Blog & Press Releases

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Hello Hello! Introducing our BRAND NEW Candytopia Shopping Experience! Step into a world of pure imagination, where childhood dreams come to life! Our store has been transformed into a vibrant Candyland, complete with: Jaw-dropping photo ops Spot your favorite Candyland characters throughout the store Whimsical decorations that will transport you to a sugary wonderland Thousands of handmade treasures from our talented makers Delicious drinks from Yellow King Bristol to fuel your adventure! Come and relive the magic of this beloved childhood game! Share the experience with friends and family, and make new memories together! Don't miss out on the sweetest shopping adventure of the year! Visit us today and indulge in the whimsy and wonder of Candytopia! See you soon!! Best, Care & Eric The Bristol Bazaar Team

Hello Hello! This is your final week to enjoy the magic of our Winter Wonderland Shopping Experience! Don't miss out on the opportunity to shop our unique, handmade marketplace, featuring thousands of one-of-a-kind treasures! And, as a heads up, some of your favorite items may be disappearing soon... new makers are moving in on Saturday, which means fresh faces & new products! So, if you've had your eye on something special, be sure to snag it before Friday! PS -- get ready for a sugar rush...Our Candyland Shopping Experience kicks off on Tuesday, February 4th! See you soon!! Best, Care & Eric The Bristol Bazaar Team  New Bristol Bazaar Merch! Snuggle up in style with our newest arrival: Bristol Bazaar blankets! These plush, brightly-colored blankets are the perfect companion for chilly winter nights by the fire or cozy movie nights at home. With 4 different designs - there is something for everyone.

New Month - Means New Shopping Experience at The Bristol Bazaar

Hello Hello! Not only do we have some truly amazing shopping with a BUNCH of restocks from our Makers, but great Guest Vendors and The Paki Taco is back with us for a few days this week as well! Be sure to check out the fun workshops and upcoming events on our calendar below too. There are only a few weeks left to enjoy our Winter Wonderland Shopping Experience but we assure you that our next theme is just as "sweet". See you soon!! A Message from Wonderfully Made We saw a recent post by Brian's Angels Homeless Outreach regarding the dangerously cold weather we can expect over the next few weeks and we thought we could help. We chose the heaviest, most durable knits from our inventory and dropped off a box of hand-knitted winter hats. The need is great and we can do more, but we need your help.  For the month of January, Wonderfully Made will use a portion of our sales from The Bristol Bazaar to fund materials to make more hats for Brian’s Angels. We use a sturdy but soft washable yarn and buy in bulk. These hats are warm and they will last. You will find us on the top shelf - we just restocked with fresh inventory and vibrant colors. So come on down and help us help them Announcing: The Traveling Bazaar 2025! We are excited to share with you The Traveling Bazaar schedule for 2025. Applications are now active and can be completed on our website. April 12, 2025: Caius Brewing from 11am - 5pm (Branford) May 3, 2025: Longview Ciderhouse from 12pm - 6pm (Southington) September 1, 2025 (Labor Day): Lyman Orchards from 10am - 4pm (Middlefield) October 18, 2025: Caius Brewing from 11am - 5pm (Branford) Please let us know if you have any questions! The Paki Taco is Back This Week! We are excited to announce that The Paki Taco will be hunkering down with us for the remainder of the Winter Season who specializes in Pakistani x Mexican fusion street food. Come on down, say hi & give his food a try! It is absolutely amazing!!!! He will be with us this week on the following schedule: Thursday: 3pm - 7pm Friday: 12pm - 7pm Saturday: 12pm - 7pm Sunday: 12pm - 6pm

January 9, 2025

BRISTOL — Several dogs were adopted Saturday as part of a Bristol Bazaar event that hosted Dog Star Rescue. Eric and Carolyn Verikas, co-owners of The Bristol Bazaar at 67 Race St., hosted Dog Star Rescue between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday. Visitors were also able to shop inside the Bristol Bazaar from the tables of more than 70 local “makers.” The Verikases also offered drink specials from Yellow King Bristol. Read full story in the print or e-edition of The Press. The Original Story Can Be Found Here from The Bristol Press: https://www.bristolpress.com/news/finding-a-home-dogs-adopted-during-bazaar-event/article_c30604a4-00e7-11ef-a7f0-1b226abebd8d.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3ZSPEGfKzcHiNqDBkDk954GONok05iPruRq43KHg_AJZkuIKt4K-VoCpU_aem_Ac2d4XMNl97XWU6GQpINYVYKb9roB6vWBUUmwzP8Ijc6mDr1lLArp06ql_kQlKdk6RwTxPZSsZ-GO4x0Mm4AWA8m

