The Bow Market Extension is complete. Carolicious Gourmet and Hot Box are now open.

[Somerville, MA, May 28, 2024]

Carolicious Gourmet and Hot Box and Mike and Patty's join Tiny Turns Paperie, Blue Bandana Relics, and Soft Space Wellness in the Bow Market Extension. This marks the completion of the biggest expansion of the market since its opening in May 2018.

"It's fantastic to see how far these businesses have come in six years since they first opened at Bow Market," says Bow Market Co-owner, Matt Boyes-Watson. "The Hot Box team and the Carolinas have been with us since the beginning. They started small and have grown into these beautiful new spaces.”

Hot Box and Mike and Patty’s Expand

Hot Box and Mike and Patty's opened at the end of April. "This new space will allow us to continue putting out delicious food with shorter wait times," says Chef and managing partner, Enzo Pileggi. "It gives us the opportunity to build on our food ethos of partnering with artisan producers to create high quality versions of familiar comfort foods."

The team has partnered with the New School American Cheese Company to get exactly the flavor and consistency of cheese for their famous Mike and Patty's breakfast sandwiches.

They're also incorporating it into their Hot Box menu with their Ar-Beez sandwich: a twist on their award winning roast beef sandwich that will feature a house made, New School American cheese sauce.

The shop Hot Box and Mike and Patty's occupied in the Bow Market courtyard will not be empty for long. Another Nibble graduate, Nagomi Bento, will be opening in that space later this spring. Moving from the rotating kitchen to their own space will allow the Nagomi team to serve throughout the week and expand their menu. More details on their opening are expected in June.

The Carolinas Return to Bow Market

Also open now is Carolicious Gourmet, which is owned and operated by the Venezuelan duo Carolina Salina and Carolina García. They are also the team behind Carolicious, a quick service arepas and bowls eatery open at Aeronaut Brewing in Somerville, MIT, and the Boston Public Library.

The opening of Carolicious Gourmet marks the return of the Carolinas to Bow Market. The Carolicious concept was among the first occupants of Nibble Kitchen, a food incubator supporting food entrepreneurs from marginalized communities run by the Somerville Arts Council.

"I am so excited the Carolinas are coming back to Bow Market, they have been with us since before we opened: they catered a sneak-peak event we did while we were under construction," says Bow Market co-owner, Zach Baum. "Their story is exactly what we hoped small businesses would experience at Bow Market. We want this to be a place where more and more businesses can start, succeed, and grow.

"We’ve crafted this beautiful and cozy space for you to enjoy alongside our gourmet menu, inspired by comfort and the joy of savoring various Venezuelan- style sandwiches like smoked salmon and prosciutto caprese. We'll also be bringing gourmet versions of our fan favorite arepas," says Carolina García.

They are also offering artisan chocolates, vegan cookies and brownies, gluten-free cookies, and many more treats. "We want you to feel at home; that's our mission. You'll always be welcomed warmly and with a smile in our place," adds Carolína Salinas.

On Friday, May 31st, Carolicious Gourmet will celebrate their grand opening with food specials, live music and a ribbon cutting. Follow them on Instagram for more details.

More about the Bow Market Extension businesses:

Tiny Turns Paperie is a stationery and boutique gift shop that opened as a tiny (165 sq ft) retail shop on the second floor of Bow Market in 2019. The owner, Jen Palacio, is a Filipino-American artist and event coordinator, who prioritizes supporting small, independent artists and brands. She has grown the shop's curated selection from a roster of 30 to over 300 independent makers. The new space is over triple their current size creating room for an even broader assortment of stationery related treasures and enabling the introduction of in- store workshops & artist events. Tiny Turns Paperie expects to be open on Somerville Ave in mid-September. The team will be posting updates about the opening on their Instagram.

Blue Bandana Relics is a retail shop selling curated vintage goods, vintage apparel and new provisions. They were one of the original businesses to open at Bow Market in 2018 and will be taking a 475sf space on Somerville Avenue. They expect to open in September.

Started by husband and wife team, Hannah Yzusqui-Butera and Luis Yzusqui, Soft Space Wellness is a massage, strength, and recovery studio providing a spectrum of offerings suited to all bodies. They began as a 170 sf popup at Bow Market in 2020, becoming a permanent business in 2021 and will now be growing into 720 sf of space where they will bring in a wider range of practitioners, thoughtfully curated strength equipment, a beautifully designed sauna, and much more.