Baker’s Crush owner Sara Aquino said it was a little weird walking into her store with a sign different than the one she has had for 10 years.
Rather than the usual sign for her baking business, on March 31, her store became “Giovanni’s Desserts,” offering some products she did not have.
“It’s cute. It’s nice,” she said of the sign, replaced for ongoing filming of The Handmaid’s Tale. “Somebody came in asking for cannolis. It was very odd.”
After several days of preparation, peak filming for the major television series was well underway March 31. Crowds gathered to watch the action going on around the Old Town Hall. But some of the scenes will feature stores in the background, with producers requesting a couple of businesses to change their signage to better fit.
That is what happened to the Neon Flamingo Emporium and Café. Owner Ted Heald said a production representative approached him about allowing a temporary sign change to suit the story. Half of his store is temporarily advertised as the Ashland Record Shop, a product he coincidentally began offering last summer.
“Everyone’s been nice and fine and helpful and considerate,” he said of the ongoing production, adding he does not mind the thought of his store appearing in the show. “It can’t hurt … A pretty popular show. Local people, I think, will recognize it. It’s good for the economy.”
The production centred on the Old Town Hall and nearby parking lot garnered spectators throughout the day.
Downtown resident Jessica Vodach said she is a fan of the show, and she is happy that parts of Newmarket will appear in it.
“I've never seen behind the scenes of filming before, so it’s cool,” she said.
Keswick resident Ashley Mutch visited Newmarket to see the ongoing production.
“I wanted to just see if I could see what the set looked like and get a glance of any of the actors I really admire,” she said. “We never get this sort of opportunity in this area.”
The production has meant some impacts on area parking. Much of the Market Square parking lot is reserved for the production.
Heald said it is hard to know the business impact, but he has been able to keep his store open, and he has not minded it.
“We haven't noticed real negatives to it,” Heald said. “We like to see the arts flourish in Newmarket.”
The town has estimated a $200,000 economic windfall from the production. It has promised to invest $50,000 in the downtown area with revenue from the production.
Aquino said she was initially concerned that the production would be a significant inconvenience. But she said it has not to turned out that way.
“They’ve gone out of their way to make sure that they’re not inconveniencing me,” she said. “They’ve really done a good job of making sure they’re working with the community.”
The production runs until April 3, though filming will wrap up April 1.
Editor's note, April 1, 2022: This article was edited to correct a reference to a large scene with 100 extras. The scene was scheduled for April 1 but the production altered the schedule and finished it beforehand.