Coffee, local brews, and specialty cocktails in Connecticut. This trifecta forms the combination for Yellow King Bristol, a new coffee bar in Bristol. “It’s a unique place that caters to everybody. We have a passion for coffee, and after learning how to craft different types of coffee we added it to the bartending world,” said Rob Vitale who, along with co-owner Shama Khan, opened their second location at 67 Race St. in Bristol, next door to The Bristol Bazaar. Yellow King also has a location at 920 South Colony St. in Wallingford. “The success of our business the first year in Wallingford was something we didn’t expect. It exceeded expectations,” he said. The new 700-square foot shop has a separate entrance and will be accessible through the Bazaar. The 38-seat coffee shop will offer a diverse menu featuring coffee, beer, cocktails, and light bites. “On weekends, you’ll see mom and dad come by with their kids, people can get a cup of coffee, dad can get a beer or a martini. We have specialty hot chocolates for the kids, too,” said Vitale. “But everything comes back to the coffee – we’re a coffee shop first. Everybody loves coffee, but our specialty is cold brews.” The 12-page menu showcases 15 special cold brews with sauces and syrups made in-house. Flavored cold brews and lattes are shaken with specialty flavors to create extraordinary cocktails. “It’s pretty fun. Other places don’t have that,” said Vitale. A signature drink is the Nuzilla, a blend of Nutella, marshmallow sauce, and other ingredients. Most popular is Cookie Monster made of cookie butter topped with a blue foam. Also known for its specialty martinis, the shop will have nine on the menu with three new Espresso martinis every season in addition to non-coffee cocktails, including four seasonal and 10 to 15 different spiked lemonades, teas, and a variety of margaritas. Beer is on the menu, with the shop kicking off with five local craft brews, including an IPA, a Pilsner, and a Stout. “We never do anything that’s not in Connecticut. We’re always changing up our tap list to see what’s new out there and support new breweries.” Recently, Vitale collaborated with Armada Brewing in New Haven on a new stout and with Litchfield Distillery created a specialty bourbon infused with Yellow King’s organic coffee beans for the base of a coffee old fashioned. To complement the drinks, food is also available. Yellow King is known for its egg sandwiches, made fresh daily. A pastry case will be filled with local doughnuts and sweet treats. On the bar side is pizza from a local business and light bites, including hot pretzels, nachos, and buffalo bit sandwiches. Once settled in, there’s plans for trivia night, live music on the outdoor patio, and a collaboration with The Bristol Bazaar on group events. More on the coffee Coffee has always played an important part in Vitale’s life. After he and Khan met while working at a grocery store and a well-known coffee chain, they embarked on a learning experience to hone their skills. “We both had a love of coffee and wanted to learn more about it so I got a job at Willoughby’s Coffee and Tea in New Haven while working at their roasting plant in Branford. From there, we always talked about one day owning our own coffee company because the passion was there. We began roasting our own coffee and selling to local farmers markets and breweries,” said Vitale who noted he appreciated the atmosphere of breweries and how they offered less of a bar feel. “I love coffee shops, but I wanted to be able to stay open later to cater to everyone.” The rest is history and they opened their first brick-and-mortar cafe in 2021. The coffee shop’s name was inspired by The King in Yellow, a book of late-1800 horror short stories by Robert W. Chambers. “We both have this love for New England Goth horror. We put our own spin on it and made our own logo and character. It’s a pretty cool concept,” said Vitale, of the character that factors into the shop’s lounge-like, speakeasy feel. A vibrant hand-painted purple and yellow mural on the exterior welcomes patrons. Created by local artist Michael DeAngelo, it features the Yellow King logo, along with tentacles holding the shop’s name. Some of the interior details include dark wood-beamed ceilings, rope lights with vintage Edison bulbs, a sleek bar with a copper top and a galaxy mural on the bottom with LED lights. A 30-foot maple back bar, with a live edge that runs the length of the establishment, was custom-designed and made by Dusty Dude Woodworks of Bristol. “We have some cool craftsmanship here. It doesn’t have a bar feel to it.” A second hand-painted mural adorns an interior wall. “Our Yellow King character is kind of spilling a cup of coffee onto the bar. It’s pretty cool. We added a little bit of that artsy dynamic to our coffee shops over what you’d get in a normal coffee shop,” said Vitale who will feature different local artists every month. The location of the Bristol location came about when Carolyn Verikas, owner of The Bristol Bazaar, reached out to Vitale. “The Bristol Bazaar’s core concept is to help small business owners grow their business. We’re here to act as a hub for anyone looking for a way to get connected to someone or another business without needing to use Google,” said Verikas. “Yellow King is the final piece to the puzzle. When we created The Bristol Bazaar, we wanted to offer a three-part experience for customers: shopping small, the event/classroom space, and a place where folks can enjoy a coffee, coffee cocktail, or grab something to eat,” Verikas said. “Rob and Shama are supporters of the arts and as small business owners they truly fit right in with everything we’re working on here at the bazaar. We’re excited to have them here with us.” Vitale appreciates Bristol’s vibe. “Mayor Caggiano is really going out of his way to get small businesses to come to this town. We want to add something that they don’t have already,” said Vitale, who’s looking forward to a soft opening in January. “We’re very excited and anxious,” said Vitale. “To build something really nice, it takes time. It’s going to be incredible.” The Original Story Can Be Found Here from The Hartford Courant: https://www.courant.com/2024/01/03/new-coffee-and-cocktail-lounge-opens-in-ct-its-a-unique-place-that-caters-to-everybody/?share=to1focds03upsgnn1rec

