Chamber Connections BLOG
Chamber Connections BLOG
Warren has long been a foodie attraction, and now wine connoisseurs can delight with the addition of Merienda Tapas, Cicchetti & Wine Bar. This hot new restaurant is a fitting add-on to Water Street’s eclectic restaurant scene. Located at 125 Water St., formally The Old Nathanial Inn, Merienda’s is a perfect place for a romantic bite to eat with a loved one; yet also provides a comfortable atmosphere to catch up and relax with friends. This is the first restaurant and wine bar featuring authentic tapas and cicchetti style-dishes, with an accompanying savory yet affordable wine list - five different European wines available at just $25 a bottle. Craig Corsetti, executive chef and owner, has years of experience in the industry holding various positons all over the world. He’s worked in the kitchens of Florence, Italy, and under James Beard Award winning chefs is Washington, D.C. Pair that up with his 18 years of experience at The Newport Vineyards and it’s no wonder Merienda’s is such a delectable place. His passion for authentic cuisine and extensive knowledge of wine is evident in this charmingly unique venue. For those of you who don’t know – I didn’t either – cicchetti is a Venetian term meaning savory snacks or small side dishes, typically served in a bar or informal restaurant. Similarly, tapas means small Spanish savory dishes, typically served with drinks at a bar. What this translates to is that there’s a great new spot to try delicious small plates paired with thoughtfully selected imported wines or craft beer. So get out there, try something new and support your local businesses. Tell Craig that the East Bay Chamber of Commerce sent you. Cheers!
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First impressions mean a lot, especially in a business setting. When you first meet Yulian, you know by her smile and genuine enthusiasm that she is very engaging and dedicated. She has a unique background and is not your typical personal financial consultant. Yulian's educational background focused on biology, clinical laboratory work, and nursing. When she came to the Untied States from China, she worked for over 16 years at Women and Infants' Hospital in several different roles. Although she finds the work gratifying, Yulian started at World Financial Group because she wanted a better opportunity with a better retirement plan. "For my entire life, I have always worked hard for money, but now I wanted to learn how to make my money work hard for me." Not only is Yulian providing consultant to her clients but she also wants to introduce opportunity to people willing to work with her. They can grow the business together to help more people achieve financial independence. She gives presentations in which she talks about her life's experiences, and how she can relate to those who do not have a retirement plan or large savings. Her goal is to change the way people perceive their finances, which means being open to opportunities to educate themselves and feeling more comfortable talking about their financial future. World Financial Group's motto is "no family left behind," and Yulian is determined to reach as many people as possible. "I want my clients to have a piece of mind with their savings!" Yulian is always willing to help people, especially in the financial services area. With a smile and perseverance, she truly believes that "together, we can each achieve more. " Justin Lombardo is the Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager at Bank 5 in Bristol, RI. He is a lifelong Rhode Islander; educated in the Barrington school system then went on to continue his education graduating from Rhode Island College. Justin got into the banking industry in 2007 and never looked back. He began as a banker and has worked all the way up to Assistant Vice President. He started off at Citizens Bank then held positions at Santander before finally ending up at Bank5 where he’s worked for over a year now.
