Last week, Ivy Wells, Director of Economic Development for the Town of Berlin, MD, contacted me to follow-up on an inquiry I made about the new happenings in Berlin.
When I spoke with her, she told me about the new hashtag, #BetterInBerlin. As an avid Twitter user myself, I was interested. I wondered, “What makes Berlin better?”
I think Ms. Wells heard my thoughts. She began to bring up fascinating information about Berlin and what makes it different. One of the important aspects of Berlin is that it has what Ms. Wells calls a “circular economy.” Here, residents own businesses and those who live in the town patronize those businesses.
Moreover, businesses promote products and services that are made in Berlin. Let’s take a better look at all the new happenings in Berlin that allow it to live up to its hashtag.
Shopping in Berlin
Berlin has a wide array of shops in the downtown area and if you’re looking for a getaway from Ocean City, these shops are a destination.
While Ms. Wells also said that the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people shop, the stores in Berlin are stepping up to the challenge. Berlin thought outside the box and as a result, the town hasn’t missed a beat.
Most of the businesses in historic downtown Berlin took Governor Hogan’s open for business pledge, where they have implemented social distancing measures and a mandatory mask rule to keep shoppers safe while still allowing them to enjoy their shopping outings.
Some of the downtown mainstays include shops like Beach Memories, the Church Mouse Gift Shop, Coconut Bay Trading Company, Dolles, Dreamweaver, the Dusty Lamb, East and Main Shore Supply & Apparel Company, Sisters Shop & Maryland Wine Bar, Victorian Charm, and World of Toys. There are too many to list here, but the link above gives access to all of the great shops in town. Come on down and check them out!
A Culinary Destination on the Eastern Shore
Shopping isn’t the only reason to visit Berlin. Ms. Wells told me that Berlin is trying to make itself a culinary destination on the Eastern Shore, and it has the great restaurants to back up that aspiration.
The Eat & Drink section of their website highlights the many opportunities for food, from formal dining to informal dining to snacks. Some of the highlights include eclectic places such as J & M Meat Market and Grill, the Boxcar on Main, the Burley Inn Tavern, Island Creamery, Crush n Crab, Denovo’s Trattoria, Drummer’s Cafe, On What Grounds, Main Street Deli, Main Street Enchanted Tea Room, Pop’s Kitchen, The Lost Pantry, and iconic The Globe. This list doesn’t even begin to cover the list of bakeries, cafes, and good old-fashioned food Berlin offers.
Craft Beer and Other Libations in Berlin
Berlin is also a destination for craft beer lovers of all ages (21 and up, that is!). Berlin’s homegrown brewers have also been featured at the annual OCtoberfest in Ocean City. The Shore Craft Beer website lists some of the craft breweries Berlin boasts, including
Burley Oak Brewing Company has a plethora of beers, including Home Grown, Stoned Blueberry Cheesecake J.R.E.A.M., Lost, Sequoia Sap, and several others. It’s available locally and in the Delmarva region.
Sinepuxent Brewing Company (a.k.a., Sin-Brew) also lives in Berlin and offers such craft concoctions as Pilsner Sin-Brew, Double IPA, IPA, and Pumpkin. They are the new kid on the Shore Craft Beer Scene, but are making their presence known with their delicious offerings. Talk about new happenings in Berlin!
The Buzz Meadery: #Handemead in Berlin, MD
The Buzz Meadery is also a sweet, hopping place in Berlin, that specializes in different types of mead.ย The sell their mead in bottles, flights, or complete 10-ounce versions.
Some of their offerings include Apple Cyser, Honeycomber, Hemp & Honey, and True to My Roots, to name a few.
As you can see, Berlin is really on the cutting edge of craft beer and mead!
#BetterInBerlin
Berlin wants you to come check out the Coolest Small Town in America. Not only do they have restaurants, craft breweries, a meadery, and a slew of shops, they also have a great art scene.
Another worthy mention is that Berlin is quickly becoming a sustainable community with farmers markets, plenty of biking, and Berlin encourages people to walk and bike. Most importantly, the businesses in Berlin use locally sourced ingredients and materials.
Oh, and did you know that Berlin is a great place to get your holiday shopping done? Where else can you shop for your loved ones and take a free Saturday (in December) carriage ride to boot? Berlin. See why #BerlinIsBetter is trending and check out all the new happenings in Berlin.
