A Resilient City

When one of us succeeds, we all succeed.

Sense of Community Defines Manchester’s Downtown

When Kenny Frasch and his family began running the Hop Knot in Hampshire Plaza on Elm Street in the fall of 2019, the idea of a pandemic shutdown wasn’t on the radar. Yet along with every other business in the city’s downtown, it soon became something that had to be faced — and many did so together.

Reacting quickly, Manchester’s downtown merchants turned to one another, finding a renewed sense of community that helped restaurateurs and shop owners work through the most difficult months of the pandemic, and in some cases, thrive.

“It’s been an interesting year,” Frasch says. “Our industry in general is used to things changing at the drop of a hat, but everyone has been able to make the best of a bad situation. Our attitude is that when one of us succeeds, we all succeed.”

Collaborations became commonplace. Some opted to share space, while others, like The Gyro Spot, launched a food truck. The Bookery partnered with Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop to offer prepared foods. At the Hop Knot, Frasch discovered a natural collaboration with his Hampshire Plaza neighbor.

“We partnered with A&E Coffee and Tea,” he says. “They’re right next door and it made sense. We carry their product — they have really great, quality products — and they’re a fantastic company. We try to get in with whoever we can to collaborate on events or to blow each other up on social media. I like to get to know who the owner (of downtown businesses) is, and to introduce myself so they know who I am and to find out if there’s anything I can do for them.”

Frasch and his family took over Hop Knot a year ago last September. Step inside and guests are greeted by an extensive menu on the chalkboard just inside the front door, listing a diverse range of craft beers and a dizzying array of pretzel sandwiches, stuffed pretzels, pretzels for dipping, knot dogs and even pretzel-based desserts. A table near the front is adorned with personal photos and mementos, giving the space a familial feel.

“Those are all pictures of my family and my grandparents,” Frasch says. “My dad’s family is Hungarian, and that’s where a lot of my inspiration comes from — eating with my grandparents. I like to keep a picture of my grandma around. She’s my biggest inspiration.”

Perhaps more unique, however, is how the Hop Knot has become renowned as a welcoming space and a central gathering place for a number of different communities.

“We’ve grown up in New Hampshire, and we’re a family of immigrants,” says Frasch, who operates the location with his mother, father and sister. “We’re Black and we’re queer, so our main goal was to open a space we hadn’t really seen before where queer people and people of color can come in and feel a little more comfortable. We put that at the forefront, so people know what they’re getting when they walk in.”

In June, Frasch was planning Pride Month events, when a new opportunity arose. Conversations with Manchester’s Black Lives Matter chapter and representatives of Queen City Pride led to the city’s first-ever Juneteenth event being held at the Hop Knot. The celebration, held on June 19 annually to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S., drew a large, enthusiastic crowd.

“We didn’t anticipate the turnout,” he says. “I didn’t think there was going to be so many people — there ended up being 200-or-so people, and it was a good day for the restaurant, too. We had a few people speak, and Mayor Joyce Craig declared that Juneteenth was a recognized holiday in Manchester right on our lawn. It’s something we’re very proud of.”

One of Frasch’s meet-and-greet visits brought him — pretzels in hand — to the newly opened Diz’s Café, just a couple steps away from The Bookery on Elm Street. For Judi and Gary “Diz” Window, the pandemic could not have come at a more difficult time.

“We were supposed to open on April 1, but the joke was on us,” Judi Window says. “We were two weeks from opening when the state shut down.”

The mandated closures were far from the end of Diz’s, however. Other store owners dropped by to make sure spirits were high and to show support.

“There is 100% a strong community here,” Judi Window says. “People were so nice to us when we first opened. Other restaurants brought us food. Hop Knot brought us pretzels and dips. Everybody has been so nice. Our intention is to pay them all back with some Dizpanaca and chips.”

Window says the mission for Diz’s was to be “the kitchen for people who live and work downtown.” The scratch kitchen produces comfort food served on dishware you’d find at home — sometimes mismatched but usually carrying a story as much as your order.

“Once you’ve been here, the concept is clear,” she says. “We call it a wink to the past and a nod to the future, where everything here is something. There’s a story behind everything. There’s even a story behind our dishes, two in particular: one is my great-grandmother’s and the other is from the Rex Theatre.”

The seats are comfortable, and, by design, there are no booths. Judi Window comes from a large family, and if everyone went out to dinner, there would be 20-30 people coming through the door. “No restaurant can accommodate that,” she says. “We were just going out to eat like a regular family. So we set it up so families coming here can move tables together and sit as a family.”

Judi and Gary “Diz” Window, and Billy Martin, of Diz’s Café, prepare from-scratch American comfort food with a twist.