Most people around here just know the Bank5 building as the old Wendy’s but after visiting I can tell you it’s so much more! While surrounded by a state of the art facility Justin lights up when talking about his daily operations. Bank 5 puts an emphasis on being a local bank with a community focus and this is very fitting to Justin’s personal interests. "We sponsor, volunteer and give donations to many local events such as St. Elizabeth’s Parish, East Bay Pantry in Bristol annual golf tournament, St. Mary’s of the Bay Church Food Pantry in Warren, the Lincoln Soccer Club in Bristol, the Bristol Harbor Festival Blessing of the Fleet, Barrington Little League, Bristol Yacht Company, Bristol-Warren Art Night, and the Bristol Halloween Walk-a-Bout," said Justin. "As well as Volunteer Warren." Justin won this feature by attending a business after hour’s event and had his business card selected at random. Make sure you attend our next event for an opportunity to win a feature. By Stephanie Osborn PR Team Debbi-Jo Horton has been an entrepreneur for over 40 years. She is a CPA with an international tax practice, and most recently became an independent Nerium Senior Director. Her passion for skincare began when she first learned about the Nerium skincare and wellness line from one of her tax clients. In 2012, a client asked her to do a 7 night trial of the night cream. After 7 days Debbi-Jo found that her crow's feet were gone, and she's been hooked ever since. DJ started her Nerium business part-time in April of 2013. By June of 2014 she had become a senior director and earned a car. Today she has a team of 14 people. Nerium allows DJ many benefits and opportunities. One of the benefits of this business is that she gets to travel. She has been to many places including most recently St Louis and Dallas. DJ loves helping other people look and feel better about themselves. Nerium has a targeted line of skincare products for anti-aging as well as dietary supplements for health, wellness and anti-aging. One surprising fact about DJ's business is that 50% of brand partners are men and slightly over 50% of Nerium customers are men! By Brian Barrett PR Team member Michelle Hughes is one of the most caring, unique, intelligent individuals I have had the pleasure to meet since relocating to the beautiful East Bay of Rhode Island. She has been an active member of the community for years and many of you probably already know her from her successful work as a Certified Public Accountant or because she is the Founder and an active member of the highly popular organization W.E.B.O.N.D. I’ve only known Michelle for a couple of months now and can’t speak highly enough of her character and personable professionalism. When speaking with Michelle you get a feeling that she genuinely cares about what you’re saying. As a member of the PR Committee I jumped at the opportunity to write this article about Michelle. We had lunch at a local restaurant and I had the privilege of learning more about what makes her so special. She is highly family oriented and glows when talking about her husband and sons. At one point in her life she was not exactly where she wanted to be and found an escape through education. While raising her first son she put herself through school and the rigorous testing to become a CPA. Although I can’t personally relate to raising a child or becoming a CPA, by all accounts they very difficult tasks to undertake. She successfully does both and so much more! She’s had multiple successful jobs on her career path and started her own accounting firm in April 2014. Her firm recently merged with RichardsTimko, P.C. where she is the Senior Tax Manager. The merge has allowed her to expand the area in which she helps small businesses, condominium associations, non-profits, and individuals with their tax/accounting needs. She was dubbed The Gardening CPA because of her love of horticulture at the beauty she creates with nature. I saw her creative mind at work first hand when coming back from lunch that afternoon. We pulled into the parking lot of her office on Metacom Ave in Warren and there was construction debris hanging out of the dumpster. Where some people might have seen an old junk door, Michelle saw the opportunity to create something beautiful. I fished the old door out of the dumpster for her and placed it in her car so she could take it home and use it in one of her art projects. Michelle Hughes is an excellent choice for all of your business/personal accounting needs and an excellent resource for opportunities to become a more active and informed member of our community. Paper, Packaging and Panache has been a staple of downtown Bristol for over 20 years! Co-owners Linda Arruda and Susan Curtis met in a small business class during the winter of 1996 and the rest is history. With some encouragement from their professor, Susan’s love of creating greeting cards and a mutual need for a new adventure; Paper, Packaging and Panache was born. Since they first opened their doors the stationary industry has changed greatly. Influenced by advancing technology and more locations to buy greeting cards, from supermarkets to gas stations and seemingly everywhere in between, Susan and Linda knew they had to differentiate themselves. Inspired by her early years selling handmade greeting cards all over New England, Susan makes it a point to showcase local artists. They take pride in supporting local talent and providing aspiring artists the exposure many larger stores would deny. In addition to the changing stationary industry they have watched Bristol grow through the years. They’ve noticed a steady increase in tourist traffic especially in the warmer months. They note a lot of college students and their families come in and are amazed by the natural beauty found in Bristol and throughout the east bay of Rhode Island. Paper, Packaging and Panache is the local go to place for greeting cards and invitations for all holidays, events, and occasions. They have also expanded their offerings over the years and specialize in children’s toys and clothing. So next time you find yourself