Page 13 - BusinessWest March 18, 2024

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Deerfield
Table, a breakfast and lunch restaurant on North Main Street, named after her grandfather, who owned and operated a similar establishment in Fitchburg after returning from military service.
Howard said she explains the name on a regular basis, adding that many guests will ask her male kitchen employee if he is Leo.
Those guests run the gamut, she said, noting that there is a solid core
of locals, many of them senior citi- zens, but many diners are coming on their way to attractions like Yankee Candle, the butterfly conservatory, and, increasingly, Tree House.
“We even see some from the park-
Wade Bassett says Yankee Candle is one of many intriguing draws that have helped transform Deerfield into a true destination.
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St. James Roman Catholic Church, and its rectory, which the town may acquire with an eye toward preservation and reuse, perhaps for more senior hous- ing, said Mason, adding that a request for proposals will soon be issued for that property.
As noted, there is real need for this type of housing, said Mason, not- ing that, if it is created, homes will come on the market, opening the door for more families to move to the community.
Meanwhile, new senior housing on the campus and more young families would provide a boost for the nearby downtown, said Dunne, adding that, while that area is vibrant, there are some ‘infill projects,’ as he called them, to contend with, including a long-vacant Cumberland Farms (a new, much larger one was opened on Route 5).
“Tree House is driving a lot of traffic to this area, with their beer and with their concerts.”
Other initiatives include ongoing development of a municipal parking lot with EV chargers, one complete with a large amount of green space to counter all the paved surfaces downtown — and a Complete Streets project that include improvements to sidewalks and adding a tree belt to downtown streets.
While there’s a concerted effort to create more housing inventory for those who want to live in Deerfield, there’s already a deep portfolio of attractions for those who want to visit.
Yankee Candle has long been the mainstay, and it continues to evolve in this anchor role, said Wade Bassett, director of Sales and Operations at Yankee Candle Village.
But the tourist sector, like the overall economy, is diverse, boasting everything from butterflies to history lessons at Historic Deerfield to the latest draw — craft beer and accom- panying events, especially at Tree House Brewery, now occupying the large campus that was once home to publisher Channing Bete.
That campus incudes a concert venue that brings thousands of people to Deerfield for shows, said Dunne, adding that the brewery is working with town officials to increase the limit for attendance so it can bring larger acts to that campus and thus increase the ripple effect.
And that effect is already consider- able, said Jen Howard, owner of Leo’s
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