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.

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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.

Time for Wellesley to dig out those reusable bags

July 15, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Reusable bags are back, baby.

Bags, Wellesley — The bags situation is a little out of hand at our house, so it’s welcome news that reusable bags are back.

We’ve amassed quite a collection of single-use paper and plastic bags in our home since March 25, when the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) temporarily suspended the use of reusable bags due to COVID-19 concerns. One day the well-trained shoppers of Wellesley could be seen with an armload of canvas totes, or well-worn paper bags on perhaps the last grocery run of their lives before making that final trip to the RDF for recycling. The next day, those bags were banished to the back of the trunk for the foreseeable future.

Health officials have since determined there is a low risk of contracting COVID-19 from resuable bags, so we can all pull those sacks out of obscurity and once again go about the business of saving the planet.

Wellesley Business Buzz: Closing for Juneteenth; Laurel Grove coming to Square; Marcus goes dark, Bella Santé spreads out ; watching for Cottage, Door No. 7 news; Truly’s returns

June 15, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

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

Closing for Juneteenth

Howd & Ludorf, LLC, a Hartford-based law firm with an office in Wellesley, has announced its offices will be closed on Juneteenth, Friday June 19, “as a demonstration of support for the fight against racial injustice.” Juneteenth commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States.

Juneteenth will be a paid holiday for attorney and staff at Howd & Ludorf, which has been operating remotely during the pandemic. The day off will give employees a chance to reflect on the significance of Juneteenth and possibly participate in events related to it.

Momentum has been picking up among companies doing likewise. Big names ones include the NFL, Nike, Twitter, and Square.

Are any other Wellesley businesses doing likewise?

Laurel Grove coming to Wellesley Square

Laurel Grove, Wellesley Laurel Grove, a home decor and gifts shop with a design aesthetic that mother-daughter owners Michelle and Isabelle Palmer call “eclectic with a heavy emphasis on farmhouse and vintage” will open soon at the former Wears Woody location at 35 Central St. Isabelle is spearheading the launch of the Wellesley shop.

A quick look at their website revealed such treasures as woven baskets, vintage flower frogs, reclaimed wood consoles, swingy cardigan sweaters, and more.

Like its Sudbury location, the shop will feature found, new, and old treasures with an emphasis on featuring local makers and talented artisans. There will be different inventory in both places, though, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself bouncing back and forth to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

Marcus moves on, Bella Santé spreads out

The fashion shop that launched in Linden Square in early 2018, morphing from an earlier clothing store in that space, has cleared out its space. The Wellesley spot has been removed from the “Locations” page on the Marcus website over the past few weeks. We reached out to Marcus via email, got a reply from a woman (or bot) asking how she could help, but it’s been 3 days since we asked our question now.

Marcus has been tightening its corporate belt: It has gone from listing 14 locations on its website as of late May to just eight now, with Wellesley. A Newton store remains, as do those in cities such as Chicago, Dallas, Greenwich and Palm Beach.

Separately, Bella Santé’s spa remains in its Linden Square space, but its hair salon business for the time being, as of June 15, is using additional Linden Square property previously occupied by Salon Maleah. This is designed to allow the salon staff and patrons to properly social distance.

The business hopes to be able to open its spa soon, based on state guidance.

The Cottage, Door No. 7 mounting comebacks?

Linden Square restaurants The Cottage and Door No. 7 have been quiet since the owners closed them in mid-March due to the pandemic. But over the past week both restaurants, jointly owned, have issued posts on their social media accounts suggesting that a comeback could be imminent (The Cottage: “We’re putting the finishing touches on our plans to reopen in the safest and most comfortable way for you and our staff…”

The Cottage already has some outdoor seating, and the town is working with restaurants to help them expand their space and services temporarily even if they don’t.

Word’s out about Truly’s

Apparently the word got out that Truly Yogurt reopened on Sunday after a couple of months of being closed due to the pandemic. Lines stretched up the block, with patrons using sidewalk stickers to stay 6-plus feet apart as they waited for their orders, which can be made online.

Truly's reopening line — Camera angles can be deceiving: Patrons stood separated, following marks on the ground (Photo courtesy of Michael Tobin)

June 2020 author events in Wellesley

June 5, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Wellesley Books has been holding author readings and discussions through the magic of Zoom. Here’s a list of the local independent bookstore’s online events — some are free, some are ticketed.

Although the store is closed right now, their website is open for business. In addition, curbside pickup service has resumed as of Monday, May 25th.

Upcoming Author Readings/Discussions

6/12 Bedtime story with the author: Robb Pearlman – Bob Ross and Peapod the Squirrel
6/15 Wendy Francis – Best Behavior in conversation with Laura Zigman
6/17 Elin Hilderbrand – 28 Summers — ticketed event
6/19 Bedtime story with the author: Dan Yaccarino – Smashy Town and Giant Tess
6/22 Liz Climo – You’re Mom: A Little Book for Mothers (And the People Who Love Them), in conversation with Nichole Bernier and Joani Geltman
6/23 Julia Spencer-Fleming – Hid from Our Eyes and Sarah Stewart Taylor – The Mountains Wild

Event descriptions:

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Wellesley Business Buzz: Signs of reopening & hope; Truly’s, Wellesley Bakery set to reopen; Wellesley sisters offer free math tutoring service

June 1, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

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

Signs of reopening & hope

Wellesley’s business districts are brimming with new activity as the state’s reopening plan unfolds.

Linden Square has new clearly and colorfully marked pick-up spaces for curbside pickup. Linden Square says: “Simply place your orders ahead of time at participating stores and restaurants, pull-up to a special pick-up spot and receive your merchandise right at curbside. Please wear a mask.”

Some retailers initially participating include: Talbots, Tiny Hanger, Kenzie and Hope, Neena’s and Magic Beans.

