SereniTea To Add Theatre And New Events With Liquor License
The pair took over the former Parlor Cafe on Ashland Street last year.
Leanne Wilensky and Todd Hamilton took over the former Parlor on Ashland Street last year and since then have been building on their business and finding further ways to entrench it in the North Adams community.
"I want people to feel comfortable here," Wilensky said. "I want this to be people’s place."
Late last month the city approved the café’s all liquor license and although they are still waiting on state approval, Wilensky said they have been busy planning future events.
"Since we have opened people have been asking and early on we tried to do some evening events and performances because we are performance people and it is important to us," she said. "They were popular but people wanted alcohol."
She said every Friday night there will be trivia, every first and third Saturday of the month there will be karaoke and every second and fourth Saturday of the month will be an open mic/poetry slam.
She said they also plan to have a beer and board games night.
With this, they hope to hold theatrical performances in the actual café on a moveable stage.
"We had Main Street Stage and Mill City but they are gone now," Hamilton said. "We want to try to bring that back."
Hamilton said Mill City Productions actually donated some of its equipment after their move from Heritage State Park and he hopes they can attract seasoned actors and those new to the craft.
"Acting is an always evolving art so yes it’s nice to have actors that you work with and can depend on but fresh faces are also great," he said. "Fresh faces bring new approaches and those who have never tried it before bringing new energy and I thrive on that and want to help."
Hamilton said they plan to perform "No Exit" through October with a special evening event Oct.12 when people can have a full meal during the show.
Wilensky said they plan to sell local beers and a variety of wine and liquor. She said they will have staple bar drinks but want to be more explorative with their mixed drinks.
"We want to focus on mixed drinks because I am passionate about mixing and crafting flavors," she said.
Wilensky she does not expect the café environment to change too much because she sees the café and the bar as separate establishments with separate menus.
"I don’t expect it to change the café too much and in my mind, there is the café and there is the bar," she said. "Even though they are both us they feel like different things to me."
While the café will stay close to its current the menu the bar will have chicken wings, pigs in a blanket, cheese fries and other like dishes.
"We want people to just really enjoy the food and the drink that they are having," Wilensky said. "That is the number one goal."
