Our roundup of the latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Interior design firm coming to Church Square

Interior design company Katie Rosenfeld and Company is opening an appointment-only storefront design studio later this month at 26 Church Street in the former Fat Face space. Rosenfeld and her team are known for their no-holds-barred approach to color and pattern, and creating spaces that are happy and family-friendly. In an email Rosenfeld said, “We have projects all over the country in New England, Florida, California, Wisconsin, Chicago and beyond.” She says many of the firm’s favorite projects are right here in Wellesley, which as of next week she will call home with a move to the Country Club neighborhood.

The Church Square vicinity of Wellesley seems to be turning into something of a mecca for those needing to feather their nests—E.A. Davis at 579 Washington Street also offers a full-service interior decorating studio. Meanwhile, as we reported in spring, Hedi’s Furniture is readying to occupy 572 Washington St., the former home of J.Todd Gallery. The doors haven’t yet opened, but window snoopers will be rewarded with glimpses of furniture, home accents, and fabric swatches.

Those who take a more DIY approach to home decor could always learn how to sew up their own decorator-worthy home accents at Hipstitch, a sewing and knitting studio that expanded into Wellesley earlier this year at 20 Church Street (its Newton location is also still going strong). And long-time Church Square tenant Cachet continues to offer distinctive pieces for the home.

And don’t forget the art—Page Waterman Gallery & Framing at 592A Washington Street has your custom framing, fine art, and restoration needs covered. Gary David Hoffman’s gorgeous seaside paintings that conjure the Impressionist works of Frank Weston Benson and Childe Hassam are 20% off through July 15th.

I do believe we’ve got a home decor trend going at this end of town. So who needs the Seaport?

Roche Bros. bagging plastic

Roche Bros. raised eyes recently when plastic bags made a return to the Wellesley grocery recently, years after plastic bags were banned in town.

The Wellesley Natural Resources Commission wasn’t psyched and wrote to Roche Bros. in mid-June asking that it stop offering 4 mil plastic bags at its checkout lines—bags made from recyclable material but that can’t be recycled at the Wellesley RDF.

“As I understand it, Roche Bros has asserted that the 4 mil bags are in compliance with the Town’s bag bylaw. While this is technically accurate, I can assure you as an author of the bylaw, that the distribution of 4 mil bags is a violation of the spirit and intent of the regulation,” NRC Chair Raina McManus wrote on behalf of the commission.

Indeed, Roche Bros. has agreed to stop distributing the bags.

“We have been in contact with the NRC regarding our 4mil reusable bags. As we continue to be strong community partners, we have evaluated our practice and will be offering our customers a non-handled paper bag moving forward,” Roche Bros.’s Linda SanGiacomo wrote to us.

Lyn Evans is moving

Lyn Evans has closed its 32 Church street doors as of July 1. According to owner Charlie White, the women’s clothing boutique will open up in fashionable new digs at another Wellesley location in the fall. Their exact landing spot is hush-hush for now, until the lease is finalized.

Needham teacher’s novel is a delicious summer read

Needham HS social studies teacher Jenn Bouchard will be signing copies of her debut novel First Course at Wellesley Books on Saturday, July 17, at 2pm.

Publisher TouchPoint Press summarizes the summer romance page-turner: “When four life-altering catastrophes hit in just one day—including the loss of her parents in a tragic plane crash—twenty-four-year-old Janie Whitman retreats to her family’s summer house in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Here she tries to provide stability for her older sister Alyssa and two young nieces by cooking them amazing food.

Through a mix-up with the alumni office at her parents’ alma mater, Janie meets a young high school guidance counselor named Rocky at a volunteer event, and their fast-tracked romance helps Janie to see possibilities beyond the life she had known just a few weeks prior. But with her ex-boyfriend (and former boss) making overtures beyond her wildest dreams, as well as Alyssa’s estranged husband willing to do whatever it takes to win her back, the Whitman sisters are faced with big decisions.

Despite the obstacles in their way, when Janie and Alyssa are tasked with establishing a lasting memorial for their parents, they just might find the second acts they are seeking.”

Between teaching and raising a family with her husband, it took Bouchard 7 years to finish the book. She did it by snatching writing time when she could, mostly during summers and school vacations.

Chamber awards scholarship to WHS grad

Wellesley High grad Samone Lumley, who will be attending UMass Darmouth this fall, has been awarded a scholarship from the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber.

The chamber describes Lumley as a leader with interest in writing and social justice, and she identifies herself as “an inspiring mini activist in everyday manner.”

According to the chamber: Her internship through METCO in 2020 has made an impact in her social justice education and efforts as the internship focused on the de facto segregation in Boston Public Schools. This opportunity allowed her to have a unique experience to teach through her words and actions about people of color throughout the years and how METCO was founded. In this work she recognizes that the segregation in Boston has and still has an effect on surrounding cities and towns. While navigating senior year through the pandemic, she too had unfortunately experienced a loss in a family member to COVID-19 – her father, which has left her and her family in difficult times.”

In prior years the chamber has awarded scholarships to graduating seniors who reside or attend school in Newton or Needham. Newly added this year is a third scholarship to a high school senior in Wellesley.

Wellesley banker to chair Mass Bankers Association

Dedham Savings President and CEO Peter Brown has been elected chair of the Massachusetts Bankers Association, an organization that’s been around for 100-plus years. Brown himself has been in the banking industry for 40 years.

Among the group’s missions is “expanding social and economic access and equality,” according to Brown.

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