The Swellesley Report

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

Elaine Bannigan’s Pinnacle Report: Wellesley single-family home sales activity, September-to-September comparison

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SPONSORED CONTENT—Elaine Bannigan of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty has for the past 24 years put out “The Pinnacle Report”, a regular, data-driven look at residential property sales in Wellesley. The following Report reviews Wellesley single-family home sales activity during September 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

After receiving a considerable number of requests to write the Pinnacle Report again, I’ve decided that a monthly report might be in order.

The fall real estate market begins in earnest each September, so it’s an interesting month to start. The data below shows what went pending or under contract (not yet closed) during September, 2026 compared to same period, 2025. Since closed sales figures represent buying activity from two to three months earlier (typical escrow period), they are not as timely in taking the pulse of the current market.

At the beginning of September, 2026 there were 40 homes available for sale in Wellesley and over the next 30 days an additional 28 were added to the supply. This contrasts with September 2025, which began with 36 available homes to which an additional 51 were added during the month.

The following pending data for single-family properties was extracted from the Greater Boston Multiple Listing Service and includes the great majority of fair market value sales in Wellesley. It does not include the ‘off market’ sales.

Pinnacle, Elaine BanniganAs we begin October, there are 49 homes on the market (versus 58 October, 2025). Interest rates have jumped a full percentage point from a year ago. This has had an effect on homesellers’ asking price decisions. Despite a decrease in supply, the median asking price is 7% lower than the same period 2025.

On a final note, each September the supply absorption tends to begin slowly. Then, around mid- to late-October, after buyers decide there isn’t anymore new inventory coming on for the fall market (I liken it to having a whistle blow that only dogs and buyers can hear), and buying activity increases.

For more information on the local market or a complimentary and confidential market analysis on your home, I can be reached at 781-710-3993.

Elaine Bannigan, Global Real Estate Advisor
The Pinnacle Group at Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty.

     

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Wellesley business buzz: Maugus Cafe holding grand reopening, readying for dinner service; Pumpkins coming soon; Wellesley Square project meeting on Oct. 14

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The latest Wellesley, Mass. business news:
 

Grand reopening of Maugus Cafe; dinner service coming

 

The Maugus Restaurant, Wellesley
New interior is different, but familiar.

Maugus Cafe, a fixture of the Wellesley community for over 90 years, is having its grand reopening on Friday, Oct. 9, following a comprehensive renovation under new ownership.

The popular spot started slow with a soft opening over the summer, but wanted to hold off on doing a full-blow celebration until schools were back in session. That time has arrived.

Doors will officially reopen to the public on Friday, Oct. 9, at 1oam, with a full day of community celebrations, including complimentary coffee and a 50% discount on a specially curated menu. Guests stepping inside will discover a completely redesigned dining room and service area outfitted with brand-new furnishings. In addition, Maugus Cafe is expanding its culinary and beverage offerings including alcohol. Plans to extend operating hours including dinner service on select days are in the works for the coming months.

While Maugus Cafe’s surroundings may look new, the team’s focus remains the same—great food, friendly service, and a place where friends, families and visitors can come together.

Separately, Maugus this week got the Select Board’s blessing for common victualler and all-alcohol license amendments so that the restaurant can introduce dinner service and some special events after 5pm.

Maugus has been operating Monday-Friday from 7am-5pm, and Saturday/Sunday from 7:30am-5pm. The requested change now allows the business to operate from 7am-10pm seven days a week.
 

 

The pumpkins are serious business

 
Wellesley Hills Congregational Church pumpkin patchThe pumpkins are coming to Wellesley Hills Congregational Church. Pumpkin Patch time is one of Wellesley’s beloved annual traditions, now in its 23rd year.

DATES: Oct. 9 – 31
TIME: 10am-6pm every day
LOCATION: Wellesley Hills Church, 207 Washington St.
 

