The Outstanding Restaurants and Retailers That Turned This MA Town Into North Shore’s Shopping and Dining Hotspot

All photography by Jared Kuzia Photography

In a feat not often seen in Boston’s commercial realm, MarketStreet, located in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, planned and built more than a shopping hub—they built a place for the community to gather. For the past 10 years, global, national, and local brands have steadily flowed in, outstanding restaurants have grown strong roots, and patrons have learned to count on the space for everything from daily errands, to finding the perfect gift, to strolling around and unwinding.

According to MarketStreet’s general manager Charlotte Woods, the recipe for this balance has remained consistent since the beginning. They keep an eye to the best trends and talent, an ear to the people of Greater Boston, and a hand outstretched to their guests, inviting them for community building events and activations. 

From mainstays to brand new openings, here are the businesses that have helped MarketStreet weave a 10-years-strong fabric that attracts visitors from all Boston and beyond.

Immediate Impact

MarketStreet was primed to positively impact the community even before it opened for business in 2013. A week before ribbon-cutting, The Boston Globe wrote that it would be the first “destination” retail hub established in the area, offering a fresh lifestyle attraction for locals.

That ribbon cutting unveiled eight tenants: Whole Foods, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Legal C Bar, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse, Panera Bread, Starbucks, and Kings Dining & Entertainment. Right away, even in its small size, these tenants comprised a hub that could fill multiple needs: a grocery store errand, a cup of coffee, a date-night dinner spot. MarketStreet also offered a place to relax, with the 9,800 square-foot green space inviting patrons to bring kids and canines to relax and play. 

From the jump, they were doing it all. “The beauty of MarketStreet is its versatile nature,” says Woods. Due to the diverse needs tenants filled and a long-anticipated opening (construction on the now 658,000 square-foot property began in 2007), the tenants attracted guests as soon as their doors opened. 

The balanced mix of restaurants and shops invited visitors to go beyond running an errand. They could now turn a task into a relaxing outing by staying for a meal, which was a new concept for the area—before MarketStreet’s opening, Lynnfield was home to just a small collection of stores on Route 1.

Together, the restaurants and stores invite an extensive group of consumers. With MarketStreet located just 20 minutes outside the city, it draws not only Lynnfield residents, but the foodie and fashion-forward consumer group of Boston Proper and its other suburbs.

Knowing Their Guests

In these ten years, MarketStreet has grown by more than ten times its initial number of stores. It grew during several phases of development, unveiling 60-plus stores in just the first year. Now, there are nearly 90 businesses. Then, and ever since, Woods says the philosophy around seeking tenants has revolved around a consistent core: what customers want.

The philosophy sounds simple, but it involves extensive research and trend forecasting. “Our team works year-round to seek out the next exciting trends, first-in-market brands, or unique, locally owned businesses,” Woods says. “It’s that diverse mix of retail that helps MarketStreet grow and set itself apart.” They also directly and regularly involve consumers through focus groups, surveys, or casual chats on the sidewalk to make sure they deliver on community asks. 

With that research and customer interaction comes growth—the influx of trendy new brands with which managers can be confident that their store will thrive and the shoppers will come. 

Take Arc’Teryx, for example, a global high-performance apparel and winter sports equipment brand that will open this fall. Arc’Teryx’s opening will give suburban shoppers easier access to the brand (its only other brick-and-mortar is on Newbury). That access is key for MarketStreet’s core consumers because it taps directly into Bostonians’ wide participation in winter sports across New England. 

Because of MarketStreet’s ear to consumer trends and interests, Arc’Teryx will likely be a hit with Boston and North Shore consumers when it opens. “We ask, and we listen,” Woods says. “We learn a lot from our community.”  

The in-tuneness with Boston-area shoppers is why you’ll also notice local brands thriving at MarketStreet—although they house large brands like Levi’s, Vineyard Vines, and Warby Parker, MarketStreet also fosters connections with Boston-born brands like fitness apparel store Booty by Brabants and Polkadog Bakery, a beloved stop for pets that has called MarketStreet home for all 10 years. 

A Place for Connection 

The unique close-knit feel that MarketStreet delivers is due to their ability to connect with their guests through events and other programming. Those extra offerings are one of the reasons besides sitting down for a meal, Woods says, that guests have begun to make MarketStreet into an outing or day-long affair. 

They often begin the day with a quick workout at Club Pilates or Solstice Power Yoga. Then they can count on a healthy snack (plus a load of fresh groceries) from Whole Foods, a coffee from Starbucks, and even a friends or family meet-up at a community event like September 10’s Sunday, Funday with Barnes & Noble. 

Since there are always new stores and events to experience at MarketStreet, the energy and foot traffic remains healthy and promotes consistent growth. That growth comes with more new stores and events, bringing more freshness and energy, and the cycle continues. 

This past year was a prime example—over the past 12 months, they brought 12 new businesses to the community. They introduced the first Wayfair brick-and-mortar AllModern; a Mediterranean restaurant and “instant local favorite” La Gallina; and three different health and wellness-focused businesses including groundbreaking health hub Restore Hyper Wellness. 

MarketStreet is preparing for even more openings in 2024, and they fully intend on filling that bustling town-center role well into North Shore’s future. “We are proud to call ourselves a community hub and can’t wait to see what the next 10 years brings,” says Woods.  

To see all the stores and restaurants the MarketStreet has to offer, visit their website or head to Lynnfield to check it out.