HAVERHILL — It’s a fairytale come to life. Alice and all others are welcome to stumble upon the vintage wonderland nestled in a quaint cottage on East Broadway.
Now, the family who painted this picture of a beloved childhood story is in search of guests to join the tea party.
After two years of hands-on renovations, Maryam Salehi-Ala opened Mariam’s Cottage this April at 421 East Broadway. It’s a haven that she and her children, Nikka and Sherwin Yamin, transformed from an abandoned 1800s relic to a vibrant bed-and-breakfast establishment inspired by “Alice in Wonderland.”
“It wasn’t until I first stepped inside, I realized how beautiful it is,” Salehi-Ala said. “I wanted to keep it, preserve it, and have people come to enjoy it.”
Originally built in 1817, the cottage had long intrigued Salehi-Ala, who often drove by the vacant building. With a background in interior design — and a deep love for the tale she used to read to her children — she saw more than cracked floors and outdated architecture. She saw a canvas to bring that fairytale to Haverhill.
Everything needed a makeover, she said; from the electric to the plumbing to the woodwork. But, the floor plan has remained true to its roots in order to preserve the history of the dwelling.
Now each room feels like its own chapter from a storybook. The kitchen pairs polished, modern appliances and white stone countertops with vintage decor and porcelain dishes. The lounge room sports a set of antique furniture, while the bedrooms all have floral wallpaper that stretches from the floorboards to high ceilings.
Pink and blue paint pop out through every portion of the house; it’s a home where history is heard in every detail.
Four bedrooms offer lodging for any guests, but Mariam’s Cottage is more than just a place for one to rest his or her head. The family welcomes folks for culinary classes, tea parties, and catering events. Recently, the cottage hosted a wedding in their backyard and will be holding a baby shower soon.
Salehi-Ala takes the lead in the kitchen, preparing organic meals with ingredients sourced from a garden outside the home and the local farmer’s market. The menu pays tribute to her Persian heritage with Mediterranean spreads and dishes: cumin meatballs, Joojeh Kabob, Shirazi Salad, and Ashe Salamati — a Persian spin on Italian wedding soup.
The dishes are not just a product of homemade cooking, but also her culinary training. Salehi-Ala recently graduated from Northern Essex Community College’s culinary program, studying at the Lupoli Family Institute of Culinary Arts in downtown Haverhill. She trained in the state-of-the-art kitchen located just two floors above BOSA Coastal Italian on Merrimack Street.
She has now taken those skills to her own kitchen at the cottage, employing her fellow graduates. Mariam’s Cottage, she said, can hopefully turn into a launchpad for future classes of culinary students from NECC, wishing to hire the next batch of graduates.
From the furnishings to the accessories, every corner of the new home whispers excerpts from the book Salehi-Ala grew up loving and passed on to her children. The mother-daughter-son trio now leave the door open, anticipating houseguests while Wonderland is waiting.