups of 15 to 20, two to three times bigger; that renovation will be complete before the December rush of events.
But he said smaller parties are more common these days than large ones. “We do big Christmas parties, but what I’m seeing is parties of 25, 30.”

Looking Up?
That reflects the trends reported by Amrop Battalia Winston last year (this year’s survey won’t be released until November). In 2010, 28% of companies responding to the survey said their parties had become more modest — on the heels of the nearly half (49%) that downsized in 2009. Meanwhile, only 11% intended to hold more lavish parties.
In addition, company parties have increasingly become an employees-only zone. Only 26% of surveyed businesses planned to include family members, while 5% intended to invite clients and friends. The 69% of parties labeled employees-only was up from 52% just four years earlier.
Of those employers deciding to forgo having a party altogether, 55% said they did not consider it appropriate in tough economic times, compared to 27% who said a get-together just wasn’t within their budget. On the other hand, 37% of those having a holiday party said the primary reason was to celebrate a good year, 33% cited employee morale, and 29% said they wanted to project optimism about the future to clients and employees.
If holiday parties are, indeed, reflective of the economic mood, area restaurants and banquet facilities may be reporting some good news for the region overall.
“Some companies have done very well,” Stevens said. “Some have downsized their parties, but others have actually gotten too big for us; they can’t do their parties here anymore because they passed the 300 mark. It runs the gamut.”
Mattson said he’s optimistic about 2011 as well.
“They’re booking now. We have several booked already for December,” he told BusinessWest, noting that, even in a sluggish economy, many employers still want to thank their employees by making merry at what they hope will be the most wonderful time of the year.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at bednar@businesswest.com

Chandler’s Restaurant Provides a Warm Glow for the Holidays

The Christmas season is a romantic time when generosity and goodwill abound. And Chandler’s Restaurant at Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield is a place that epitomizes the warmth and joy of the season, which is one of the reasons so many businesses book their holiday parties at the award-winning eatery from November through February.
But the romance, fine dining, and attention to detail at Chandler’s is brought to life not only during the holidays, but every night of the year.
When darkness falls, employees change into formal garb and begin lighting hundreds of candles. The curved pathway leading from the parking lot to the door is illuminated by rows of burning tapers inside tall holders, which create an outdoor scene that is especially beautiful on a snowy evening. The mood is even more romantic inside as the restaurant glows with soft light from more than 250 beeswax candles that cast their warmth from overhead chandeliers, wall scones, and inside glass domes on every table.
“We have refined ourselves over the years,” said Amanda Malone, Chandler’s manager of special events and marketing. “We know what the majority of our guests want and are able to anticipate their needs.”
This year marks what Malone calls the restaurant’s Sweet 16th birthday. And although Chandler’s has been popular since 1995 when it opened to accommodate shoppers at the Yankee Candle flagship store, today it has become a destination unto itself. The acclaim has resulted not only from its award-winning food, wine, and service, but also because the management team has worked closely with employees to expand the restaurant’s menu of special events.
They range from ‘Teddy Bear Teas’ for pint-sized patrons to offerings for women such as the restaurant’s ‘Martinis, Manicures, and Massage’ nights, to a fall concert series, dinners with Santa, monthly wine tastings, ‘Wine, Food, and Jazz Spectaculars,’ and a whole lot more.
The events are held in the main dining room, outside on the patio, or in the intimate wine cellar. There are also two ‘Vineyard’ rooms, frequently reserved for business meetings, as they are located down the hall from the main dining room and can be closed off for privacy.
Laurie McDonald has been connected to Chandler’s since it opened, and says its story is remarkable. “I love every part of the Chandler experience, and it has been fun to see it evolve,” said Yankee Candle’s director of marketing and promotions. “There have been challenges, and there were a lot of learning curves, but we were never afraid to correct our path. At first, it was successful due to location, location, location, but we changed from a place created primarily for tourists and bus tours to being able to market ourselves as a small and intimate setting for holiday parties, weddings, and bridal and baby showers.”

