Ed Hyder’s Mediterranean Marketplace

The late Ed Hyder got his start in retail at age 10, working alongside his father and uncles at their family market on Worcester’s Grafton Hill. By 1975, he had resolved to start his own market on the other side of the city. The young Hyder brought to life a 300 square foot storefront on Park Avenue, selling jewelry from Lebanon and Syria alongside a variety of imported groceries. He also repaired musical instruments at the shop and played the drums professionally for a number of jazz and Middle Eastern groups on the weekends. As the market began to draw a regular crowd, Hyder’s chopping block grew into a de facto community center for the neighborhood.

Worcester’s Culinary Legacy: From The El Morocco to deadhorse hill

For decades, celebrities flocked to Worcester. Frank Sinatra, Rodney Dangerfield, Bette Midler, Al Pacino, and both of the Allman Brothers came to eat Naphie Samara’s hummus. But if you’re reading this in hopes of learning her recipe, put the magazine down or click to another screen. Some things are sacred.

The Dive Bar in Worcester goes out on its own terms

The Dive Bar at 34 Green St. will close on Nov. 2, according to owners Alec Lopez and Sherri Sadowski. The couple explained that building owner Salvatore Molinari has plans to launch a family business on the site in conjunction with the completion of Polar Park in spring of 2021.

Lopez and Sadowski were recently given the option of signing a short-term lease, but declined based on a number of infrastructure issues that needed to be addressed.

The Next Wave: These three neighborhoods could be the next 'it’ destinations in Worcester’s renaissance

With so many neighborhoods in the midst of Worcester’s renaissance, a Wayfinding Project in the city could present a branding opportunity for up and coming neighborhoods.The project, which involves new signs identifying some of the city’s neighborhoods, is intended not just to identify sections of the city, but to awaken community spirit.