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Public meeting on Wellesley Square Improvement Project: Oct. 14

 
Members of the public and local businesses are invited to help shape the future of Wellesley Square at a meeting on Oct. 14 at Hunnewell Elementary School, from 6:30-8pm. Town officials welcome input on everything from current conditions to parking concerns to pedestrian safety.

The program will include a brief presentation from town consultants and project stations where participants can share ideas with project team members.

Learn more about the Wellesley Square Improvement Project, which itself has already been improved since it used to be referred to as the Wellesley Square Amenities Design Project.

Funding for construction is anticipated to be requested in 2028.

The meeting on Oct. 14 will be the first of four public meetings on the project.

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Business Buzz: Pinnacle Group joins Gibson Sotheby’s; Take Wellesley Square improvement survey; Save date for Marketplace; McGovern Nissan rolls in

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The latest Wellesley, Mass. business news:

Wellesley’s The Pinnacle Group Joins Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty

The Pinnacle Group, Wellesley, Elaine Bannigan
Elaine Bannigan

Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty has come to a meeting of the minds with The Pinnacle Group, the well-known Wellesley-based real estate team led by veteran broker Elaine Bannigan. Pinnacle has affiliated with Gibson Sotheby’s to team up and serve buyers and sellers across Boston’s MetroWest communities, with a focus on Wellesley, Weston, Needham, Dover, Natick and Newton.

The Pinnacle Group includes Bannigan, Erin Abraham, Susan Bevilacqua, Danielle Comella, Alyson Karpowicz, Dede Long, Elyse Marsh, and Cece Yan, and was established by Bannigan. The team has established a leading presence in the MetroWest region, with a record of success across some of the region’s most competitive residential markets.

“We have respected Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty for many years, and the strength of its marketing, technology and global network made this a natural next step for our team,” said Bannigan. “We see tremendous opportunity to build on what we have established while bringing even greater reach and resources to our clients.”

The Pinnacle Group was most recently affiliated with Douglas Elliman, which it joined in 2023.

Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty is led by Chairman and Founder Larry Rideout, Principal and Founder Paul McGann,
Chief Executive Officer Colleen Barry, and President Nicole Rideout Hartwick. The firm reported $4 billion in sales volume in 2025, ranking as the #1 Massachusetts-based real estate firm by sales volume.

 

Wellesley Square Improvement Project meetings have started

The Town of Wellesley is making moves toward revitalizing Wellesley Square by making the popular shopping district more welcoming, accessible, safer and greener.

The Wellesley Square Improvement Project area consists of the Central Street and Washington Street Corridor from Weston Road intersection to Wellesley Avenue/Rt 135 intersection, portions of Weston Road and Crest Road to the railroad bridges, Washington Street to Wiswall Circle, Grove Street from the Post Office to approximately 51 Grove Street and the entirety of Church Street.

Before we all get too excited, just know a start date hasn’t been set yet. The project website estimates that a request for funding, projected to be about $6m, will happen at a Town Meeting in 2027 or 2028.

But meetings have started, with merchants chiming in through a recent Zoom meeting, and via a business survey.

The public will get its chance to speak up as well during a series of meetings. Save the dates (details to follow):

  • Public Meeting #1 — October 14, 2026 — Existing conditions, challenges, and opportunities
  • Public Meeting #2 — November 18, 2026 — Refined design alternatives
  • Public Meeting #3 — January 20, 2027 — Preferred design concept
  • Public Meeting #4 — Spring of 2027

Why wait for the meetings to start? Take the public survey.

 

Wellesley Marketplace to return—200+ artisans, holiday shopping galore

Wellesley Marketplace
Photo by WHJWC

Kick off your holiday shopping while championing the region’s vibrant small business community at Wellesley Marketplace,  Saturday, November 21, at Wellesley High School, 50 Rice St. This beloved, one-day-only holiday tradition brings together over 200 local entrepreneurs and artisans, offering an curated selection of fine jewelry, handcrafted home goods, boutique apparel, custom paper goods, and gourmet culinary treats. Eager shoppers can snag a VIP Ticket for exclusive early entry at 9am—perfect for beating the crowds (and taking home a special gift and reusable tote). General admission runs 10am-4pm, featuring local food trucks to refuel on site and traditional holiday raffle baskets packed with regional items. Best of all, 100% of event proceeds directly fund local college scholarships and community grants, ensuring every dollar spent nurtures local talent and neighborhood programs. Tickets go on sale Oct. 14.