POSTED BY: JACK KRAMPITZ DECEMBER 14, 2023 Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz hip-hopped through three Bristol businesses Wednesday morning as part of a campaign to encourage people to support small businesses in their hometowns. Bysiewicz began her day at the Bristol Bazaar, accompanied by Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano, Economic Development Director Justin Malley and State Rep. Joe Hoxha. She spoke with the owners, Care and Eric Verikas, and was impressed by the variety of handmade products available from the work of local artists and vendors. After her visit to the Bristol Bazaar, Bysiewicz took a two-minute ride to see Bristol Works, which is a workforce development training center. The goal of Bristol Works is to provide individuals with skills, certifications and job-placement services to obtain employment or to allow them to continue with advanced programs. The director, Kim Ward Holley explained to the lieutenant governor that Bristol Works offers four training programs (Manufacturing, IT, Early Childhood Education, and Healthcare) that are free to those who live or work in Bristol and are available to all others for a fee. Both the Bristol Bazaar and Bristol Works were funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden in 2021 to speed up the country’s recovery from economic effects of the Covid pandemic and the ongoing recession. Many Bristol businesses and non-profits benefitted from ARPA funding. The final stop of the morning was Family Roots Produce Market on Riverside Avenue. Bysiewicz spoke with April Tibbetts, the general manager at the store. Tibbetts explained that Family Roots takes pride in supporting local farmers and offering the public fruits and vegetables from nearby producers. Family Roots also offers baked goods, breads, coffee, hot sauce, spices, jams, pickles, cheeses and honey from Connecticut businesses. Bysiewicz’s whirlwind tour took less than two hours but brought a nice sample of what local small business has to offer. Original Story Posted Here from The Bristol Edition: https://www.bristoledition.org/blog/2023/12/14/lt-gov-bysiewicz-visits-bristol-wednesday-to-highlight-the-importance-of-shopping-at-local-small-businesses/?fbclid=IwAR12C-evBLs018UojEfMU3xLlDozyrm79TG_E86vVclYxnuR1JgJzeYigIY_aem_AaoP1Qz3xH68NGKx3uRoiTjgmjFpb0a8FDYP4nqR_xdAgY5Hv1J3YT-Qe-6tzKuKulQ