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Wellesley contact sharing firm moving into former Turnabout Shoppe building

August 9, 2017 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

KeynectUp, a Wellesley company that provides colleges and other organizations with an easy way to share contact and other important information with members of their communities, plans to move into the space at 30 Grove St. where the Turnabout Shoppe resided for 25 years. And yes, the black horse in front is staying…

“It’ll be our mascot,” says Kevin McDonald, a Wellesley resident and co-founder of KeynectUp, a company we wrote about last year because its technology was being used by the Wellesley Police Department to support Boston Marathon safety.

KeynectUp, which plans to move from its current location at 568 Washington St. in September or October, has been growing fast, doubling its sales staff and expanding beyond just a handful of school customers — including Babson and Wellesley College — to more than 70 now. It also serves non-school clients.

The technology, which is not an app, allows organizations such as schools to deliver key contact information, such as campus police and suicide hotline numbers, onto mobile devices. Some schools use KeynectUp’s virtual contact card technology to help them and families stay in touch wth students studying abroad, including when threatening situations arise.

While the company doesn’t market its technology to consumers, you can test it on KeynectUp’s website. And McDonald says KeynectUp will provide signage in front of its new home that will invite passersby to give the technology a try, just so they have an idea of what the heck this business does.

McDonald figures 10 to 12 people could occupy its new office, which is being spiffed up. The inside is being painted, the front porch is being renovated and a new fence is being installed. “We hope this will revitalize that corner a bit,” he says.

Wellesley makes sense as a home for the business since McDonald and another of KeynectUp’s founders live here, and other employees find taking the commuter rail into Wellesley to be convenient. McDonald also says KeynectUp is a tester of Wellesley’s 1 gigabit Internet service, which is an attractive reason to do business here.

One new challenge for KeynectUp’s employees, who now work above Tutto Italiano and its tempting foods, is that they will be located across from Truly Yogurt, which McDonald says he already frequents.

Look for KeynectUp to have a formal opening ceremony in the months to come.

MORE: Here’s what that huge SOLD sign on Wellesley Square’s Stuart Swan building is all about

Turnabout is fair play in Wellesley: Closet Exchange replacing Turnabout Shoppe

August 17, 2016 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Closet Exchange, a consignment business with four shops in Needham along Great Plain Avenue, will soon be opening a location at 30 Grove St., in Wellesley, replacing the Turnabout Shoppe. “We are so excited about it and expect to be open in October!”, Closet Exchange relayed via Twitter.

The Turnabout Shoppe is closing this month after 25 years of dressing the fashionably turned out.

Closet Exchange, which opened its first store in 1992, is owned by the mother-and-daughter team of Brenda and Maggie Stark. Their shops specialize in the resale of women’s clothing and other fashion items, and promise new merchandise daily priced 60% to 80% off original retail prices. Chanel, Gucci, Coach and other brands can be had.

Closet Exchange has specific requirements for what it will accept for consignment, including only current season clothing and accessories.

Turnabout Shoppe in Wellesley closing after 25 years of dressing the fashionably turned out

July 27, 2016 by Deborah Brown 3 Comments

For the past 25 years, the style-conscious of Wellesley have been turning to The Turnabout Shoppe, the high-end consignment boutique located at 30 Grove St. in one of Wellesley’s historic buildings that dates from 1869. There, owners Herb Kutzman and Elaine Sugarman kept the shelves stocked with Chanel bags, Prada shoes, Sonya Rykiel dresses and more, all in impeccable condition, all carrying the cachet of luxury.

Now the shop is closing, and a sign on the door notes that they are open by appointment for consignor pick-up only. Call 781-237-4450 to arrange the details. The final day for pick-up will be August 19. Their website is no longer viable, and there is no sign of a Facebook page.

Where will consignors sell their beautiful clothes and accessories and where will those in need of such procure them now? In Wellesley, Second Time Around at nearby 574 Washington St. will be happy to help out both groups, as will Elan Fine Consignment at 402 Washington St. A bit beyond Wellesley, the town of Needham has the Closet Exchange and a Second Time Around of their own, both on Great Plain Ave.

