The town of Maynard is in the middle of a large-scale revitalization. Located along the Assabet River and bordering the towns of Stow, Acton, Sudbury, and Concord, Maynard’s historical beginnings as a manufacturing hub for Union soldier uniforms during the Civil War helped established the town as a regional destination -- even Babe Ruth was a frequent visitor. In the early 1970s, Maynard became known as the “Mini Computer Capital of the World,” thanks to Digital Equipment Corporation’s purchase of the mill complex in the center of town. Once named Clock Tower Place, it is known today as Mill & Main Place and is home to several small businesses, artist studios and, its latest addition, Battle Road Brewing Company. Up on Parker Street (Route 27), Maynard Crossing is a new mixed-use development that has recently broken ground on its anchor tenant, Market Basket. Soon, there will be a variety of retailers, restaurants, financial and medical facilities here, as well as residential complexes that will offer on-site fitness centers, co-working spaces and even wine lockers. With a rail trail that connects to the nearby South Acton train station and major commuting routes within five miles, Maynard is a small, accessible town that has an interesting quirky-suburban vibe to it, making it a fun destination to spend the day.
Go Retro and Make Art At The Same Time
It’s a rarity to see a video rental store nowadays; it’s even harder to see a successful video rental store. But Video Signals (16-20 Nason Street) is just that. If you were a child in the ‘80s or ‘90s, it’s a safe bet that video stores were a weekend tradition for your family. The moment you step through the doors at Video Signals, you’ll feel transported back in time to those simpler days when your biggest decision was which new release to rent.
Offering an extensive selection of current blockbusters, classics and indie films on both VHS and DVD, as well as video games, Video Signals has avoided the fate of most video rental stores because they have diversified; in addition to movies, they also sell used books, which occupy a good part of this spacious retail space. Children will enjoy the chance to browse through the videos and the books while parents share “remember when?” stories.
The third part of the business is devoted to their creative space, Art Signals. This walk-in studio within the Video Signals space offers classes and workshops for children and adults.
It’s a fun and affordable spot for birthday parties, a mom’s night out, low-key date night, or an ideal way to spend a leisurely afternoon painting pottery, working on canvas, or creating with clay, glass and other mixed media. Parking is available in metered, on-street parking spaces or behind the building.
Other great option: Fine Arts Theater Place (19 Summer Street) for another retro experience; affordable movie tickets for first-run and indie films all in a classic community theater. Parking is located on-street or across Summer Street in a free lot.
Have a Pokémon or Magic the Gathering Fan?
Excelsior Comics and Games (6-10 Waltham Street), owned and operated by Tiana and Bobby Chase, is the place for gamers and comic book fans! Since its opening in 2014, Excelsior has been embraced by the town. In fact, the store itself was funded and established in large part by the community through t-shirt drives; furniture, TV and game donations; and through community service: the local Boy Scouts painted their walls! What emerged was beyond just a comic book store; it was a gathering place where patrons can socialize in a family-friendly environment with others who share their hobbies and interests.
Several nights a week, Excelsior hosts gaming events in their table-top gaming lounge. In their shop, they carry board games, comic books, gaming cards, and more. Looking to host a birthday party for your Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh fan? Excelsior is the place. It is run similarly to a non-profit, where all the money it makes is returned to the store so it can continue to operate. In this way, the owners believe, Excelsior remains committed to their loyal players and customers. Parking is limited to the back lot of Jiffy Lube, located across the street.
Other unique shopping option: Oliver’s Wand and Wizarding Wares (60 Main Street) for licensed and inspired Harry Potter merchandise, wands, an old-fashioned penny candy counter, herbs and incense, classes and workshops, and birthday party/special event rentals.
Time for Lunch
There are several solid options for lunch in Maynard, including El Huipil (51 R Main Street) for Mexican food, but one of our favorite choices is Serendipity Café (1 Nason Street).
A from-scratch café and bakery using only the freshest, local-as-possible ingredients, Serendipity has been a mainstay in Maynard for five years. They have an impressive menu of smoothies, green juices, sandwiches, soups, and salads, and offer their own homemade desserts.
They serve breakfast every day until 11 am, and brunch all day on Sundays, when they offer an array of savory crepes, including the New Englander, ham and mozzarella and, for something sweet, a simple but crave-worthy butter and sugar crepe. You can add fruit, chocolate or Nutella to it, which tastes as decadent as it sounds. You really can’t go wrong with any of their menu options, but the house-roasted chicken sandwich, retro grilled cheese, and homestyle ham salad are absolutely delicious. A fresh cup of coffee, smoothie, or chai tea latte is the perfect way to complete your meal (and perhaps a homemade cookie or brownie, too!).
Serendipity’s atmosphere is warm and relaxing, with oversized couches and chairs as well as standard seating. Art decorates the walls and local musicians frequently perform here. During the warmer months, take your lunch outside to enjoy at one of the picnic tables. Parking is limited to metered on-street parking or in one of the public lots nearby.
Ride Along the Assabet River
It’s wonderful that so many of Massachusetts’ cities and towns have turned the long-abandoned railroads into functional and scenic recreational trails for residents and visitors to enjoy.
You can either head out of downtown to the Winter Street parking lot for the Maynard portion of the Assabet River Rail Trail, or park in the lot behind Video Signals to connect to it there. The ARRT was the former route of the Fitchburg Railroad during the late 1800s and links the towns of Marlborough, Hudson, Stow, Maynard and Acton together. When it is complete, it will stretch a total of 12.5 miles. The Maynard/South Acton portion was completed in 2018 and is a little over three miles in length. It runs over a newly installed bridge over the babbling Assabet River, through woodlands, into the central part of Maynard and up into South Acton, ending at the MBTA commuter rail station.
Not Afraid of Heights? This Slide Is For You
You can’t visit Maynard without a trip to Coolidge Playground, located at 72 Elmwood Street, and the former site of the Coolidge School.
Kids (and adults) will love the steep hill slide! There’s plenty of other fun here, too, with a mix of slides, swings, spinning and climbing structures that will keep the kids well-entertained. Bordering the playground is a lush wildflower garden and ball fields for the kids to run off some energy.
Coolidge Playground does not have any restroom facilities, and seating is limited; there are no tables or benches, so it’s wise to bring a blanket to spread on the grass instead. Make a return trip in the winter to go sledding down the hill, a popular pastime for Maynard residents young and old alike.
Cap off your day in Maynard with a visit to one of the many restaurants in town
Maynard has a diverse mix of places to choose from, including the above-mentioned El Huipil for Mexican, excellent Thai cuisine at Thai Chilli (40 Main Street), traditional Vietnamese and sushi at Gigi’s Restaurant (177 Main Street) or al fresco dining at the popular Battle Road Brewing Company (5 Mill & Main) that overlooks the Assabet River. There’s a feeling in the air throughout town; with the coming influx of retail stores and restaurants, along with the off-beat yet well-loved mainstays that give the town its character, it’s clear that the future is looking bright for Maynard.
Born and raised in Boston, Kathryn Camgemi now lives in West Concord with her husband and their young son. A writer of both fiction and non-fiction for thirty years, she has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul and Reader's Digest, among others. She has been secular homeschooling her son with additional needs for four years and strongly believes all children can succeed given the right environment. She writes periodically about their homeschooling journey at http://www.ahomeschooledlife.wordpress.com. You can also find her at her Facebook page, A Homeschooled Life.
Macaroni Kid Acton-Concord-Bedford-Lexington is a free weekly newsletter and website focused on fun events and information for local families.
We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week, and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more.
Subscribe today to receive our email newsletter every Thursday!