Keeping It Light
The idea to open Chandler’s was born after Yankee Candle founder Michael Kittredge spent untold hours sitting on the porch of the flagship store in his baseball cap, listening to shoppers’ comments. After hearing many people say they were leaving to get something to eat, he realized a restaurant on the property could increase sales because it would allow shoppers to take a break, then return to buying gifts or items for themselves.
So the majority of the administration building was gutted, and a dining room with 40 tables was opened. “The idea was to make it a four- or five-star restaurant with fine dining even at lunch,” Malone said. “At that time, there was no talk of holding functions here. That didn’t happen for several years after people after kept asking if they could have their weddings or other gatherings at Chandler’s.”
Rose Pielock, head host and dining room supervisor, who has been with Chandler’s since opening day, said the establishment was not prepared to serve the crowds that appeared the first afternoon. “We expected to serve 40 or 50 for lunch. But we probably sat 400. It was amazing, but the kitchen was not prepared to handle that many people.”
There were other problems as well. “In the beginning, we tried to be everything to everyone,” Malone said. “We served breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week and had 40 flavors of ice cream and 20 kinds of bottled water.”
It soon became clear that breakfast wasn’t a popular weekday option, and there were far too many choices on the menu, which led to a lot of waste. So breakfast was discontinued, and the menu was pared down.
In time, McDonald decided to add a wine cellar modeled after the one in his own home. In addition, two Vineyard rooms were created adjacent to the wine cellar, which could seat small, private groups.
The wine cellar is actually a dining room surrounded on three sides by wine racks with a full-service bar near the entrance. “The wine cellar is our jewel. It houses our entire wine collection and is very popular for wedding-rehearsal dinners, intimate wedding celebrations, small business holiday parties, and other special events,”  Malone said. “And every first Friday we have a Wine, Food, and Jazz Spectacular, which includes a five-course menu and wines chosen to complement the foods.”
Malone said the spectacular offers guests an opportunity to learn about wines as they are poured by the restaurant’s wine director, who talks about the different varieties and answers questions. Over the years, Chandler’s has become known for its fine wines and has won numerous awards from Wine Spectactor magazine.
Many other awards are displayed in the restaurant’s waiting area. Chandler’s was named Best Restaurant of the Year in 2006 by the Massachusetts Restaurant Assoc., and has received a number of coveted hospitality excellence awards from the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, which recognize front-line employees in the industry who provide outstanding service to their guests and customers. It was also given a top rating by WeddingWire.com this year.
Malone says the staff and management not only work hard to offer excellent food and service, but partner with area businesses whenever possible. “We buy our produce from local farms and really believe in the idea of farm to table,” she explained.
They also created a partnership with Berkshire Brewery and hold ‘Berkshire Brewing Beer Dinners’ five times a year, which begin with a tour of the brewery and continue with a four-course meal at Chandler’s with a menu created to go well with specialty beers.

Innovative Measures
The main dining room at Chandler’s seats 130 people, and the wine cellar holds up to 50, while the Vineyard room can accommodate 25 guests and is occasionally used for family parties, business meetings, and private wine tastings or beer dinners with special menus that can be created for each party. The restaurant also offers a full banquet menu and hosts many fund-raising events.
A table near the entrance, set in an alcove, has become a popular spot for marriage proposals, and every Valentine’s Day four or five couples get engaged there. “People book the table a year in advance,” Malone said.
New Year’s Eve at Chandler’s is also popular, as the restaurant features live music, a special menu, and lots of champagne. But one of the primary secrets to the restaurant’s success is its plethora of interactive events.
“We keep growing because we offer new events every month to keep people excited about coming here,” Malone said.
That includes taking advantage of times when the restaurant is not busy. “We hold lots of children’s events in the morning,” Malone said. These range from cooking classes, where children are taught to be independent in the kitchen and introduced to new vegetables, to ‘Fancy Nancy’ parties held every other Saturday where small girls don feather boas and tiaras, enjoy ice cream parfaits, and receive sparkling rings and bracelets. “They come with their mothers, grandmothers, and aunts,” Malone said. The same luncheon format is used in the book Brown Paper Teddy, and featured guests have included Glinda the Good Witch.
“It’s been 16 years, but we continue to reinvent ourselves so we stay fresh,” Malone said. “And the staff love these events and often dress in line with the theme.”
Greg Monette, general manager and executive chef, agrees. “The idea is to diversify within our existing structure so that, if there is a downturn in the economy or in foot traffic at the store, we are able to hold our own.
“We want to get our name out in the community,” he added, explaining that outreach efforts have established the restaurant as a separate entity from the flagship Yankee Candle store.
As a result, the number of banquets and special functions continues to increase. “We don’t want to rest on our laurels, so we produce new and different experiences for people every time they come here,” Monette said.

