The latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:
Henry Bear’s Park toy store, black & blue Steak and Crab open
Wellesley’s newest toy store, Henry Bear’s Park, has its soft opening this weekend at 572 Washington St. Its official grand opening is at 11am on Saturday, with balloons, other giveaways, and crafts.
Henry Bear’s Park started in 1976, and the business touts its defense of playtime. The Wellesley store will be #10 for the business.
Separately, black & blue Steak and Crab has opened at the former CVS location at 65 Central St. in Wellesley Square. This is the business’s fifth location.
We’ve been hearing good early reviews from readers, and we’re set to check it out next week. We’ll post our observations after that…
Know of businesses coming or going? Don’t keep it to yourself: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com
Wellesley Night recognizes all-star businesses and non-profits
The Charles River Regional Chamber on Tuesday hosted a spirited first-time Wellesley Night celebration at the new Dryft restaurant in Linden Square, where local businesses and non-profits were recognized for their stellar contributions to the town.
The Nonprofit Impact Award went to Wellesley Friendly Aid: “So much has changed in this community over the past 100-plus years. But throughout, Wellesley Friendly Aid has been here. Founded in 1909 to support residents facing financial or personal challenges, this non-profit has lived up to its motto ‘Neighbors Helping Neighbors’ through generations of service.”
The Pivot Award was presented to Wellesley Village Table in recognition of how it adapted its program and operation to maintain success.
Since 2020, volunteers at Wellesley Village Table have prepared and packaged thousands of healthy, delicious meals for distribution to food insecure recipients in Wellesley and across Greater Boston. It started with Gary Arthur, a Village Church member with 17 years’ experience managing food services at large industrial kitchens, and after he moved, the program has carried on with Shannon Kelley at the helm.
The Community Leadership Award went to the ubiquitous Demian Wendrow, who along with his wife Amy Lynch co-owns London Harness/Tumi on Central Street. Running a retail business is more than a full-time job, but Wendrow’s focus unselfishly extends beyond his shop. Somehow, he finds time to lead the Wellesley Square Merchants Association, which plays a vital role in supporting and promoting local retail businesses on Central Street and surrounding blocks.
The Business Excellence Award was bestowed upon Green’s Hardware, presented by State Rep. Alice Peisch, who noted that “You can tell a lot about a town by its hardware store. Greens is an exemplary example of the what’s special about Wellesley…”
The Chamber’s Greg Reibman vowed that there will be more Wellesley Nights to come in the future.
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