The Swellesley Report

Since 2005: More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

Glorious gingerbread castle on display at Wellesley Free Library

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Gingerbread house at Wellesley Free Library
Courtesy photos

 
It took a village to build the giant gingerbread house on display through Dec. 31 at Wellesley Free Library’s Commons space.

Grant Brown, family and friends—about 80 in all—designed the structure based on a castle in Segovia, Spain, where Brown’s son was studying abroad during the fall term. This was their 14th year building an elaborate gingerbread house in Wellesley, and the family and friends have been holding decorating parties for 20-years-plus.

“Every year the candy ingredients get shaken up a bit, based primarily on who in the family offers to buy the candy!” Brown says.

Black Jack clove chewing gum was used for the slate roof.

Gingerbread house at Wellesley Free Library

The house always has a 3’x4′ base so that there’s room around it for bowls of candy when decorating. This also allows it to fit in the car for transport to the library.

“My guess is that it’s well over 50 pounds, maybe closer to 75 lbs,” Brown says.

Gingerbread house at Wellesley Free Library

Related: Wellesley resident gives State House the gingerbread treatment (2024)
 

 

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Feast & Fettle Handles Thanksgiving for Wellesley Families

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SPONSORED CONTENT: This Thanksgiving, Feast & Fettle is helping families across Greater Boston enjoy a home-style holiday meal, without the stress of cooking.

Feast & Fettle’s highly anticipated Thanksgiving Menu is crafted for families who love a homemade holiday meal, but not the hours in the kitchen that come with it. Everything is fully prepared, locally made, and delivered fresh on Wednesday, November 26, just in time for a relaxed Thanksgiving Day.

Feast & Fettle, Wellesley

On the menu? Herb-Crusted Turkey Breast with Gravy, Brown Sugar-Glazed Ham, and a vegetarian favorite: Pumpkin Ravioli with Cider Cream Sauce. Pair your main with classic sides like Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble, or Brussels Sprouts with Honey-Dijon, all available for households of any size.

And don’t forget dessert. Choose from housemade pies (Pumpkin, Apple Streusel, Pecan, and more) or go all in with the Levain Bakery® Fall Cookie Box, a member favorite that’s as indulgent as it sounds.

Feast & Fettle is also making it easy to give back this season. Through a partnership with Pine Street members can donate a warm Thanksgiving meal along with their purchase.

The deadline to order is Monday, November 24, and spots fill quickly. Explore the full menu and reserve your delivery at You can explore the full Thanksgiving menu and schedule your delivery at Feast & Fettle’s Thanksgiving Menu here.

Because less time in the kitchen means more time at the table.

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Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, 2026

Addressing the SNAP benefits freeze in Wellesley

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With funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) set to expire at the end of October as a result of the federal government shutdown, actions are being taken locally to help those with food needs that can’t otherwise be met.

Update: On Friday, judges ruled the Trump administration must use emergency funds to cover at least some of the benefits in November.

According to a MassLive report on SNAP (formerly food stamps) use by community in Massachusetts, more than 700 people in Wellesley count on this benefit.

The Charles River Regional Chamber this weekend is launching an effort to support food pantries and distributors in response to the anticipated shutdown of SNAP, which serves more than a million people in the state.

More than 20 chamber-member restaurants will donate a portion of gift card sales from Nov. 1–Nov. 26 to Spoonfuls, a Newton nonprofit that rescues fresh, healthy food and delivers it to local pantries and other community programs. If you’re with a restaurant interested in participating, reach out to the Chamber’s Max Woolf.

Wellesley Food Pantry
Wellesley Food Pantry

Wellesley Food Pantry at 207 Washington St. has a wish list that you can shop from to help those who it serves. Leave donations inside the permanent collection bin near the exit at Roche Bros, or drop them off at the Pantry on Mondays 2-3pm. The wish list is updated weekly.

Pantry hours are 1:45 – 4:45pm on Tuesday afternoons, and 5:15 to 6:45pm on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, with expanded hours as needed.

The pantry is offering offering emergency bags of groceries as needed upon request, and increasing monthly food quantities.

You can also make monetary donations so that the Pantry can purchase meat, fish, and fresh produce.
The Pantry supports about 400 people in 200 households in town, most of whom rely on SNAP benefits.

We’ve also reached out to MassBay Community College, which is always on top of food insecurity issues, for updates on anything they might be doing to address the SNAP situation. We’ll update this post with any news.