Happy Ending
So whether people join them for their ‘December Holiday Hors d’Oeuvres’ party or create their own gathering, the staff at Chandler’s works hard to ensure that guests leave the restaurant with the warm feelings that the setting evokes.
It’s an atmosphere filled with romance, possibility, and hope for the future. “We have real hopes about expanding in the next five years,” Malone said.
And on a Sweet 16th birthday, it seems like a dream that just may come true.

Chicopee’s Munich Haus Is Steeped in Traditions of the Season

There’s a painting in one of the front dining rooms at the Munich Haus of a small, traditional, wood-frame structure, and you might walk by it without knowing that it depicts the birthplace of a man and his dream in the new world.
“That would be the house where my father was born,” Patrick Gottschlicht told BusinessWest.
Hubert Gottschlicht was born in Tegernsee, in Bavaria. As his father and grandfather were master butchers, essentially the profession responsible for the sausages and meats that make German food noteworthy, so too did the young man follow the family trade. “Sausage making runs deep in our family,” the youngest Gottschlicht said.
But it was a lifelong dream of his father’s to open his own restaurant that led to the creation of the restaurant in the center of Chicopee, in the shadow of the spire at City Hall. Hubert ran a restaurant back in Germany, but when Patrick was 1 year old, he moved the family to America. When the restaurant known as Bernardino’s closed back in 2004, the Gottschlichts knew the time had come to bring their Old World expertise to a new generation of diners in that spot. And they didn’t waste any time in recreating their history here in the Pioneer Valley.
“When we came in,” Gottschlicht explained, “we remodeled the whole place, put in a new bar, new plumbing, electric, heating and air conditioning, new furniture. Top to bottom.
“And if you look around,” he continued, gesturing to the wood-paneled walls, “these are all pictures from Bavaria. I’ve got old, hand-carved hunting medals in the dining room that my grandfather won. The décor is to create a certain atmosphere, because we are an authentic Bavarian restaurant.”
The personalized touches are everywhere. And that’s important to this latest generation, as the flourishes are a visual link to the past, which informs the present, and future, of his family’s history in creating memorable German food.
His father is semi-retired now, Gottschlicht said. And even though he has some key assistance both in the front and back of the house, it’s up to Patrick to not only keep the pilsners pouring, but also continue the legacy of centuries of culinary expertise.
The holidays are approaching fast for the Munich Haus. Sure, they have a full host of Christmas events planned — Bavaria is, after all, home to one of the modern origins of Kris Kringle — but autumn in Germany is perhaps best known for that celebration of the suds, Oktoberfest.
Taking time out from the many details he needed to oversee for the weeks ahead, Gottschlicht sat down with BusinessWest to tell the story of his family’s contribution to German cuisine. And if one thinks that Bavarian fare is not conducive to the calorie-conscious diets over which Americans sometimes obsess, you need only look at the owner’s trim physique too see that it’s not just food for the belly busters.
He laughed as he patted his sides, and added, “I eat it all day, every day, too!”

