Sunset Sale — your handy guide to summer bargains in Wellesley

July 27, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

SPONSORED POST: Local merchants across Wellesley are banding together to bring you some fun this summer. It’s called Sunset Sale, sponsored by The Wellesley Square Merchants’ Association. Local businesses are serving up great deals and special offers for all. Timing is everything. Sunset Sale happens every Thursday, 4pm – 7pm, throughout the summer months.

Sunset Sale offers great opportunities to shop Wellesley first, stroll around Wellesley Square, and get out and about for a few hours.

SHOPPING: Multiple merchants throughout Wellesley will offer great savings…some inside and some out on the sidewalks, perfect for before or after dining at our many great restaurants. Whether you’re looking for toys, clothing, books, home decor, handbags, and more, merchants will be on the sidewalks with deep discounts on great stuff.

PARKING: Take advantage of the free metered parking through August at all 2-hour street meters, courtesy of the Town of Wellesley. Look for the bagged meters. Please be mindful of your time. Cars parked at bagged street meters will be ticketed after two hours. Parking fees continue to apply at all 4-hour street meters.

FOOD: Catch dinner at one of Wellesley’s many restaurants.

For more information, go to ShopWellesleySquare.

Wellesley merchants participating in the Sunset Sale:

Check with each merchant for details of their specials.

[Read more…]

Wellesley Business Buzz: Laurel Grove opens in Wellesley Square; Linden Square backing kids; Hometown Weekly hiatus; Wellesley resident on hospital board

July 23, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Our round-up of the latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Laurel Grove opens on Central St.

Laurel Grove, Wellesley Laurel Grove, a home decor and gifts shop with a farmhouse/vintage design aesthetic, has opened at the former Wears Woody location at 35 Central St.

What owners Michelle and Isabelle Palmer are most excited about right now: their summery scented candles; fern bowls; throw pillows, throw rugs, afghan throws — heck, why not throw down what you’re doing right now and head over there?

Check their Facebook for hours.

Sunset Sale in Wellesley on summer Thursdays

Over 20 Wellesley merchants in Wellesley Square and Linden Square are banding together to bring shoppers some fun this summer. It’s called Sunset Sale, and it happens every Thursday, 4pm – 7pm. We stopped by for the first one and found doors flung open to invite customers inside, as well as sidewalk sales with deep discounts.

The next Sunset Sale will take place on Thur., July 23rd.

Here’s a list of participating stores and services.

And here’s our directory of even more Wellesley shops, services, and restaurants.

Linden Square backing Kids Backing Kids

kids backing kids logo Linden Square is serving as the main drop-off point for the new Kids Backing Kids nonprofit. Linden Square is providing free space, an exterior banner, street signage, and online support, too, in the name of helping to supply kids in need with backpacks full of necessities.

Supplies can be dropped off at 165 Linden St. in Wellesley (next to Talbots in Linden Square) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays July 29 through Aug. 26.

Longtime Wellesley resident elected to Emerson Hospital’s board

Dr. John A. Libertino, a urologist with Emerson Urology Associates, has been elected to Emerson Hospital’s Board of Directors.

Prior to joining Emerson in 2016 as Chair of the Urology Department, Dr. Libertino held several senior positions at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, including CEO and Chairman, Chairman of the Division of Surgery, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Director of the Sophia Gordon Cancer Center. He is board-certified in urology and surgery, and has treated patients for more than five decades.

Hometown Weekly hiatus in Wellesley

Perhaps you’ve noticed that Hometown Weekly, the local newspaper that usually shows up for free in your mail, has been nowhere to be seen of late. Indeed, Hometown Weekly has suspended publication of its Wellesley editions only for now in light of the pandemic, but plans to start it back up again once things settle down.

Coming back from COVID—a Wellesley business owner’s fight

July 14, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Soosie Lazenby, owner of StretchLab and Club Pilates in Wellesley’s Linden Square, is used to being the picture of health. So when the wellness proponent contracted COVID-19 this spring, it was an adjustment to say the least. Her lung capacity was so reduced that activities she once took for granted turned into a struggle.

Soosie Lazenby, Wellesley business owner — Lazenby just finished an appointment at the Mayo Clinic and is headed back to Wellesley to check on her businesses. “I’m praying my studios come through like I did — as survivors.”

“I’m fine now,” she says, “But as I was getting better, it took a long time. The first time I played tennis I lasted 7 minutes. Now I can go for a match.”

