SALEM — For more than 100 years, Salem Willows has been a favorite seasonal destination for North Shore residents and tourists from all over seeking to have some old-fashioned family fun.
This weekend, a visit to the seaside park brought with it most of the familiar sights and sounds the park is known for — that is, if you could find a parking space.
Simply put, the place was packed, from the beaches to the bandstand, scores of people turned out, hoping to put the COVID-19 pandemic on the back burner, even if just for a day.
But for the presence of face masks, you’d have been hard pressed to think that this was any different from any other year.
While the arcades have not yet been allowed to reopen, Restaurant Row looked as it normally does in June, with people lined up at the windows at The Clam Shack, E. W. Hobbs Ice Cream. Peppy’s Pizzeria, Salem Lowe and others.
Clam Shack owner Angelo Meimeteas said he opened on schedule before the Memorial Day weekend, initially offering only curbside takeout. He began offering outside sit-down dining last week.
“In the beginning, we had to do curbside but the city gave us a couple of spots to do that,” he said. “People want to come out for good food. We’ve been doing takeout all along. We’re off a bit, but we’re okay.”
Meimeteas said his best seller is fried clams, but “we sell a lot of lobster rolls, all are made to order. We price them so everybody can have a lobster roll as opposed to pricing it so high that people say, ‘Oh my God, we can’t afford it.’ People love them.”
Over at Hobbs, customers lined up for ice cream and popcorn. Co-owner Charlie Hobbs, who along with sister Priscilla are the fourth generation of Hobbs to own and manage the establishment, said this year has been “one of the more heavily trafficked years, especially weekends.
“The Willows has actually been pretty well utilized from the very beginning of the pandemic, people have used it as a place to escape. Now the days are a little more relaxing obviously.”
Hobbs said he opened the first Saturday of April and was shocked at the level of interest.
“The first weekend, we were really overwhelmed,” he said. “We announced one hour before on social media and it was unbelievable. Since then, we’ve all realized the importance this place has in people’s lives.”
Hobbs said his best seller this season is the 4.5 gallon bag of popcorn, equivalent to the five large boxes.
“Big giant bags of popcorn, that’s our big staple product since 1978 or so,” Hobbs said. “They’re great for parties, graduations, birthdays and netflix, which so many people have been watching. Everyone wants popcorn with netflix.”
Marlene Callahan and husband Daniel — Peabody residents for 47 years — opted for Hobbs ice cream on their first visit of the season.
“I’ve been coming here all my life,” said Marlene, a Salem native. “When they ask why, I tell them that, back then, there were no malls so everyone just went to the Willows for skeeball, the arcades and the food.”
Callahan said the couple normally makes eight to 10 visits every season and will do so again this year.
Salem Lowe opened on May 11. Owner David Yee said his best sellers are the chop suey and tender sandwiches and that, “but every day is different.”
Salem resident Brenda Thomann was making her first visit of the season, bringing home Lowe takeout.
“Absolutely, I spent so much time here as a kid, and it’s a really nice place to stop for food during the season, but I don’t know what the future will be like for the arcade,” she said.
While happy to be open, Hobbs is also worried about the arcades.
“My heart goes out to my friends, the Campbells (Ruth and Tony) down the street here, they own the arcade, the midway, the casino down there and all the arcades. Nobody is sure what phase they are and if they can reopen,” Hobbs said.