Wellesley’s high profile empty storefronts

September 12, 2017 by Bob Brown 5 Comments

2nd Time Around Wellesley — 2nd Time Around’s old digs on Washington Street

One fun game to play in Wellesley this fall could be called Storefront Bingo. While, a few of the empty storefronts have been spoken for (Smith & Wollensky filling Blue Ginger’s spot as we reported in June, Pressed Juicery taking over Pinkberry’s location, Citizens Bank adding a branch where La Riviera sat, Sweetgreen moving into Bonsoir’s old space and KeynectUp sliding into the former Turnabout Shoppe building), plenty more await their next tenants.

Among them:

former Century Bank location in Wellesley Square — Century Bank’s old location in Wellesley Square

former Susu Bakery — Susu Bakery‘s former space at 575 Washington St.

The scuttlebutt locally is that Max & Leo’s, an artisan pizza joint with locations in Newton and Boston, has been sniffing around the Susu location, though our queries to Max & Leo’s haven’t been answered so far.

Belclare retail spaces wellesley — Belclare retail spaces across the street from Susu

former Dayton Homes location at 276 Washington St, Wellesley

The old Dayton Home spot in Wellesley Hills

Former Talbots location, Wellesley Square Former Talbots location in Wellesley Square

Chico's ex-Wellesley Square home — Chico’s ex-Wellesley Square home

former Yogurtology Wellesley Square — Where Yogurtology once stood in Wellesley Square

Hearing anything about what might be going into any of these locations? Let us know: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Wellesley 2nd Time Around closing; it was always first in my heart

June 4, 2017 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

I did a double-take recently when I walked past 2nd Time Around at 574 Washington St., in Wellesley and saw that terrible sign in the window — “Going Out of Business.” Nooooo, I cried. And Whyyyyyy, I wondered.

The consignment boutique’s website says that “Because of a convergence of market forces hitting all brick and mortar stores – including increased competition from online retailers combined with skyrocketing rents – we have made the difficult decision to close our stores.” That’s right, every single last one of their stores spread out over 9 states is shutting down. 18 have already closed, 23 more to go.

Utter disaster.

Meanwhile, the Globe reports that some sellers are fussing up a storm because they might not get paid for items sold through 2nd Time Around. And indeed, the chain says on its FAQ online that “All consignors whose items were sold from May 1 onward, including all items sold during the going-out-of-business sale will be paid in full. At this time, the company cannot commit to paying consignors whose items were sold prior to May 1.”

Looks like there are now only a couple of games in town for high-quality second-hand duds. Elan Fine Consignments at 402 Washington St. and Schofield School’s Shoppers’ Corner, run by that school’s PTO during the school year on Wednesday mornings and the first Saturday of every month. For awhile there it looked like The Closet Exchange was going to move into the old Turnabout Shoppe location at 30 Grove St., but we’re told that is no longer happening.

Wellesley businesses that came & went in 2016

February 13, 2017 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

All of Wellesley’s shopping hotspots, from Linden Square to Wellesley Square to Church Square to Wellesley Hills underwent big changes in 2016. Here’s a look back, and ahead:

On the food front, Boloco bid farewell after 4 years next to the fire station in Wellesley Square, and opened the door for BFF b.good to take its place in early 2017.

Wellesley b.good

Caffe Nero replaced an art gallery and dry cleaner at the historic Wellesley Hills train station. The former La Riviera cafe spot in Wellesley Hills remained unoccupied, though speculation swirled about a bank moving in. (Century Bank also moved its location from Wellesley Square to Wellesley Hills, and Webster Bank swooped in to take over the old Citibank space on Central Street.)

Thirst Juice got the healthy juice game started on Grove Street, becoming the first retail client to fill a space at the Belclare complex. Fellow juice & more company Cocobeet (which like Thirst Juice has a Boston location too) opened in early 2017 at the former Wellesley Toy Shop space (and don’t worry Wellesley Toy Shop just moved next door).

Yogurtology goes dark in Wellesley Square — Yogurtology goes dark

Yogurtology melted down late in 2016, leaving an opening next door to Old School Pizzeria in Wellesley Square. And speaking of pizza, Cook’s Window Pizza slid into the storefront previously occupied by Wellesley Hills House of Pizza.

Ace Hardware’s departure from Linden Square was among the more notable closings during 2016, especially since Talbots is slated to leave Wellesley Square and take over that space in 2017. It should be interesting to see what replaces Talbots, along with fellow clothing store Chico’s, in Wellesley Square this year.

talbots woman wellesley square — Talbots soon will switch from Wellesley Square to Linden Square

Also on the fashion front, Alex and Ani departed Wellesley Square, paving the way for a real estate firm to move in. The Turnabout Shoppe closed after 25 years in town, making way for consignment shop Closet Exchange over near Truly Yogurt.

