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I grew up on Cape Cod, so to me a place that serves fried seafood on picnic tables in a parking lot 
covered in crushed clam shells is my idea of heaven. When I first saw the hand-lettered sign in Warren, RI, two summers ago that said simply “Clam Shack” with a crooked arrow pointing vaguely towards the water, I pulled a U-turn to hunt it down faster than you can say “lobster salad”.
The Blount Clam Shack is opening to its third successful season offering delicious fried foodstuffs, coleslaw, hot dogs, lobster rolls and other fabulous summer fare. It’s kid- and family-friend, in fact on crowded nights you may find yourself sharing a table with strangers whom you quickly get to know over shared malt vinegar and spilled lemonade. The Clam Shack is right on the water, which adds an exciting element of danger for the kids as they watch boats sail by and lean over the edges of the dock to look for tiny fish, squid and other sea creatures swimming by (there’s even a sign that says “Don’t let your little snappers fall in the water”.)
Summer is by far the best part about living in New England. For me, the Blount Clam Shack embodies all of its greatest elements: delicious food, close proximity to water, outdoors, family fun and kind of sticky and smelly in a quintessentially summer way. I’m so glad the Blount Clam Shack opened so that my kids can share some of the same memories I have from the clam shack days of my youth.
The Blount Clam Shack opens this weekend! See you there…
Blount Clam Shack
335 Water Street
Warren, RI 02885
p: (774) 888-1300
w: http://www.blountseafood.com/store/shack.php
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Tags: blount clam shack, Contests, small business, small business super hero, small business week
The Boston Martial Arts Center is one of my favorite small businesses here in Boston. When I first met Mark Davis and took a look at their website for development, they were stuck 15 years behind the times. The site’s now updated, and they’ve reached beyond their comfort zone and have begun marketing using the web. A large leap for a small business!
They offer many classes in the study of martial arts, starting with an easy introductory class. While they offer advanced classes like Taijutsu, they also offer self-defense classes to the community, teaching how to recognize when one is most vulnerable and self-protection when a situation calls for defense. They even have classes for small children, teaching them non-violent resolutions to problems and giving positive reinforcement of good behavior. Great lessons for any child to learn!
No stuffy center or competition, just respect for martial arts, learning and each other. The instructors go out of their way to make everyone feel comfortable when they step into the center, putting anyone instantly at ease so they are ready to learn.
Boston Martial Arts Center
161 Harvard Ave #4e
Boston,MA.
(617) 789-5524
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Tags: boston martial arts, Contests, small business, small business super hero
It’s no secret that if one could earn a decent living fishing, I would happily throw my computer into the sea, grow a two-foot long beard and leave the civilized world behind. Alas, it is not to be, but I do try to fish as often as I can and a good tackle shop to fuel my passion can be hard to find.
Upon moving to Rhode Island four years ago, the first order of business was to find a local source of fishing tackle and more importantly a place I could trust to provide honest information (i.e. not just trying to turn a buck.) Enter the The Saltwater Edge Fishing Co., located in Newport, RI. From their huge selection to their extremely knowledgeable staff, they have a great customer experience down pat.
They also have an impressive online presence and carry everything in the store online as well. Product stock is well-managed, so you know whether an item you’re interested in is actually available or when it might be. Given the size of their inventory, this is no small feat and its something that sets them apart from every other online tackle shop out there. They also offer delivery in two days or less to anywhere in New England for in-stock items.
The Saltwater Edge Fishing Co. has customer experience nailed and for that I am happy to use their services almost exclusively. Customer retention is getting harder and harder to come by these days and treating your customers well and providing a pleasant, predictable experience is key. These guys have me hooked.
The Saltwater Edge
47 Valley Rd.
Middletown, RI 02842
p: 1-866-793-6733
w: www.saltwateredge.com
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Tags: Contests, salt water edge, small business, small business super hero, small business week
Well, as a newbie at BatchBlue I hate to buck the food trend, but that’s what being new is all about, right? Shakin’ things up? That being said, I think my favorite small business would have to be Adored By Us—a children’s consignment store in Cranston, RI. I’m not a fan of spending lots of money on clothes and toys that my toddler will quickly either outgrow or ruin, so this is my favorite place to be when it’s shopping time. I always find great deals on gently used clothes, shoes, toys, books, etc. for my toddler. I especially love the $1 bins by the cash register which keeps me flush in daycare clothes—at $1 a piece who cares if the clothes come back covered with glue and glitter!
The shop is well organized, not overly stuffed and very kid friendly. The owner has often jumped in to help me find just what I’m looking for. And most importantly, they have no problem shutting the front door and letting my little guy go wild trying out all the new toys in the middle of the store while I am busy shopping. It’s about the sanest shopping experience you can have with a toddler in tow.
I also love that this is a very family friendly work environment! It’s definitely a “by moms for moms” type of place. They work around their family schedules and occasionally have their own children in tow – which is a great additional source of entertainment for my little one.
So if you’re looking for an easy shopping experience (with or without a toddler tagging along), I highly suggest Adored By Us.
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Tags: adored by us, Contests, small business, small business super hero, small business week
Whenever I’m asked for a good place to eat in Rhode Island, my first answer is always La Laiterie. The fact that it’s within walking distance from both my office and my home makes me feel extremely lucky. It seems like I can’t visit the place without finding a new favorite cheese (can you say “BatchBleu”?), beer, or entree. Their taste and attention to detail give me full confidence to try *anything* there and expect great results. Case in point, I’m not a big seafood eater, but the octopus I tried there on a recent visit was amazing!
All this would certainly be enough on its own to earn my nomination as a BatchBlue Staff Favorite, but it gets better. Chef Matt Jennings has been doing a fantastic job bringing this relatively non-technical business into the social media space via his Twitter account. You all know how much we love Twitter at BatchBlue, and every time Matt tweets it seems to make me hungry for some damn fine food. And I know where to get it!
LA LAITERIE
188 Wayland Avenue,
Providence, RI 02906
w: http://www.farmsteadinc.com/lalaiterie.html
p: 401-274-7177
p.s.
For their commitment to excellence, I almost called them the Apple of food, until I realized that Apple Computer was already named after a food.
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Tags: Contests, la laiterie, small business, small business super hero, small business week
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