NORTHAMPTON — New owners are cooking up a fresh vision for Different Drummer’s Kitchen Co. on Bridge Street. The business was sold to its longtime managers last month and has since debuted a new name: The Baker’s Pin.
Different Drummer’s Kitchen Co., a kitchen supply store and cooking school, was sold Aug. 12 by the Meisberger family to managers Lisa and Dennis Greco, who have been with the company 16 years.
As the new co-owner, Greco said she hopes to distinguish The Baker’s Pin from big box stores to better serve the needs of Northampton.
“This is our home. We know what customers want,” Greco said. “We want to mix it up much more.”
According to Greco, the inspiration for the store’s new name stems from her family’s love for pie dough.
“We wanted a name representative of a tool,” Greco explained. “Rolling pins are this visceral tool, we love them.”
Despite the new name, Greco said the Different Drummer’s Kitchen Co. sign will remain on the building through the end of the year as the business transitions.
Maryann Meisberger opened Different Drummer’s Kitchen Co. 28 years ago at 150 Main St. in Northampton, the location of Thornes Marketplace. The store moved to its Bridge Street location in 2008. Different Drummer’s Kitchen Co. has additional locations in Lenox and Albany, New York.
In her 16 years with the company, Greco worked as regional manager, cooking school coordinator and general manager. Dennis Greco became the Northampton manager when the store moved to Bridge Street in 2008.
In her new position, Greco said she aims to adjust the store’s product line to better serve customers, rather than focusing on what sold well in the past.
“We can follow trends and stock things seasonally,” Greco explained.
Already, Greco has ordered colorful, less expensive French presses in addition to the traditional, pricier model already on shelves at The Baker’s Pin to give customers more choice. She said she will stock new brands of clad cookware and expand her selection of napkins, aprons and other textiles.
The Baker’s Pin will bolster its inventory of specialty ingredients – like truffle salt and meringue powder, Greco said.
“When people come in, they’re usually looking for something,” Greco said. “I want to make sure we have that.”
According to Greco, the business’ eight-person staff will continue providing cooking lessons, which begin for the fall season this coming week. The store will host a hands-on jams and jellies workshop Tuesday at 6:15 p.m.
Other classes planned for the fall include a knife skills class, basic cake decorating, Parisian cooking and lessons on sauces, soups and root vegetables. According to Greco, the cost of classes ranges from $65 to $70.
In addition, a cooking class for kids began Saturday and will continue through October, Greco said. The business offers private classes for team-building events and birthday parties, according to Greco.
The Baker’s Pin new website will launch later this week, Greco said. In the meantime, those interested can visit in person at 34 Bridge St. or call 413-586-7978.