McGovern Nissan rolls in

McGovern Nissan of Wellesley is the new name of the dealership at 962 Worcester St. (Rte. 9 east). This was formerly home to Independence Nissan of Wellesley.

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Wellesley Symphony Orchestra
Wellesley Marketplace 2026

Business buzz: Penguin Coding School on the way; Wonderful Wellesley College Student Discount Program; LoveCare Pet Grooming opens

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The latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Penguin Coding School on the way

penguinA new coding business, Penguin Coding School, is set to open at 555 Washington St. in Wellesley in October. Flyte.70 had previously been in this space.

Penguin will be offering offering classes in Minecraft Coding, Minecraft Modding, Python, Scratch, Roblox, LEGO Robotics, and more. The first class is free for those ages 5-18.

Penguin has a handful of other locations, including in Acton, Lexington, and Brooklyn, NY.

Yumio Saneyoshi started Penguin Coding School in 2016 after spending 15-plus years in the tech industry on the west coast.

Wellesley already has a couple of coding schools, including iCode in Wellesley Square and Code Ninjas in Wellesley Hills.

 

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Wonderful Wellesley College Student Discount Program

school discountThe Wonderful Wellesley College Student Discount Program applies to students enrolled at Babson, Olin, MassBay, or Wellesley College, as well as to their parents and some of the higher education institution employees.

Updates for the 2026-27 school year are being added now.

Show your college ID (which cannot be transferred) at time of purchase to receive your discount.

 

LoveCare Pet Grooming opens

LoveCareLoveCare Pet Grooming & Dog Daycare has opened at 868 Worcester St. in Wellesley.

The opening of the Wellesley location marks the expansion of the business beyond Concord, Mass., where it first opened three years ago.

It adds to a slew of pet grooming places in town, from Pampered Puppies to The Peaceful Pooch to For Fluff Sake.

 

Know about Wellesley businesses coming or going? Let us know at theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

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Business buzz: The Bra Shop coming to Church Square; Be heard on Wellesley Square Improvement Project

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The latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:
 

The Bra Shop’s coming to Church Square

 

The Bra Shop has announced plans to open in November at 22 Church St. in Wellesley, expanding beyond its Worcester roots.

The business’s mission is “to provide women with access to properly fitting bras and lingerie,” and opening in Wellesley will bring its services and merchandise to people in MetroWest and greater Boston, according to The Bra Shop President Stephanie Ramey.

The five-year-old Bra Shop carries band sizes 28–48+ and cup sizes A–O. It also sells lingerie, lounge and sleepwear, and accessories.

Professional fittings will be available by appointment, with walk-in shopping welcome.

Worcester_Bra_Shop
The Bra Shop in Worcester (courtesy photo)

 

 

Be heard on Wellesley Square Improvement Project

 
The town of Wellesley has launched an online survey to get public input on plans to improve the safety, traffic flow, and general vibrancy of Wellesley Square. Will the team in charge be able to figure out a way to cut down on the number of people who invent their own crosswalks? We’ll see.

With initial local/state funding as well as consultants in hand, the town will offer a series of public meetings, with the first on Oct. 14 at Hunnewell Elementary School at 6:30pm.

Local business reps will have a chance to learn and weigh in on Sept. 17.

Wellesley Square Improvement Project story map.

 
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Wellesley kids turn stray golf balls into a thriving business

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Jamie & Dylan golf balls
Get yer golf balls here!

When I first turned off Ingraham Road onto Dover Road across from the entrance to the Nehoiden Golf Club on Saturday morning and saw a couple of kids and a man setting up a table with signs, I assumed it was a lemonade stand. But no, this was a case of location, location, location: Jamie (11) and Dylan (7) were selling paper bags of 10 golf balls—make that “premium” golf balls—for $10 apiece.

