October Update

First, thank you, truly, to everyone who took the time to fill out our community survey. We’ve received over 500 responses, and the feedback has been incredible. It’s clear that Ferns still holds a special place in everyone’s hearts, and your input is helping shape what comes next.

What We Heard

• You all miss Ferns deeply! Not just for the coffee and sandwiches, but as a place where you could bump into friends, grab essentials, and feel connected to the community.

• Most of you visited several times a month, and loved picking up coffee, breakfast sandwiches, or quick lunches on the go.

• Nearly everyone wants Ferns to return as a “grab-and-go” market, a café/restaurant with cozy places to sit, and a place to grab a drink. There’s strong interest in fresh food, high-quality coffee, smoothies, breakfast options, sandwiches, healthy lunches like salads and bowls, and great pizza.

• You see Ferns as a community hub: a spot for fresh, local food, family-friendly meals, cyclist pit stops, and neighborly connection.

• There’s strong enthusiasm for special events like summer BBQs, live music nights, and pizza nights, plus excitement about a grand opening celebration.

• Many expressed interest in supporting Ferns’ reopening through memberships, donations, or volunteering, which means a lot to us!

Project Progress

• We’ve engaged one of the top environmental attorneys in the state and connected with senior officials at the Department of Environmental Protection.

• We are meeting with the DEP to finalize a path forward on the remediation plan, an essential step before construction can begin.

• We’re working with Sam and Kinnari Patel from Turnpike Market in Billerica, MA, who will bring their incredible food and expertise to Ferns.

• We’ve consulted with numerous town groups, former owners Larry and Robin Bearfield, and residents across Carlisle, collecting ideas, feedback, and memories that continue to guide our design.

• Architectural renderings are in progress and should be ready to share by the end of the month.

As we work to finalize the environmental details and next steps, we’ll continue to keep the community updated. We’ve been blown away by the interest and excitement surrounding this project. If you’d like to get involved, share an idea, or lend your expertise, we’d love to hear from you.

Why We Can’t Just “Reopen as It Was”

A few people suggested simply reopening Ferns as it used to be, but unfortunately that’s not possible for a few reasons:

• The site is a DEP 21E location, which means that when there’s a transfer of ownership, additional coordination and oversight with the DEP is required.

• The well currently runs dry and will need to be drilled deeper.

• The groundwater is contaminated. Thanks to the previous operators, Ferns has had a strong filtration system in place, but our goal is to go even further and ensure it’s fully cleaned up for the long term.

• We’ll also need to expand the septic system, add bathrooms, and redesign the floor plan to support the fresh, high-quality food we envision.

• We want to do this once and do it right - to create something that lasts.

Halloween!

We’re excited to continue a beloved Carlisle Halloween tradition! The Gleason Library is collecting candy donations to be distributed to the houses in the town center for trick-or-treaters. The town center needs around 200 bags and we’re only about a third of the way there, so if you’re able, please consider dropping some off at the library. Every little bit helps make Halloween in Carlisle magical.

We’ll also be at Ferns Halloween evening passing out candy. Please stop by to say hello, share your ideas, and chat about what’s ahead!

We’re feeling optimistic, energized, and grateful for this community’s support. Thank you for believing in the future of Ferns. We can’t wait to share what’s next!