It wasn't too long ago that this tweedy New England town, home of Phillips Academy (enter stuffy cough here) resembled a restaurant wasteland. The cupcake shop, Serene, The Andover Inn and charming French bistro Cassis pulled out in a puff. Over the summer, Starbucks and the Andover Gift Shop looked like the only viable businesses on Main Street. Fast forward to early 2010 and things have perked up like a grande macchiato. In March, Casa Blanca (the Mexican hotspot with locales in Billerica and No. Andover) will move into Serene's second floor hideaway. Yella, a Lebanese bistro, has opened in Cassis' space in romantic Post Office Square. The Andover Inn has new owners and is under repair and Mawby's, the gourmet grocer on Barnard Street, is now La Rosa, an Italian bakery/takeout spot. So you see closings are not always a reason to throw a pity party. These eclectic options are sure to put a positive spin on this quaint downtown that we here in Lowell are lucky to call our neighbor. I will be reviewing these spots over the next few weeks, if you beat me to it, submit your's below.