Kitchen a la Mode Turns Two

I recently had coffee with Ben Salmon, the proud owner of Kitchen a la Mode at 19 South Orange Avenue in South Orange, which was named “Best Kitchenware Store in New Jersey” by NJ Monthly in March 2010. We discussed his passion for his little store and for the town of South Orange. How does a young literary agent in the publishing world come to open a kitchen store?

He told me he was happy in publishing, but something was missing. As a foodie who loves to cook, he realized there was no kitchen store in our area for miles. At the same time, he had South Orange on his mind — he wanted to be a part of the downtown revitalization.
All of these ingredients resulted in Kitchen a la Mode. The doors opened on July 15, 2008 with big expectations, but two months later the economy tanked. So he is thrilled to still be around and doing well — he said sales are up compared to last year. So have no fear — the store isn’t going anywhere, especially if people choose to buy locally.
To celebrate the two-year anniversary, Salmon is offering 15 percent off everything in the store on Thursday, July 15 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The store does not have too many sales especially because Salmon takes a slim profit margin and offers very competitive prices to his customers. This discount is a thank-you to everyone who has consistently patronized the store for the last two years.
There will also be a sidewalk sale, which will include defective and discontinued items for 40 percent off.
If you have never been to Kitchen a la Mode, this is your chance to go, save money and buy some great things for your kitchen. If you are a frequent customer, go and say hello and buy that item you have been eyeing for a while. I personally love buying all kinds of big and small gadgets and nifty tools for my kitchen. I visit Ben whenever I have the opportunity and even get my knives sharpened there. Maybe I will see you there.
Story by Monica Puri Bangia.