Natick Report

Since 2020: More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

Business buzz: George’s Pizza closes in Natick Center; Liliko Asian convenience store opens in Wellesley Hills

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The latest Natick, Mass., and nearby business news:

George’s Pizza closes in Natick Center

George's Pizza

A sign on the front of George’s Pizza (41 South Main St.) reads “Thanks for 12 years of your business. It has been a fun ride! Thanks Natick.”

George's Pizza

The phone number leads to a full voicemail box. Word of the closing was met online with a mix of sadness and “next up” responses.

As for next up: Blue Square Pizza recently opened down the street at The Block.

Coincidentally, we had reached out to the town’s building commissioner earlier this week to see if there might be any update on the boarded up building nearby at 49-55 South Main St., where Frank Lee Laundry once operated (some interesting Natick history on that). “To date, nothing has been proposed. Hopefully there is some action on the site soon.”

Frank Lee Laundry boarded up
Photo by Maureen L. Sullivan

Liliko Asian convenience store opens in Wellesley Hills

While Natick has its big new T Market Asian supermarket at the Mall, Wellesley this weekend will be introduced to Liliko, an Asian convenience store stocked with a wide variety of food, stationery, and cosmetics. The Swellesley Report got a sneak peek.

liliko

Commercial real estate update

Some Natick developments highlighted in the Q2 R.W. Holmes Commercial Real Estate Update.

On the heels of last quarter’s sale of 19 Strathmore Rd., near Sherwood Plaza  in Natick, 10 Strathmore “has been quietly placed under agreement as other legacy owners in the Natick Industrial Park look to take advantage of the premium pricing the Park has warranted.” The report says smaller offices and flex space is attractive in an otherwise soft office market.  At the East Natick Business Park on the opposite side of Rte. 9, 11 Huron Drive sold for $5.875 million, changing hands after 16 years.

The report also cites a buzz in R&D and high tech manufacturing, referencing Busek’s 10,000 sq. ft. expansion (electric space propulsion) and the arrival of Giner, which is in the electrochemical technologies market.

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Natick Board of Health considering prohibition of natural and synthetic kratom

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The Natick Board of Health has had agenda items for its past few monthly meetings on regulations regarding kratom, an herbal substance that can have opioid- and stimulant-like effects.

We reached out to Natick Director of Public Health Michael Boudreau to learn more about kratom and what actions Natick may take related to it. The Health Department and Board of Health welcome public input on this topic (the elected board meets monthly).

How would you describe kratom? 

Any unaltered form of the plant Mitragyna speciosa, including its leaves in whole, crushed, or powdered form, stems, or other plant parts that have not been chemically altered. Kratom contains mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), two major psychoactive ingredients. These ingredients can lead to psychotic symptoms, and psychological and physiological dependence that can mirror opioid-like symptoms. There is also synthetic kratom, which has been altered from its natural plant form through chemical synthesis or the use of synthetic alkaloid analogs, or concentrates beyond what occurs naturally in the plant, particularly 7-OH, significantly increasing those adverse effects.

Why is Natick’s Board of Health and Health Department discussing regulations? 

At this time, it is something that is not regulated by the FDA or the State of Massachusetts. Given the opioid-like qualities of kratom, which are enhanced and unregulated in synthetic kratom products, action to ban kratom was initiated. The DEA is considering classifying synthetic kratom as a Schedule 1 substance.

What would the regulations entail? 

A prohibition on kratom and synthetic kratom with escalating fines and penalties for those selling it.

Has a decision been made on this? 

Draft Regulations are written and available upon request. The Board intends to have a hearing on the draft regulations in September (next Board meeting Sept. 14, 2026 via Zoom). Residents (and the general public) are encouraged to review them, voice their concerns by contacting our office (by writing, email,or other means), or participate in the hearing process. The Board of Health will consider and deliberate on those concerns before approving, modifying, or enacting the regulation.

Where is kratom available in Natick?

It has been sold in some convenience stores and adult retail tobacco stores, both in natural and synthetic forms. Synthetic kratom has been added to several products, including small bottle drinks, gummies, candies, and vape product.

Do you know what other communities or the state are doing on this matter?

There are approximately 20 communities that have approved a complete prohibition, while others are prohibiting the sale of synthetic only. At this time, it is left to Massachusetts’ invidual communities to promulgate regulations.

Have any members of the public been attending the recent board meetings to comment pro or con on this topic? 

We have discussed this with the Board and have had physicians present on this topic who have treated patients for overdosing. We also received contact from residents encouraging a ban on kratom products. We welcome all residents’ perspective through this process.