Her fight with the respiratory illness started after she flew to Belleair, Fla., from Wellesley on March 14. Within three days she was in the emergency room complaining of discomfort. “I felt like someone was sitting on my chest,” she said, “It wasn’t like asthma. This was different.” Doctors tested her for the flu, prescribed a chest x-ray, and swabbed her nasal passages. When Lazenby got the call later that day that the swab test came back positive for COVID, she and her husband and business partner George Spowart settled in at home for what they both hoped would be a mild case of the virus.

Within ten days Lazenby was admitted to the hospital. “I was having difficulty breathing. I wasn’t intubated, but I still worried that I’d take a turn for the worse. I slept a lot. I didn’t have much energy. My friends FaceTimed me to keep my spirits up.”

Her experience with COVID didn’t end once she was released from the hospital. Lazenby says she’s had a range of encounters with people from those who scoff at the virus to those who are afraid of her, even though she’s been negative for months. “At times I felt like I had a scarlet ‘C’ on my chest,” she says. “Some people are frightened to the extreme, some people don’t even believe it exists.”

The wary she can tolerate. “Some people just don’t realize that COVID doesn’t discriminate. It’s not just a nursing home problem.”

It’s the COVID deniers that frustrate her. “It’s annoying. There are some ignorant people out there.”

Soosie Lazenby, StretchLab, Wellesley — Soosie Lazenby’s patient board. The listed plan for the day: “To kick COVID-19’s ass!”

Even Lazenby’s hospital didn’t want to see her for a physician-ordered CT angiogram to take a good look at her lungs. “It was really embarrassing because they freaked out. It’s not like I have leprosy. You’d think they’d know what to do with me, but they didn’t.”

Now she carries papers with her that prove she’s COVID-free. “I got an antibody test. I carry those results with me that I was positive for antibodies. I’m immune now, from the mutation I had, anyway.”

With this health scare behind her, Lazenby has returned her focus to her businesses — StretchLab, which helps clients increase their range of motion and flexibility and decrease pain and muscle tension through regular, targeted stretching, and Club Pilates. Both spots have reopened with new safety measures such as reduced class sizes, regular equipment sanitizing, and social distancing to ensure the health of their clients.

Lazenby says vigilance is the watchword at her studios. “Members really were missing the community of their workouts. But I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through.”

Through it all, Lazenby considers herself lucky. She gets asked all the time how she contracted COVID, but has no answer. “The plane? Walking around? There’s no blame. It’s a virus. People need to be tolerant of those who have had it.”

As for her husband, he’s been tested too, and came back negative. “My doctor wants his immune system,” Lazenby laughs.

It’s been a long haul for Lazenby, but the woman who has the dubious distinction of being medically known as Patient Zero in Bellaire, Fla., is back in action.

Wellesley Business Buzz: Tamara’s Golden Needle closes; Wellesley merchants cleaning up, plotting July Jubilation alternatives; gyms making way back; Market 2day bringing farm fresh food to town

July 7, 2020 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

Our round-up of the latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Tamara’s Golden Needle closes after 35 years

When we called Tamara Kanevsky after noticing that her Golden Needle tailoring shop in Wellesley Hills appeared to be cleared out, we were ready for sadness on the other end of the phone.

But instead, we were relieved to hear the Wellesley resident and shop owner was laughing, saying that the pandemic sped her retirement by a couple of years but that the timing is good. She’d been at 445 Washington St. for about 20 years in a shop that oozed history, and a little ways down the road before that.

But given that wedding, prom and party attire were her specialties, the health crisis dried up most of that business. And even as the state reopens, many of her customers have headed to the cape and Nantucket for the summer. Wellesley’s pricey rent isn’t forgiving either, she says.

Kanevsky has been making the best of a challenging situation by crafting cotton masks for customers and frontline workers around the country. She assures her customers that she is happy and healthy, and hopes the same is true for them.

What’s next for Kanevsky? “A lot of gardening,” she says.

Based on her sewing artistry, we’re guessing that’s a pretty fine looking garden, too.

Tamara’s Golden Needle is the latest in an unfortunately growing list of recent closing of Wellesley shops that includes Fastachi, White’s Bakery, Elizabeth Renee, Kidville, Marcus, and earlier closings this year, including Pine Straw and Papyrus. Brueggers hasn’t responded to inquiries, Winston Flowers says it is closed through summer.

Tamara's Golden Needle

Wellesley Merchants cleaning up thanks to COVID-19 grant

Wellesley merchants and patrons are among those benefitting from a second Wellesley COVID-19 Relief Fund grant awarded to the town’s Health Department to pay for hand sanitizer refills for those 40 stations you may have seen popping up at storefronts across town. The original grant also supplied more than 250 merchants with personal protection gear, says Demian Wendrow, owner of London Harness/Tumi and president of the Wellesley Square Merchants Association.

