Our weekly roundup of Wellesley, Mass., business news:
Rte. 9 CVS doing drive-thru COVID-19 tests
The CVS on Rte. 9 east in Wellesley (984 Worcester St.) is now offering self-swab tests at no cost to individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control criteria. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com to schedule an appointment to take a drive-thru window test.
Plans by CVS to offer COVID-19 tests at its Linden Square store were quashed back in May due to traffic concerns.
Cambridge Trust has arrived
Wellesley Bank is now Cambridge Trust as a result of a merger finalized in June, and you’ll notice the signage on the three Wellesley locations has changed over.
According to Cambridge Trust, “Clients can enjoy a private banking experience that now includes expanded wealth management capabilities, a larger lending capacity, sophisticated treasury management services for businesses, and additional office and ATM locations across Greater Boston and southern New Hampshire.”
The Wildflower Truck opens a shop in the Square
Wellesley Square is becoming a place for truck-based businesses to go brick-and-mortar.
Last year Rice Burg expanded beyond its food truck to open its first restaurant in Wellesley Square.
Now we have The Wildflower Truck, in the form of a 1968 Volkswagen single-cab pickup that sells DIY bouquets on the streets of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, opening a store in Wellesley Square at 87 Central St.
The Wildflower: Flower & Gift Shop offers more than just flowers: jewelry, candles, body whips and scrubs, handmade scarves, wreaths, vases, and more.
The owner, Sara, looks to have an interesting background, according to her business Facebook page. She served in the U.S. Marines for four years, then used her GI Bill benefits to go to school to become a registered nurse.
Before opening the Wellesley shop, she also had a shop inside the Worcester Public Market. That opened in February though, right before COVID-19 shut things down.
The Wellesley flower and gift shop has opened in the former studio of Eric Barry Photography. Barry, a Wellesley resident, says that after 11 years of having a physical retail location he decided having the space wasn’t necessary any longer given that he tends to do most of his shooting on-location and outdoors anyway.
Candy Bar Cosmetics closing
Sad news on the Wellesley business front this week: The Candy Bar Cosmetics on Church Street has announced it will be closing after 10-plus years overall, eight in Wellesley.
Owner Candace Evans-Lucas says she’s liquidating everything and will share details soon about the sale.
She wrote in a note to customers: “My store has been a beautiful place to purchase beautiful things and also a place to come and be social with the people who, more often than not, know you by name. It’s been a place to celebrate, purchase beauty products, jewelry and gifts, get styled glamorously and share in life’s special moments. Through the years, our staff have guided many of our valued clients through weddings, bar and bat mitzvah’s, proms and special occasions and we have enjoyed every minute of it! And we couldn’t have done it without you. I cannot thank you enough for you loyalty, patronage and your friendship over the years.”
She adds: “It won’t be the last you’ll see of me, just a new direction for The Candy Bar free from daily brick and mortar duties. Someone once wisely wrote, ‘When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.’ When that window opens, you will be amongst the first to know.”
Linden Square Halloween Costume Contest
Eyespot eyes Wellesley Square for 2021
It isn’t taking too long to refill 63 Central St., previously home to Vision Optics, with another optics shop.
A sign in the window promotes the arrival soon of Eyespot, which already has a location in Chestnut Hill and previews the Wellesley space on its website.
The business will have its work cut for it to outdo Vision Optics, which was in business for 47 years. Though Eyespot does tout its “luxury eyewear,” so it should fit right in. It also offers facial aesthetics, a.k.a., skincare.
