Concord Cookware Dishes On Its Name Change

The business formerly known as The Famous Concord Shop is banking on its recent name change being a recipe for success. 

Concord Cookware, as Walden Street store is now known, will continue to specialize in the finely crafted North American and European cookware and kitchen items that made the Concord Shop, well, famous over the past 25-plus years. 

However, as the second-generation owners adapted to the new era of smartphones and Internet sales, it became increasingly clear that the nondescript name was optimized for neither shoppers nor search engines. 

"It was so ambiguous," said Meghan Prestidge, co-owner of Concord Cookware. "It just became a no-brainer. The bottom line was it needed to change." 

Watch the video above to hear Prestidge discuss the decision to change the store's name. 

Deciding to change the name was one thing. Deciding on a new name was another. 

It took about a year to settle on Concord Cookware, according to Prestidge, who said the name was selected after multi-step process that included eliminating puns and polling customers. 

"It's amazing how much the change can resonate," said Prestidge. "It actually says what we do." 

While the new name has made Concord Cookware easier to find for customers, it's been a bit of an adjustment for some of the regulars. 

In a blog post announcing the new name, Concord Cookware co-owner Robert Prestidge assured patrons that the store's name was the only thing changing. 

"To you, our loyal customers, we promise that our name is the only thing that will be changing," he wrote. "You'll still find the same knowledgeable and friendly people in this warm, rustic and inviting environment in the heart of downtown Concord."