“You get a couple of Titalists in each,” Jamie said.

“No practice balls,” Dylan chimed in.

The friendly boys, whose enterprise also includes older brother Hugh, say they find the balls all over the place, including in local waterways. They invested in a ball cleaner that really spiffs up the golf balls, Jamie said, even more spotless than the bright yellow one he held up to show me.

Definitely a small business for the local “reduce, reuse, recycle” crowd to embrace.

I’d first figured these guys lived in the corner house in front of which their table stood, and had retrieved balls from their front yard. But they said they lived elsewhere in town and that the woman at this house was nice and let them station themselves there.

As of shortly before 10am, the boys had already made $37 in less than an hour, and I gave them the $3 in cash I had on me to round that up to $40. Just as I was leaving, a couple of runners stopped at the table, and looked to be making a purchase. For those without cash, there is a Venmo QR code displayed for one of their parents.

I asked the boys what they might use their money for from what they described as their first business. Jamie said probably for savings, and Dylan said that maybe he’d open a bank account.

Neither golfs, though they said their older brother is interested.

It was as busy a day for runners and walkers as I’ve seen in town, so hopefully all that foot traffic will translate into lots of business for these young entrepreneurs.

Disclaimer: I’ve golfed maybe 10 times in my life. Though probably should have a bucket list item to golf at Wellesley’s two courses.

Got a great Wellesley slice-of-life story to share? Let us know: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

With Solidcore and Degree Wellness on way to Wellesley, fitness vs. pastries arms race intensifies

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Solidcore, a fitness business with nearly 200 studios across the United States and that touts 50-minute full-body workouts, soon plans to arrive at 51B Church St. in Wellesley. Separately, Degree Wellness, looks to bring its infrared sauna, cold plunge and more to 51 Church St..

They’ll add to the town’s seemingly endless fitness and wellness options, each with its own twists. Many of them point to science, pump up the jams, make obligatory “journey” references, and play around with capitalization and punctuation to try to stand apart.

The two newest fitness businesses we’ve heard about will be adjacent to Figurella, at 51A Church St. with its weight loss/body toning/detox approach…

and not far from Btone…

and B/Spoke…

and Orangetheory…

and The Exercise Coach…

and Human Powered Health…

and Jetset Pilates…

and The Bar Method…

And that’s just in Wellesley Square.

Linden Square and Linden Street are dotted with fitness and yoga studios, too, such as Down Under Yoga Studio, YogaSix, HYP Studio, Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs, Pure Barre, and Club Pilates.

The beat goes on into Wellesley Hills and Lower Falls, with businesses like Stepping Stone Studios and FA Boxing. PVOLVE, coming to Wellesley Hills, is among the latest seeking to CAPITALIZE on what seems to be an insatiable market for fitness studios.

You might ask: Why would Wellesley need so many fitness places, many catering largely to women?

Well, people really care about their health, and often the camaraderie of fitness studios.

Though another reason could be that bakeries and chocolate shops are targeting Wellesley, too, and many locals want to enjoy their sweet and savory treats.

ChocAllure sells jewel-like chocolates in Wellesley Square with flavors it says are “inspired by the genius of French pâtisserie. Speaking of pâtisseries (and using ALL CAPS) SALT Patisserie is prepping to open at the former Starbucks location at 68A Central St. in Wellesley Square.

Also in Wellesley Square, Bridgewater Chocolate plans to open at the former Wellesley Toy Shop space at 59 Central St. Meanwhile, Tatte has been a hit since it opened in Linden Square in 2022, Le Petit Four has had lines coming out the door since it opened in 2025 in Wellesley Hills and this year opened a factory in Needham to keep up with demand. And don’t forget about established Wellesley bakeries like the Wellesley Bakery and Quebrada.

How much overlap there is between bakery and fitness studio customers, we can’t say. But we’re sure they’re finding a healthy balance.

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