London Harness/Tumi owner Demian Wendrow tapping some hand sanitizer (Photo courtesy of Beth Shedd)

Steve Varriale, owner of O'Neil Jewelers in Wellesley unloading PPE and back to business supplies. — Steve Varriale, owner of O’Neil Jewelers in Wellesley unloading PPE and back-to-business supplies. (Photo courtesy of Beth Shedd)

No July Jubilation this summer, but merchants are mulling alternatives

Due to the pandemic and efforts to avoid crowding, the annual July Jubilation shopping and family fun event in Wellesley Square won’t happen this summer as we know it.

However, merchants are brainstorming about alternatives to keep July Jubilation’s outdoor spirit alive, such as by having regular sidewalk sales. Details and logistics are still being discussed, and we’ll update you when we know more.

Wellesley fitness joints making their way back

The state has given the go-ahead to gyms and other fitness facilities to reopen their doors if they adhere to social distancing and other rules. A number of Wellesley businesses are jumping right on this, opening either this week or next. These include Boston Sports Club (July 6), Btone (July 8) and Club Pilates (July 13). Others are sticking with virtual classes for now, and others, like Pure Barre invite you to join them for outdoor classes in Linden Square on Tuesday mornings.

Market 2day bringing farm fresh food to Wellesley

Market 2day, a mobile app, shopping and delivery service that brings local food to busy people using farmers markets as distribution points, has expanded its delivery area to Wellesley. Tech executive Insa Elliot launched the service for people who would rather buy from small local food producers than large supermarket chains, but are too busy to make it to the farmers market. The company delivers meat and eggs from local farms, bread from local bakeries and other locally-produced food to homes and, in some towns, to “Community Hubs” (places where people go to on a regular basis like workplaces, daycare centers, fitness communities etc.).

More:

Wellesley Business Buzz: Wellesley Square Live on the move; Elizabeth Renee closes shop after 28 years; new eye care option; Beauti Nail debuts

July 4, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Our round-up of the latest Wellesley, Mass., business news. We’ve got good and bad news, which do you want to see first? OK, we’ll start with the bad news:

White’s Bakery lasts for less than a year in Wellesley

Patrons of the bakery that branched into Wellesley last year at Playhouse Square are sad this week upon learning that White’s Bakery won’t be reopening here. More on this story.

Elizabeth Renee closes Wellesley shop after 28 years, changes name

Sad news for patrons of Elizabeth Renee Esthetics, the Grove Street shop that had been in Wellesley for nearly 29 years. As with other small businesses, the COVID-19 crisis made it too hard to keep its brick-and-mortar shop going.

However, Elizabeth Renee carries on online, and has even changed its name to Elizabeth Renee Longevity SkinCare. So even while the physical shop is closed, this longtime Wellesley business will maintain its longevity by offering skincare advice and selling products.

Elizabeth Renee writes on her website: ”

For almost 29 years, this intimate boutique style spa was a cozy, nurturing retreat with a loving, devoted staff and the most wonderful clientele, where invaluable relationships were made. I will miss them all. I was given the great opportunity to study and explore all things skin care which fed my scientific cravings for knowledge regarding longevity, health and the skin.

I am not ready to leave you yet. The exciting, new endeavor before me will allow me to continue my research and implement my most efficacious discoveries in the world of skincare and incorporate them into our fluid and ever evolving skincare line of products…

Elizabeth Renee

On the good news front, several businesses are reopening or debuting:

Scalliwags childcare still going strong in Wellesley

Scalliwags at 445 Washington St. opened around the same time last year as White’s, but the infant and toddler program, geared to ages 0 – 3, is still going strong. Before opening the play-based space, owner Lorraine Cronin worked as a nanny in Wellesley for 20 years. So a three-month closure wasn’t about to stop her from helping kids grow and flourish.

Scalliwags reopens on Monday, July 6, for summer programs and child care.

Wellesley Hills Eye Care opens

Meanwhile, right next door to Scalliwags is a new eye care shop called Wellesley Hills Eye Care, led by Dr. Weihua Ding, who has 15 years of experience in the field.

Among the services offered is orthokeratology, designed to help patients see better without wearing a prescription lens during the day. “Instead, a special gas permeable contact lens is placed into the eye each night before bed and the lens gently pushes the eye into the proper shape while you sleep.”

Wellesley Hills Eye Care

Beauti Nail Bar open for business

Beauti Nail Bar has opened at 304 Washington St., in Wellesley, replacing the former Beauti Lux Spa.

The shop offers a full slate of services, including mani, pedi, polish, waxing, and more (that includes parties!).