The Rotary Club of Wellesley  is another local organization that backs food insecurity programs (you can help the Rotary in its work by taking part in its current Dinner on Us! program). It’s discussing the SNAP situation at its meeting next week.

Nearby, the Centre Street Food Pantry, a Newton nonprofit that serves residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley, has announced its response to the pending cuts to SNAP. Centre Street will expand its hours, provide additional Thanksgiving items, and stock as much food as possible to provide fresh produce, dairy and meal-making groceries to those in need.

The Pantry is:

  • Extending its Tuesday service days to include an additional half hour for those who cannot make an appointment.
  • Extending its Saturday service day by one hour.
  • Offering all families something extra such as a pie, a roast chicken or a turkey (according to household size), as well as holiday foods as they are available (stuffing, cranberry sauce, brown sugar) in addition to a full complement of groceries that include fresh sliced bread and heaping bags of produce.
Every Tuesday:
1-2PM – Senior Citizen households
2-3:30PM – All Households by appointment
3:30-5:30 – First come, first served (extended hours)
5:30PM-6PM – All Households by Appointment
Third Saturday
10AM-1PM – All Households, first come, first served (extended hours)
To give a financial donation or to find out how to donate a turkey for a family in November please visit Centre Street Food Pantry’s website.

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Tickets available now for Wellesley Rotary Club’s “Dinner On Us” Sweepstakes

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SPONSORED CONTENT: The time is NOW to enter for a chance to win a Wellesley Rotary Club’s 5th annual “Dinner On Us” Sweepstakes prize. DONATION DEADLINE: November 30, 2025 at 10:55pm.

The Wellesley Rotary Club has purchased gift cards from over 40 Wellesley restaurants, and many restaurants donated gift card prizes of $100, $50, and $25.

Tickets are going fast, so don’t miss out on YOUR chance to win big!

FUNDRAISER: “Dinner On Us” Sweepstakes
DONATION: $20 and up. Entries available now, here.
DONATION DEADLINE: November 30, 2025, at 10:55pm EST
DRAWING: December 3, 2025, at 7pm EST

Wellesley Rotary, Dinner On Us

Win dinners. Fuel good. Every donation supports Rotary programs fighting food insecurity and lifting our community.

So many prizes, so little time! The Wellesley Rotary club has purchased gift cards from your favorite Wellesley restaurants, and many restaurants donated gift card prizes of $150, $100, and $50, so now it’s your turn to step up and win–Donate for chances to WIN BIG!!!

Why enter the Sweepstakes?

In our own backyard, there are individuals and families facing the harsh reality of food insecurity, unsure of where their next meal will come from. It’s a challenge that touches lives right here in Wellesley, and it’s up to us to step forward and make a difference.

It’s a win-win. With your Dinner On Us donation, you’re doing more than entering a sweepstakes—you’re feeding momentum. Winners enjoy gift cards to our favorite local restaurants, and proceeds power the Rotary Club of Wellesley’s service work: addressing food insecurity and advancing community projects that make Wellesley a healthier, more connected place to live. Your night out can be someone else’s helping hand.
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Wellesley restaurant news: Firebird Pizza Co. coming to former Deluxe Pizza space

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FirebirdA new Wellesley restaurant called Firebird Pizza Co. is slated to open later this month in the former Deluxe Pizza space at 1 Forest St.

Deluxe had been at the spot for more than 30 years, led by Emmanuel “Manny” Houlis, but closed at the start of the year.

The owners of The Local, which is almost right near Deluxe Pizza, purchased the space and initially planned to re-open it as Deluxe Pizza in time for this past Boston Marathon to come through town.

But there clearly was a change of plans. At one point we’d seen a concept floating around called Fry-Bird, but rather, Firebird it is. Maybe they can get a deal with the Orleans Firebirds baseball team on the Cape.

The restaurant, which owner Frank Santo says is projected to open on Oct. 21, leads with scratch pizza and crispy chicken sandwiches. It’ll be open seven days a week and offer catering in addition to restaurant service, takeout, and online ordering.

Firebird pledges that “our menu blends classic favorites with unexpected twists.” As for the pizza, Firebird touts “Double Zero Flour, imported olive oils, the real-deal San Marzano sauce, Grande whole milk mozz, hand-packed ricotta, and freshly grated Romano. No shortcuts. No fake cheese. Just straight-up fire pizza.” You can buy by the slice or pie.

firebird restaurant

Check out Wellesley’s many dining on our restaurants page, sponsored by The Cottage in Linden Square.