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Opening any new business is a stressful event, and Gottschlicht said that the first days of the restaurant provided some nerve-wracking times. “There were a few delays here and there in construction,” he said, “But the city and residents of Chicopee were, and have continued to be, incredibly supportive of us. They helped carry us in those early days.”
Perhaps it’s a show of support for the genealogy of their adopted city, but there are a handful of Polish dishes on the permanent menu at the Munich Haus. “We have a chef who is excellent at many things,” he said, “and she is particularly skilled at Polish food.”
They make their own kielbasa in-house, but it’s that legacy of master butchers that has pride of place on the menu. “We do all the sausages here, with the exception of just one — knockwurst is a smoked sausage where you really need incredibly large and expensive equipment to make it right. But the bratwurst, chicken bratwurst, called Geflügelwurst, and the Nürnberger bratwurst, the seasonal wursts, are made from scratch right here.”
All of his offerings, in fact, from sausage links to cooking stock, are made from scratch according to those family recipes. “Everything is done in the old, traditional way with the freshest ingredients,” he said. “This is authentic food.”
Noteworthy among a long list of must-try dishes are his schnitzels, he said. “We have 10 or 12 different varieties. It’s pretty much a cutlet of pork, pounded thin, lightly breaded, and pan-fried in a little bit of butter. Each one will have a different sauce.
“We have a giant Bavarian pretzel,” he added, “served with Obatzda, a German cheese spread, and honey mustard. If you’ve only had American pretzels, they’re really processed; a German pretzel is nothing like that. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like it. Those big pretzels from the mall aren’t even the same type of food. This is a pretzel.”
Germany’s libations are well-represented at the Munich Haus, with a current roster of a dozen beers on tap — including a house brew — and many more in bottles, some rarities that one won’t find west of Weisbaden. Gottschlicht said that he is proudly going to be expanding the draughts to bring the total taps to 16 and his imported count to 13.
While the food is as authentic as his own heritage, Gottschlicht did point out that there are dishes of a more familiar variety. “There’s a really nice New York strip with roasted onions over the top, and we have shrimp scampi. There are other options if you don’t want German food.”
And there is another concession to the American diet, one borne of economy. “In addition to lunch and dinner almost every day,” he said (Sunday is dinner only), “there are specials daily. You can get lunch for as low as $6.75, and that includes soup or salad, a sandwich, coffee, and dessert. We know there’s a demand for an affordable lunch.”

Home for the Holidays
Christmas holidays are a big deal in Germany, Gottschlicht said. “Cities and smaller towns have their Christkindlmarket, where everyone’s outside walking around. It’s like the Big E but for the holidays, all lit up with white lights.”
The Munich Haus does its part to keep the Bavarian tradition intact. From Dec. 13-23, local favorites, the Dan Kane Singers, bring Christmas carols to the dining room. On the 18th, the group performs a full holiday show, complete with a German buffet and what Gottschlicht called a “Vienna-style pastry table.”
Anyone is welcome to join the festivities, although reservations are strongly suggested for the 18th. Gottschlicht said this is a good opportunity not just for families, but also for smaller businesses on a tighter holiday budget, to have a chance to partake in the holiday cheer.
While his upstairs banquet hall, with ornate plaster moldings, chandeliers, and gleaming hardwood floor, is rented out for larger groups, anywhere from 50 to 200, there is also a smaller private dining area, called the Hunter’s Room, adjacent to the restaurant’s dining room, which can accommodate parties of 10 to 50.
Events are staged throughout the year, however, and the Munich Haus really knows how to throw a party. Game Night dinners are slated for late winter, and there’s a popular Hops Club which meets the third Wednesday of every month, and anyone is free to become a member for the night. A specific beer is chosen per event, and $15 buys food and drink. They roast a pig at every meeting, and an accordion player sets the tone.
Of course, the upcoming Hops Club falls squarely within the Oktoberfest festivities, and Gottschlicht expects there to be quite a crowd. This year’s Oktoberfest officially takes place over the course of five nights, and the Munich Haus hosts a oompah ensemble, the Otto Schultz Band, and German food and spirits flow through the dining room like in the Old World.
As Gottschlicht spoke, his eye cast around the Hunter’s Room, no doubt thinking of a detail here or there for those busy nights ahead. And when it’s not just his, but his family’s legacy to uphold, those details continue to make the Munich Haus a special spot, a little bit of Bavaria right here in Western Mass. It might have been his father’s dream, but his son is helping to continue to make it come true.

A chart of the region’s banquet facilities

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