There remains no shortage of beauty places in town. The Be Styled hair drying salon breezed out of Wellesley Square, only to be quickly replaced by beauty boutique Mane + Mani. Luxotic Nails Bar and Bluemercury moved in to Linden Square, Beauti Lux Spa replaced LittleBits Toys, Privi salon replaced The Color Studio in Wellesley Square, and an eyebrow threading salon slid in to the former Your French Gift shop in Wellesley Hills.

The Haberdashery and NRO Kids quietly left Church Square, but that shopping area gained a couple of lively new stores, Xylem and Alba Boutique, to complement existing shops such as Cachet and Terrazza.

While on the subject of gift shops, Cafe Mangal-affiliated Muna Gifts closed up its Wellesley Square space early in 2016 (some gift items can still be purchased through the restaurant) and was replaced by the returning dress designer Anna Nieman. The Sundry Spot popped up in Linden Square offering curated gift services. And if the gift of music is more your style, Bach to Rock opened up for music lessons in Linden Square, too.

The Sundry Spot founder and professional gift giver Katie Fitzgerald

Big spaces remain unfilled at the Belclare complex on Washington Street and Grove Street, along with the old City Sports location. If all this has worn you out, then you might want to head over to Naturepedic, an organic bedding store in the Whole Foods plaza that recently replaced the now-defunct The Clean Bedroom store, or Mattress Firm, the new version of Sleepy’s in Linden Square.

Wellesley restaurant reviewer lunches at Amarin; orders same thing again

December 14, 2016 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

I’ve had lunch a few times at Amarin of Thailand, a long-time Wellesley stand-by located at 27 Grove St., and I always order the same amazing dish — a large bowl of the Muslim noodles ($9.50). It’s a spicy Indonesian coconut curry soup served with tofu, hard-boiled egg, bean sprouts and your choice of chicken or beef, and it is comfort and health in a bowl, it’s fuel for the rest of the afternoon, and there is enough to take home for breakfast the next day. Yes, breakfast.

Other interesting-looking things on the menu: pad thai, of course, ($9.25); shrimp rolls — steamed vermicelli, fresh cooked shrimp, lettuce, mint and sweet basil, wrapped in fresh spring roll skins, served with Vietnamese peanut sauce ($7.75); Medallions of pork — thinly sliced pork loin, marinated in garlic oil, white pepper, coriander roots and thin soy sauce, stir fried with mushrooms and green peas ($8.75).

The service was great, and the spot’s slightly below street level location gives it a touch of coziness offset by the formality of the crisp white tablecloths, which just dare you to slosh Muslim noodles on them.

I know I’m a failure at restaurant reviewing around town. I stop into my favorite places, order the same things I love and cherish, and keep my insider secrets to myself. I’m always too full to update Swellesley’s restaurant page, or not in the mood, or not foodie enough to blog about the preferences of my pedestrian palate, or so I tell myself. Actually, I’m considering a New Year’s resolution that involves eating out more and making our restaurant page the best restaurant page ever (cue weight gain). After our home page, it gets the most page views, so the motivation should be there.

Other observations while I was at that end of town: the general area around Amarin is currently undergoing changes. Across the street at 30 Grove St., the former high-end women’s consignment store, the Turnabout Shoppe, closed its doors last summer after 25 years of keeping Wellesley women in Prada and Chanel. Another consignment shop, The Closet Exchange is expected to take its place later this winter after renovations are complete.

Meanwhile, Thirst Juice, the first business to open at the Belclare complex, got going last month at 41 Grove St. I stopped in at the green juice and smoothie bar and tried out the Bad Monkey, a 20-ounce smoothie made with banana, almond butter, cacao nibs, cacao powder, dates, coconut milk, ice ($8.75). Not too sweet, it went down all too easily.

There are additional storefronts available on both the Grove St. and Washington St. sides of Belclare, which the complex hopes will attract a full-blown restaurant and other retailers. They even have a large sign in the window that asks, “What do you want to see here?” Oh Belclare, that’s just dangling post fodder right in front of me. Maybe another day. Right now, I have to go out to eat somewhere.

Where to eat in Wellesley

The scoop: Wellesley Square’s Yogurtology shuts down

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