Though it’s a newer destination, the fifth-generation Manchester resident (and self-described “not-so-silent partner”) offers a pro tip: Lift up the welcome mat at 860 Elm St. and you’ll get a look at the classic “McQuaid Inc.” tiles that once welcomed shoppers to the longtime Manchester department store.

As for a specialty, Diz — named for the famed baseball player Dizzy Dean — has whipped up a renowned buttermilk chicken and macaroni and cheese dish.

“It’s made from scratch,” Judi Window says. “How many people make mac and cheese from scratch?

“The other thing that’s very different here is that we’re very conscious of the different ways people eat, so we have a build-your-own. Just pick a protein like buttermilk fried chicken, three sides and a sauce. It’s really customizable and very keto friendly.”

That focus on the customer, and a resiliency inherent in most downtown establishments, has led to successes, despite challenging circumstances.

“Business is booming right now,” says Jon Buatti, owner/decorator/baker at Bearded Baking Company. “I have no complaints. We’re busy, and we’re doing our best to keep up with it.”

Buatti, an Auburn resident, graduate of the Southern New Hampshire University’s culinary management program and season seven breakout star on the Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Championship,” took over the former Michelle’s Gourmet Pastries & Deli, on Union Street, last December.

“I went on Craigslist looking for businesses that were for sale, and Michelle’s was the only option that popped up,” he says of his fortuitous search.

Buatti came on board and continued to operate under the former name for a short time before unveiling the new moniker.

“The support we got was all really positive,” he says. “Michelle was here for so many years. People were thrilled for Michelle, but they were also thrilled for me — a young guy looking to start his own business. They were really supportive of me throughout that journey. Customers have been awesome and supportive and accepting of the name change. And that’s great because it’s easy to give up on somebody when there’s a change in ownership, but they never did. It’s all been positive.”

The bakery creates amazing cakes and pastries, and offers breakfast items and sandwiches throughout the day. Buatti, who came to the world of baking through summer employment at a family friend’s restaurant years ago, thrives when he’s baking and decorating cakes. “I love decorating cakes — nontraditional birthday cakes, any type of cake,” he says. “We love to push the envelope here.”

But when it comes to sampling his own carefully crafted culinary creations? “My favorite here is the Parisian Satin Torte,” he says. “It’s a flourless chocolate cake and it’s delicious.”

Jon Buatti, owner/decorator/baker at Bearded Baking Company on Union Street, crafts intricate and mouth-watering cakes, pastries andbreakfast foods daily.

In order to ensure success, Buatti and his team committed themselves to doing whatever was needed to meet customer expectations. In fact, drive past the Union Street shop at any hour of the day, and you’re likely to notice the warm glow of the lights inside.

“I plan to get in around 7 a.m., which I’m only able to do because my baker Lori (Wertman) is the best,” says Buatti, who has to sometimes duck out to coach volleyball and basketball at Londonderry High School. “She gets in bright and early and takes care of all the early morning baking. If it’s a busy day, we’ll stay and prep for tomorrow. We’ve been there at midnight from time to time.”

It’s not an approach that’s unique to Bearded Baking Company. Buatti says a number of nearby businesses took temporary setbacks as opportunities.

“To Share Brewery has been killing it,” he says. “They came up with a unique way to reach customers by delivering growlers of beer. It’s been super innovative. Restoration Café, right down the road — Tom, the owner is a customer of mine — he’s killing it, too. They have a great setup with a nice deck and patio area.

“The result of all this is that it’s really cool to see Manchester come together and support each other through this whole thing.”

It’s not an uncommon sentiment, as customers and merchants join together to help the city’s downtown businesses rebound and flourish.

“People are trying,” Window says. “They’re coming downtown and supporting businesses here. I think the resilience of the downtown comes from how close, particularly the restaurant and service companies, are to each other. There are no people saying they wish someone wasn’t here because they’re competition. The more of us there are, the more people will come downtown.”

Resources

Hop Knot 1000 Elm St., Manchester, NH (603) 232-3731 thehopknot.com/ manchester-new-hampshire

Diz’s Café 860 Elm. St., Manchester, NH (603) 606-2532 facebook.com/dizscafe

Bearded Baking Company 819 Union St., Manchester, NH (603) 647-7150 beardedbaking.com

To Share Brewery 720 Union St., Manchester, NH (603) 836-6947 tosharebrewing.com

Restoration Café 235 Hanover St., Manchester, NH (603) 518-7260 restorationcafenh.com

Bookery Manchester 844 Elm St., Manchester, NH (603) 836-6600 bookerymht.com

The Gyro Spot 1073 Elm St., Manchester, NH (603) 218-3869 thegyrospot.com

A&E Coffee and Tea 1000 Elm St., Manchester, NH (603) 578-3338 aeroastery.com