strolling around beautiful downtown Bristol, stop in, check out their impressive inventory, and do your part to support your local businesses. Tell them that the East Bay Chamber of Commerce sent you! By Beth Russell PR Team Member If you’re looking for a gift, daisy dig’ins is the place to go. Unique items can be found throughout the store. There are bath & body products, clothing, jewelry, home décor and of course beautiful flowers. It’s easy to lose yourself while admiring all the beautiful items on the shelves & on the walls. Lois Coppolino, a life-long resident of Barrington, opened the store in 1977. It started as a floral design store. In 1986 Lois and her husband, Lou built their own store. Lois prides herself on always listening to her customer’s needs. She offers quality products and each customer is greeted with a smile. In addition to the beautiful gift items, the store still operates the floral business, providing flowers for weddings or special occasions. In an effort to keep the inventory fresh and the sale items from taking up space, daisy dig’ins Off the Rack opened in Waseca Plaza last year. It began on a trial basis, but due to its overwhelming success, the store is now permanent. The store is stocked with All Sale items and like the main store, there’s a wide variety of items. After being in business for almost 40 years, Lois still loves what she does. The business has allowed her to use her creative skills and spend time with her customers, which she loves! By Beth Carter PR Team Member You may not think of Warren as a resort town but when you step into this store you feel like you are in the tropics. Owner Artiss Akarra has such breathtaking displays of color with his swimsuits and sunglasses that you almost feel the sand between your toes. Artiss is a 2000 graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and started his business five years ago designing sunglasses. At first he only had three different styles but now has over 150 SKUs. All have the proper UV protection and come in a variety of colors and styles. In June 2016, he opened his store on Water Street which made the most sense being by the water. He also has a mobile boutique that he brings to events (usually in downtown Providence) to sell his items; it even has a dressing room! All the swimwear is produced in Brazil and it is very well constructed. Artiss creates themes for each collection and is currently showcasing his Miami Vice line. The fabric is high quality and includes bikinis, retro swimwear, and his very popular swim dress. Women of all ages will feel confident and beautiful no matter what design they choose. He also has recently introduced beach bags. Artiss wanted to create an experience for anyone who walks in his store. It goes beyond purchasing a swimsuit, bag or sunglasses. He also hosts a monthly "affair" which has been very successful. People come to meet new people but he also has had massage therapists and others to make a customer feel good even on the inside. Like the name implies, you will feel like part of a community. At this time of year you may yearn to be in warmer climate so come visit United Republic Affair. You will definitely get that beach feel and beyond. By Beth Carter PR Team Member Once you walk into the Bristol office, you get the feeling that you are in good hands. From the friendly receptionists, Lauren and Lorraine, to the other members of the team, it is an environment that focuses on your well-being. OPT was founded in 2000 by two owners and has grown significantly since then. In 2002, the Tiverton office was opened and Amy Simmons was a student conducting her first clinical. Since then several offices have been opened in Rhode Island and one had been started in Westport, MA but has since merged with a RI one. As Clinical Director for the Warren and Bristol offices and Director - Development for the whole company, Amy manages a team of 15 dedicated people who work collaboratively so each patient feels that the whole team is ensuring the best care possible. They not only offer physical therapy but also strength and conditioning services and a six-week summer camp for athletes. In addition, they have athletic trainers that they are under contract to work at certain high schools with the student athletes. Come in and meet with one of their staff. They will conduct an initial evaluation in a private room to evaluate your issues and hear your concerns. They will develop a plan and then work with you in an airy and welcoming room on various stretches and other means to get you back to feeling your best. When a local restaurant is getting a lot of traction among the younger population, and you start to hear about it as a “favorite hangout” it is time to check it out. Head down Maple Avenue in Barrington to experience what could be the most delicious thing you do this fall. Opening in January, 2015, Crepelicious is owned and operated by a local husband/wife team who have somehow found a creative way to fuse their Thai heritage with their love for travel (to France, in particular) and a skill for baking. The result is something very special. Crepelicious offers so much more than just crepes. Yes, there is a wide variety of both sweet and savory but they also offer special desserts to order. Their signature cake the CREPE CAKE, is quite possibly the most delicious thing anyone has ever indulged in. (Think 10+ layers of thin crepe separated by fresh whipped cream.) Previously, you would have to travel to New York City to enjoy the Crepe Cake, but the owners worked hard to master this unique creation and Crepelicious is the only place in Rhode Island where you can get it. Sticking to the Parisian ambiance, Crepelicious is open till 9:00 pm, making it a great destination for a late evening stroll for dessert – you won’t be disappointed. You may be surprised to know that Crepelicious hosts birthday parties and can cater your special event! This place is gaining in popularity though, so book in advance! Crepelicious was awarded the BEST OF RHODE ISLAND editor’s pick for best crepes. |
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