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Wellesley Square Starbucks Coffee shop closing after 30 years

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The Starbucks Coffee chain continues to undergo a major restructuring and its latest cost cutting moves include shuttering the Starbucks at 68a Central St. in Wellesley: A sign about the closing has been posted at the shop and the marketing language reads:

To our amazing customers,

We’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to close this Starbucks location by the end of this week. We know this may be hard to hear — because this isn’t just any store. It’s your coffeehouse, a place where your daily rhythm, where memories were made, where meaningful connections with our partners grew. We’re deeply grateful for the community that’s been built here.

We know many of you will be missing your favorite partner, and we’re working closely to support our partners through this transition.

Our commitment to creating welcoming, memorable experiences remains unchanged. We hope you’ll visit us at a nearby Starbucks where we’d be honored to continue sharing moments with you.

Thank you for being part of our story. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

With heartfelt gratitude,
The Starbucks Coffee Company

starbucks sign

 

The company website also shows the shop no longer being open after this Saturday (Starbucks will officially update its app over the weekend to disclose closures).

starbucks

Starbucks opened in Wellesley Square in 1995, replacing The Coffee Connection. At the time, a Starbucks spokesman told The Wellesley Townsman that “We have a significant number of Starbucks mail order customers from Wellesley. We feel this location can better serve our customers as a Starbucks.”

The Wellesley Square Starbucks closure will be one of possibly about 200 shutdowns, and in addition to those who lose their jobs at these shops and aren’t transferred, some 900 non-retail employees are being let go.

 

Want to support our local news venture? Now, thanks to Swellesley’s partnership with Tiny News Collective, you can make a tax deductible contribution.

Meanwhile, the Starbucks shop in Linden Square looks to be safe: The corporate website continues to show hours into the future for it.

Among those being closed beyond Wellesley, according to WCVB-TV,  is the Boston Starbucks under the steaming kettle at Government Center. By year end, Starbucks still expects to have some 18,300 shops across the U.S. and Canada.

U.S. store sales have been falling at Starbucks for more than a year.

A memo issued by Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol explained the company’s rationale for its latest changes. It reads in part:

First, I shared earlier this year that we were carefully reviewing our North America coffeehouse portfolio through the additional lens of our Back to Starbucks plan. Our goal is for every coffeehouse to deliver a warm and welcoming space with a great atmosphere and a seat for every occasion. 

During the review, we identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed.

Separately, across the street from the Wellesley Square Starbucks, a Blank Street Coffee shop is attempting to open. It has had to address grease trap requirements before opening. We’ve reached out to property manager Linear Retail for an update.

 

Post updated on 9/26 at 1pm.

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As if Wellesley seniors weren’t cool enough already

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The Kona Ice truck made a stop at the Wellesley Council on Aging recently, serving up shaved ice to over 50 patrons. Patrons lined up to choose from a variety of flavors, turning the patio into a lively gathering spot and prompting an ad hoc cornhole match.
Wellesley seniors at Kona Ice truck at Tolles Parsons Center
Courtesy photos

Wellesley seniors at Kona Ice truck at Tolles Parsons Center

Wellesley seniors at Kona Ice truck at Tolles Parsons Center

Wellesley Food Pantry’s donations slow down in summer—please help!

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With so many residents out of town on vacation, the Wellesley Food Pantry stocks tend to run low during the summer months. If you’re home this week, look for National Charity League (NCL) volunteers outside Roche Bros. on Saturday, July 19, 9am-3pm. The idea is to purchase any of the wish list items listed below and drop them off with NCL volunteers on your way out.

Wellesley Food Pantry
Wellesley Food Pantry

Wellesley Food Pantry priority needs

  • canned peaches & pears in fruit juice
  • canned beef & tomato soup
  • canned chicken
  • canned red & white Beans (not chick peas)
  • boxed cereal (all types, except Cheerios)
  • peanut butter (16 oz. jars only, creamy & crunchy)
  • pasta sauce—in jars
  • raisins
  • spaghetti only
  • nuts & honey
  • NO rice, stuffing, gravy, baby formula or baby food, or Ensure
  • NO opened or expired food

Not in town but want to help? Please donate to the Wellesley Food Pantry. Donations fund high-priority needs, such as fresh produce and frozen meats.

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