Dominick Pangallo
Mayor
Starting and owning a business is an exciting venture, filled with challenges. Realizing some of these challenges, the City of Salem Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD), in collaboration with business and economic development partners, have created this site to highlight all that Salem has to offer to the business community and entrepreneurs who wish to become a part of it.
Salem is a unique community in a diverse region. We’re known for our rich maritime history, for being the birthplace of the National Guard, and for the infamous Witchcraft Trials of 1692. Salem is also a vibrant, walkable historic city, shared by residents, university students, workers, and 4 million annual visitors, over a million of whom come here in October alone. Our city has historic architecture, unique attractions, world-famous museums, a breathtaking harbor and waterfront, and an eclectic mix of shops and dining options. Salem is the jewel of Massachusetts’s North Shore and businesses here benefit from a rich mix of history, culture, and natural amenities. We hope that you will take advantage of Salem’s popularity as a year-round destination and growing city!
The City offers extensive opportunities for business development and guidance within Salem itself, and can also connect businesses to regional, state, and federal opportunities and resources. As you navigate this site, you will find an extensive amount of both technical assistance and financial resources, from the local level all the way to the federal level. In addition to DPCD and the City of Salem itself, the Salem Chamber of Commerce, Salem Main Streets, the Salem Partnership, the Enterprise Center at Salem State University, and many other community partners are here to assist you locally, Nectar Community Investment, MassDevelopment, and North Shore Community Development Coalition are only a few of our many regional and state partners that offer programs such as competitive financing and counseling to help you get your ideas off the ground and make them succeed.
Sprinkled throughout the site are testimonials from residents, commuters, new business owners, our technical assistance providers, and owners of legacy businesses that have been in Salem for years and even decades. These individuals and businesses are representative of the collective economic strength of the Salem community – and we look forward to adding your voice to theirs.
As Mayor, I invite you to invest in Salem’s bright future. Today, with boundless enthusiasm and enterprise, our community is alive with vibrancy, optimism, and growth – and we want you to be a part of its success.