Other nail salons, including Nails Studio at 451 Washington St., are also back in action now that state rules allow them to conduct business again under the COVID-19 reopening rules.

beautinail

Wellesley Square Live switches to Wednesday mornings

It would be great to get some shoppers and patrons to tune in for this fun and free weekly Zoom web conference at which Wellesley business owners give updates, swap best practices, etc. It’s not limited to Wellesley Square merchants either. Linden Square and other merchants partake as well. Plus, either Deborah or I, or sometimes both of us, give a quick news update via the Swellesley Minute.

The event has been taking place on Friday mornings but is being switched up to every other Wednesday. The next meeting takes place on Wednesday, July 15 at 9am.

wellesley square live

White’s Bakery in Wellesley lasts less than a year

July 1, 2020 by Bob Brown 8 Comments

The lead-up to White’s Bakery opening a bit more than a year ago at the prominent Playhouse Square building in Wellesley seemed to last forever and was much anticipated. We even hyped it up with a piece about Wellesley businesses now and then with colors in their names. Reader inquiries streamed in regularly, as they pined for an anchor tenant following the abrupt departure of Bertucci’s. We first reported in July 2018 that White’s was coming, signs went up at the end of 2018, and they finally opened last April.

But when White’s closed temporarily in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had a bad feeling. With its other bakeries in Brockton, Hingham & Mansfield, White’s Wellesley location felt like the outsider. It certainly didn’t look from peering into the windows like it would be opening anytime soon.

Our recent inquiries to White’s official contacts went unanswered. Never a good sign.

Now the bakery has confirmed the demise of its Wellesley shop via social media:

“It is with sadness that we are announcing today the permanent closure of our Wellesley location. We want to thank all of our loyal customers and staff for their patronage and hard word over the past year. We wish everyone well during these difficult times…”

The list of Wellesley business locations closing due to hardships brought about by the pandemic is growing, with others including Kidville and Fastachi.

White’s tasted good while it lasted, and we wish the best for the staff.

white's bakery

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Wellesley Business Buzz: Restaurants operating outside & inside now; new business gives a hoot about education; Jesamondo Salon & Spa installs new safety system

June 27, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

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

Wellesley restaurants operating outside & inside now

The state gave restaurants the go-ahead to reopen indoor dining on June 22 as long as they follow a set of rules. Numerous Wellesley restaurants are responding, with some offering dining both inside and outside as they look to make up for time lost during the pandemic.

Cafe Mangal in Wellesley Square has been offering takeout, recently added socially distanced indoor dining and is readying for outdoor dining on Monday, June 29, behind the restaurant at the edge of Wellesley Town Hall green. Lunch will be served outdoors 11am-4pm.

cafe mangal outdoors — Cafe Mangal outdoors (courtesy photo)

Among restaurants offering or readying indoor dining are Linden Square tenants such as Qdoba and CPK, which plans to begin at 5pm on Saturday, June 27 using contactless payments via its app (takeout’s still available, too). The Local in Wellesley Hills is among other restaurants in town that has begun offering dine-in service again.

New business gives a hoot about education

Wise Education, Wellesley

Founded by Wellesley residents, Wise Education (www.hellowise.com) is “the first online tutoring program just for elementary school students.” With this spring’s academic disruption, research suggests students will return to school this fall 7-12 months behind. Wise offers a simple, practical solution to get elementary children back on track. Live, 1-on-1 online classes from state-certified teachers, all with master’s degrees. Wise teachers assess each student, develop and deliver a highly personalized curriculum, engaging elementary students, filling any academic gaps and getting them excited to learn online.

Jesamondo Salon & Spa installs new safety system

Jesamondo, Matt Traiger Here’s an excerpt from our post about Jesamondo‘s safety protocols:

“…Inside, signs at the reception desk encourage social distancing, offer masks for sale, and inform customers that due to a “contactless payment system” they encourage the use of Venmo for tips. The hairdressers are donned in masks, gloves, goggles, and smocks, ensuring one more layer of protection.

Most importantly of all, however, is a brand-new hidden HVAC bio-defense system called the Synexis Microbial Reduction System. You can’t see the salon-safety system, because it’s tucked into air vents in the ceiling. The devices use humidity and oxygen to deliver safe levels of dry hydrogen peroxide into the air. Proven to be effective against both surface and airborne contaminants such as viruses (including COVID-19, E. Coli, Staph, Norovirus, H1N1, Listeria, C.Diff), bacteria and mold, thirteen of the devices have been installed. It’s a system that has been scientifically proven and used for many years by professional athletic team, stadiums, and hospitals. Jesamondo is one of two salons in Massachusetts to install Synexis, and the only nail salon and day spa in Massachusetts to use it.”

See the entire post here.

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