Downtown Concord is always a popular destination on summer afternoons, and perhaps nowhere is this more visible than on the porch at the Colonial Inn in Monument Square. “It’s incredible,” says Andy Seidel, the Inn’s General Manager. “Once we put the tables out in the spring and we get those first few nice days, we basically see it full from there on until the end of fall.”
Surrounded all season by colorful flowers and lush plantings, it becomes the hub of activity at the 303-year-old Inn as the weather gets warmer. The porch serves the Inn’s full lunch and dinner menu, weather permitting, seven days per week, and offers a full liquor license as well. Even though the Inn is most known for its traditional American offerings like Chicken Pot Pie and Yankee Pot Roast, Seidel says the most popular fare among typical porch guests is a little different. “Definitely the Lobster Roll, the Cobb Salad, and the Quinoa Bowl,” he says when asked the top menu items in the summertime. As far as beverages go, the LaMarca Prosecco, the Lemon-Berry Sangria, and any one of a number of craft beer offerings from local breweries such as Wormtown, Nightshift, and Mayflower top the billing.
However the activity at the Inn doesn’t stop on the porch: inside they have two historic-themed New England taverns, the Tap Room and the Village Forge Tavern. The Village Forge hosts a Trivia Night every Tuesday at 7pm, as well as live music from 7:30pm-10:30pm every Wednesday through Saturday. “It’s a lot of really good local acts, typically folk or jazz,” Seidel says of the entertainment offerings.
The Inn also plays host to all sorts of private events throughout the summer months, ranging from weddings and bridal showers to family reunions, business meetings, and networking events. They also recently started incorporating their own special events, including a beer and tapas tasting with Nightshift Brewing and several events geared towards family and children, highlighted by the Princess Tea in early April.
Lobster Roll and Lemon Berry Sangria
Seidel, who became the Inn’s General Manager in March of 2018, says one major goal of his is to give people new reasons to visit the historic Inn – and to come back more often. “I definitely think some of our guests think of it as a place just for special occasions – birthdays, weddings, anniversaries – and that’s great, but I want that same guest to know they can also have a great time here on any night of the week in our bars or dining rooms, or they could meet friends or clients here for lunch on the porch in the summer, too.”
One other focus of the management team has been updating the historic Inn while maintaining the traditional feel. The team recently redecorated the lobby and parlor areas with new furnishings and wallpaper, and have new carpets going in throughout the Merchant’s Row Dining Room and banquet areas in late June. Additionally, a number of major infrastructure improvements have been undertaken – including new WiFi, a new kitchen ventilation system, and various updates to the HVAC, phone, and refrigeration systems.
When asked about the typical overnight guest of the Inn, which has 56 guest rooms and suites in total, Seidel says they have all types of guests but with one common thread: “They’re here for the connection to history, for sure,” he says. “Our guests stay here on business, for social events, and as tourists visiting the area. We see people who come here from Australia and Japan, California and Texas, and as close by as Lincoln, Newton, and even right here in Concord. The vast majority of all those visitors choose us because of our history and their own desire to be connected to the history of Concord and New England.” On this very note, Yankee Magazine just honored the Inn with its Editors’ Choice Award for Best Historic Inn in Massachusetts, an award proudly displayed behind the Inn’s front desk.
As far as future plans go, Seidel says that in addition to continuing updating the décor and improving the guest experience, he’d also like to offer a broader array of events open to the public that bring people together at the Inn. “That’s going to start this summer, actually, with an open house event in July,” he says. “We’d like to host a free-to-attend event with hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, tours of the Inn and a meet and greet with our management team. We want to bring people from the community and surrounding towns in to see what we have to offer and what we’re all about in a very casual, social way,” adding that he also plans to offer a cash bar and raffle off gift certificates to the Inn and it’s restaurants.
The best way to keep up with what’s going on at the Inn, including their many events, live music schedule, and any special promotions or deals they’re offering is through the Concord’s Colonial Inn Facebook page, which is updated constantly. However Seidel says he also welcomes anyone who wants to just call or drop by and ask what’s going on at the Inn, too. “Sometimes the old ways are the best ways – we certainly know that at the Colonial Inn, and sometimes there’s no substitute for talking to someone. I’m definitely always glad to meet a curious visitor who wants to know about the Inn.”
