The art of hospitality

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Art lovers, foodies will enjoy the Postmark, Newmarket’s first boutique hotel

First impressions count, and how could you not be impressed by the
art on display at the newly opened Postmark Hotel?

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As I begin my tour of the hotel, art curator Lee Petrie tells me the collection was carefully put together, to first, honour the hotel’s post office
heritage, but also, it’s a celebration of local Canadian talent — all of the art
was sourced within an 80 km radius of the hotel.

Petrie says she actually hung much of the art herself — 230 framed
pieces that have been purchased or on loan — as she walks me through
the lobby, hallways, individual rooms and amenity areas.

Art is quite literally on display everywhere. Two pieces strike a chord: an oversized floral still life photograph by Kristin Sjaarda, and a lace-inspired
mirror sculpture by Lizz Aston, Moira Ness’ located at the elevator.

But it’s not just the artwork, there’s lots to experience at this highly
anticipated boutique hotel which officially opened its doors to the
public on August 9 in a former post office building at 180 Main St. in
downtown Newmarket.

Spanning three floors, The Postmark hotel offers 55 uniquely
designed guest rooms in a variety of sizes and styles.

From cozy spaces to suites with soaring ceilings, walkout terraces,
living rooms, and kitchenettes, each room has its own distinct personality
and charm, which is further enhanced by luxurious French bedding, modern decor and locally crafted organic toiletries by Consonant Skin+Care.

The most striking feature, however, is the artwork selected by Petrie for each room.

“The Postmark Hotel has always been something special, ever since
its inception as a post office in 1914,” says Avi Wulfand, general manager.

Wulfand says the hotel plans to cater to a wide range of clientele
including business travelers, vacationers, those planning a quick getaway, family gathering or wedding, or attending a local event.

As well as art-lovers, another interesting subset of visitors to the
hotel are ‘foodies,” says Wulfand.

Within the walls of the hotel are two restaurants, helmed by Executive Chef Jon Turner. With a focus on farm to table, the new Canadian
inspired menus use locally sourced, seasonal ingredients to create a dining experience.

On the main floor, The Lobby operates as both a café and bar, providing
a range of options from breakfast through dinner, where locals and
guests can grab a coffee to go or wind down over cocktails with friends.

The striking rooftop restaurant, Overlea, opening on August 9, offers
brunch and dinner with panoramic city views.

It was there the chef invited me to try Seared Venison Carpaccio with black walnut, sorrel, smoked salt, and Urfa peppers.

But it’s not just the guests the hotel will be catering to, visitors are also
welcome to come in.

“We already have regulars, part of the cocktail scene, and the event
space which is adjacent to rooftop restaurant, has hosted a number of
get-togethers,” says Wulfand.

Recently, the hotel invited the local Newmarket BIA to come in, and that
confirmed to Wulfand that Postmark is not only a welcome addition to the
main street area but good for the town’s economic development.

Plus, there is lots to do outside of the hotel. The main street, with its
mix of independent shops and cafes, makes for a nice walk, and the local
farmers’ market, running Saturdays May through October, is a major
attraction.

To learn more, visit thepostmarkhotel.ca.

SIDEBAR: A building with quite a history

The Postmark Hotel, originally built as a post office in 1914 with
its two-and-a-half storey and clock tower design, is actually quite typical
of post offices that can still be found in communities across Canada that
are similar in size to Newmarket.

The portion that fronts onto Main Street is the original building. A two-storey section on Park Avenue was added in 1955, giving more space
to the post office and also creating space for the National Revenue and
Customs and Excise Department.

The building was designed by David Ewart, Chief Dominion Architect for
the Government of Canada from 1896 to 1914.

He designed or oversaw the design of federal buildings across
Canada, including The Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa.

This post office operated until January 26, 2001. It had been sold by the federal government in 1998 and the new owner converted into
a retirement residence, named The Clock Tower Inn.

That operated until 2011 when it was sold again. The new owner wanted to build a seven-storey addition encasing the tower and redevelop the property but community response was extremely negative.

After several years of redesigns, the owner abandoned the plan and put the property back on the market in 2019.

It was then purchased by the current owner and plans were made to develop it into a hotel.

That the hotel is again become a place for guests and for visitors to
gather and to socialize must feel like deja-vu.

For many years, the building was an important community hub —
home mail delivery in Newmarket did not begin until November 1957
and prior to that, residents picked up their mail at the post office — which
often became an opportunity to drop in, meet up with neighbours and
share news.
And that also is what makes fit in with vision of the hotel’s owners
and operators called Archive Hospitality, the group of curators
and collaborators behind this restoration project, and whose other
credits include Toronto’s Gladstone House and The Broadview Hotel.

“Our properties celebrate historic landmarks as vibrant pieces of
our present and future, and we are committed to strengthening the
fabric of our local communities,” the company says.