By Karen A. Szklany
Pam Sullivan has been the proud owner of The Kitchen Place for 33 years. She opened her store in 1987, first in Salem, New Hampshire, and is now located at the Solomon Pond Mall in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Culinary artists of all levels are loyal patrons of the store because she has a reputation for carrying only the best products for creating delicious gourmet meals in the kitchen. Local chefs often purchase their knives from her, both for themselves and as gifts for family and friends. Sullivan carries a great depth of knowledge about the products she sells and trains her sales staff to learn all they can about each product. Giving patrons the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their purchases is at the core of her sales philosophy—and the approach seems to work, if her repeat customers are any indication.
Sullivan originally attended school for fashion design and looked forward to opening a fashion boutique after she graduated college and traveled the world. She hadn’t planned to open a kitchen store. Still, the culinary arts were a longtime passion, and the love dovetailed with insights gained during her travels.
“I was inspired to open my store from travel to other countries and experiencing the different cultures; in particular I enjoyed learning [about] the different cuisines,” Sullivan says. She brings the diversity she experienced through her travels to her choices of the kitchen products she offers.
Sullivan says she has faced challenges as a woman business owner, but the support she’s received has helped make her successful.
“It was difficult to start a business being a woman,” she says. “I was fortunate to have a father who supported me in my dream and believed in me. I have his work ethic as well to thank for my success.” Her father was behind her dream to be an independent businesswoman.
To help give back to her community, Sullivan purchases locally made products for her store. When she’s in the market for textiles or other kitchen tools, she looks first to suppliers who live in or close to Massachusetts. She also works to be environmentally conscious, and makes sure the store is stocked with reusable food storage supplies like mesh produce bags, and prefers to carry products that use environmentally friendly production processes. Before the pandemic, Sullivan often hosted open houses with food prep and knife skills demonstrations. Since reopening after the lockdown due to the pandemic, she has lured patrons back into her shop with competitive sales on knives, Dutch ovens, and other artisan kitchen wares. Curbside delivery of purchases is an option to all shop patrons.
To learn more about this locally owned, community-focused company known for its devotion to customers and dedication to quality, find them online at http://thekitchenplace.com or visit their Facebook page.
Image: Pam Sullivan with one of her featured Le Creuset Dutch ovens. Photo Credit: Julie Donahue