Statewide, the hope is that retail stores will be permitted to open on Mon., June 8 for “in-store browsing with restrictions” as part of the State’s expected Phase 2 re-opening strategy. The state on Monday issued a preview of the safety standards and checklist retailers will need to abide by.

Demian Wendrow, president of the Wellesley Square Merchants Association and owner of London Harness and Tumi stores, says that when stores do open, shoppers will see some safety-oriented changes. Through a grant from the Community Fund for Wellesley COVID-19 Relief Fund, expect to see outdoor sanitizing stations throughout town Wellesley’s shopping areas. In addition, the grant allowed the purchase of masks, gloves, and sanitizer for 250+ merchants in town.

“We’ve opened up some more space in the two stores by removing some fixtures,” Wendrow said. “That way shoppers can move about the store safely and still get the shopping experience that I think everybody is looking forward to getting back to right now.”

The Wellesley Rotary Club is helping out by donating shield masks for workers, as well as through its gofundme page to help out area restaurants..

Pick-up Linden Square

Signs have popped up in storefronts across town informing patrons of new rules and their latest status.

waskis covid sign face mask sign

And businesses that had temporarily closed are back at it.

bgood covid sign

Meanwhile, businesses are sharing words of optimism.

smith wollensky sign covid odd fellows covid sign

Truly’s sets its reopening date

Wellesley’s Truly Yogurt has announced it will reopen on Sunday, June 14, and will be open 12-10pm seven days a week after that.

“We have been receiving over 100 phone calls daily inquiring to our status,” says Steve Marcus, owner of the Grove Street establishment that has been closed for the past 3 months due to the pandemic. “Our staff of 25 are all eager to return and ready for the action.”

Truly’s will be sporting a new website and app in June that will allow preordering and prepaying for hands-free and curbside pickups. “Those who prefer to bypass lines… can do so without entering the store,” Marcus says.

Truly Yogurt

Separately, Wellesley Bakery re-opens its doors on Wednesday, June 3.

The usual menu will be available from Monday-Saturday, 8am-3pm. You can text in orders at 617-785-4905 or 781-708-1382, and can reach the bakery at 781-235-1171. Orders can be picked up in the back, if preferred.

Payment: Preferably check or card.

Wellesley sisters offer free math tutoring service

Mathematically Academy is a new virtual math tutoring service for kids in grades K-5 while at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our main focus is to provide a fun place for kids to learn math and to help parents who are working at home. Our classes and services are free to all families who are interested in our academy!” say sisters Catherine and Grace Curran. They’re 6th and 5th grade students, respectively, at the Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart and they say they take many math courses outside of school. The academy offers group classes for kids leveled by grade during the summer along with one-on-one tutoring sessions year-round. To learn more about the academy, view the schedule, or inquire for a session please visit: mathematicallyacademy.godaddysites.com or email [email protected]com.

Got tips on business openings, closings or whatever, feel free to email us here: [email protected]

Also email us if you’re interested in sponsoring our weekly Wellesley Business Buzz roundup.

More: Natick’s Park Street Ice Cream opens

Wellesley Business Buzz: Linden Square and Wellesley Square taking next steps; Cafe Mangal still cookin’; Wellesley Dental opens wider; higher ed. still hiring

May 22, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

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

Linden Square to launch The Pick-Up program on Memorial Day

Linden Square, Wellesley Linden Square on May 25th will roll out The Pick-Up program, a contactless way for tenants and customers to return to shopping and takeout from their favorite stores and restaurants.

The Pick-Up program expands on the curbside program that was rolled out for restaurants at the start of the COVID-19 mandatory closings. Customers will be able to place orders directly with stores by phone or on-line, and arrange for same day pick-up, or a time most convenient to them. Check in with your Linden Square favorites to find out all the details.

Wellesley Square Merchants will see you curbside

Many Wellesley Square Merchants will start doing curbside pick-ups starting May 25. Look for the stores to offer staggered hours so as to avoid congestion in the Square. Check in with individual stores first. Here’s your handy shopping guide to Wellesley Square Merchants.

Stay tuned for upcoming information on how Wellesley’s businesses scored a grant to help them keep shoppers and workers safe when stores re-open. Businesses have been working with the Board of Health to have kits of masks, gloves, sanitizing stations and more ready in time for the next phase of re-opening.

Café Mangal still cookin’

Cafe Mangal, Wellesley During these difficult times, Café Mangal has continued to do what it does best — provide food to the hungry. The popular Wellesley Square spot has provided food to workers at Newton-Wellesley Hospital; Wellesley Town Hall and the Police and Fire Departments; the DPW; the Post Office; Elizabeth Seton Residence/Nursing Home, and more.

Mehmet Ozargun, executive chef and owner of Mangal, says, “We love providing our delicious food to frontline workers in Wellesley and nearby communities.”

Wellesley Dental says “open, please”

With the recent issue of the Governor’s four-phase plan, Drs. Ali & Ali and the team at Wellesley Dental Group has made the decision to do a “soft re-opening”, from May 26 – June 7. The office will be open for emergency procedures and pressing dental needs. Look for the practice to fully re-open on June 8.

Wicked smaht Wellesley resident named to academic post at Wentworth

Wellesley has more than its fair share of folks who have forged careers at the most prestigious universities in the country, but even for our education-focused town, Ian Lapp, PhD, stands out from the pack.

The Wellesley resident, named senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at Wentworth Institute of Technology effective June 8, has held positions at Babson, Harvard, and Columbia. Before that, he received his bachelor’s in sociology from the University of Wisconsin- Madison; a master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; and a master’s degree in television, radio, and film from the Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications.

We wish Dr. Lapp well as he helps shepherd Wentworth through these challenging times.