Wellesley Business Buzz: New parklets popping up; Papa Razzi taps GM; Babson Beaver Bite

Our roundup of the latest Wellesley, MA business news:

New Wellesley Square parklets

In an effort to make it more enticing to hang out in Wellesley Square, the town is readying two new parklets where you’ll be able to sit down, have a bite, and maybe play or game or listen to tunes.

As you may recall, the town last year set up parklets outside the Juniper and Old School Pizzeria restaurants.

The more elaborate of the two new ones will be at the intersection of Central Street and Cross Street, in between where the Gap was and Ardan Medspa + Salon operates. Wellesley is planning to open this parklet in June once it gets the equipment needed.

The parklet will be funded with some of the $100K recently earmarked to the town from the state for such purposes. Materials being acquired will include barriers, planters, chairs, umbrellas, some green turf that could be used for a games area (cornhole, checkers, etc.). “Just really make it a fun gathering spot for people to come, maybe get some local food, do some shopping, and then just hang out in the square,” said Amy Frigulietti, assistant executive director for the town, during the May 9 Select Board meeting. The goal would be to have the space set up for the summer, and possibly the fall if it goes well.

parklet wellesley square
Rendering of Cross Street parklet (via Wellesley Media recording of May 9 Select Board meeting)

 

The other parklet will be on the section of Grove Street heading toward the Post Office and near Cafe Mangal, which has agreed to maintain the area. The parklet will take over two parking spaces, and include some furniture where the public can sit and relax. (It is not a formal Cafe Mangal dining area, as was the town hall green area that the restaurant was able to use earlier in the pandemic. The Natural Resources Commission has discontinued allowing that out of concern of having a for-profit entity use the public space for business.)

It’s possible this parklet could be set up before the end of May.

Grove st parklet
Grove Street parklet, as shown during May 9 Select Board meeting (screenshot from Wellesley Media recording)

Papa Razzi taps new GM

Christine Coogan of Milford, Mass., has been named general manager of Papa Razzi Wellesley, responsible for leading the restaurant and management team. Coogan previously worked as the assistant general manager for the Barking Crab in Boston’s Seaport district as well as Back Bay Restaurant Group.

Babson Beaver Bite

A group of Babson College students graduating this weekend will get to showcase the Beaver Bite beverage they’ve created at the Wellesley school’s commencement ceremonies this weekend. Some 2,500 cans of the lemon-line drink will be available there.

They conceived of the non-alcoholic drink while consulting for the AstraLuna distillery and distributor in Medfield as part of Babsons’s Management Consulting Field Experience program.

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