More: Learn about Natick 180, your community resource for addiction education, prevention, and recovery.

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Blue Roast Coffee, The Brass Key home decor shop slated to fill new Natick retail spaces

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Stonegate building 45 E. Central St

More retail space in Stonegate’s mixed-use development at 45 East Central St., continues has been spoken for: Blue Roast Coffee and The Brass Key home decor shop have signed leases.

They’re slated to join the Tsuru Japanese restaurant and Kidcasso art studio at the location across from St. Patrick Catholic Church, and just a couple of retail units remain.

blue roastBlue Roast Coffee is led by Oscar Escobar, who has a background in real estate development and entrepreneurship, and boasts beans from the mountains of Columbia. The shop will  be located on one end of the building.

We’ve reached out to Escobar, who seems to like the word “blue” in his business names, for more on his plans in Natick.

The Brass Key, owned by local interior designers Kate Eckstein and Sarah Labrie, will be a home decor shop, with design services available.

brass keyWhy “The Brass Key”? “It’s called that because we wanted it to feel ‘old New England,’ Eckstein says. “We focus on local artisans when possible, and vintage/antique pieces as well. Our goal is classic pieces that elevate your space, as opposed to cheap fashion that will end up on ‘Buy Nothing’ groups in a few years.”

They’ve been working on this concept for about a year now.

In addition to home decor, the shop will sell gifts, candles, home-related books, and more. “We hope it becomes a destination for people to come in and see what we have at the moment, including furniture and lighting,” Eckstein says.

This shop will be paired with Kate Eckstein Design, which Eckstein has been running for almost 12 years out of her home. “I’m following what has been my passion since I was a little girl — interior architecture and design,” she says.

Two remaining retail spaces at 45 East Central St. are about 850 and 2,000 sq. ft. in size.

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Enter the Interim Use Matrix: What could be next for Natick’s former Johnson School building

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Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.
—Morpheus, from “The Matrix” (1999)
 
The Natick Select Board at its June 8 meeting (about 35 minutes into recording) endorsed next steps within a matrix designed to help the town choose possible interim uses for the building and surrounding property that housed the Johnson Elementary School for decades until its closing two years ago.

The board at a May meeting indicated its preference for taking an interim use approach, looking at short- rather than long-term uses for the property (not that certain short-term uses couldn’t become long-term ones). The hope is that the board will vote on such uses in about a year, according to a timeline shared as part of a presentation to the board on the interim use matrix by Jay Poropatich, the town’s communications director. (We did worry slightly when he made a reference to “interim uses that ultimately is a cluster…”)

The initial list of organizations that might use the Johnson property includes Natick Public Schools (pre-school, after school, swing space), Recreation & Parks, Natick Pegasus (cable access & stream operations), and the YMCA (after school programs). The list of possible organizations is subject to change based on input from the public and others.

Members of the public now have a chance to weigh in on possible interim uses via a two-question online survey open through July 28, and again will have a chance to provide input at an interactive workshop to be held in October.

johnson timeline
The interim use matrix features red and blue pills…

 
During the June 8 meeting, board members asked a handful of questions, including whether a maximum amount of time for any use has been defined (no, but a minimum of three years is preferred so that organizations would be able to determine if investments needed for ADA compliance or other things would justify the use). Among other things the board will weigh is whether possible uses will fully take advantage of the building space (either individual organization uses or combined use by multiple organizations) and the impact such uses might have on public access to the grounds.

Board member Linda Wollschlager sought clarity on how the board and public will be able to way the financial ramifications of possible uses.  Poropatich said organizations will need to share information about their financial approach, and that such information will be found in the matrix for town and public consideration.

Members of the public sought clarification on their opportunities to provide input (the survey, the workshop), raised points about the town and schools being in sync (the School Committee voted on June 15 for a pre-school space approach, as part of discussions on the future of Memorial Elementary School, that did not include Johnson), and Johnson building ADA compliance (it’s in compliance for some uses, not for others). One member of the public also asked about the town’s needs for the space, and Town Administrator Jamie Errickson it has no immediate use, but could down the road depending on how certain projects go (say the future of the Cole Center recreation building).
 
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Natick & other Boston Marathon route communities on display at New England Quilt Museum

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Boston Marathon quilt
Photo courtesy of Evelyn Dow

 
An elaborate quilt dubbed “Go the Distance” that features Natick and the rest of the communities on the Boston Marathon course is on display at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell until Sept. 26.

The Marathon Quilters Guild is behind the collaborative polyptych quilt project, which consists of eight 24″ x 60″panels.

At the start of 2025, the non-profit issued an open invite to quilt and textile guilds and artists across the state to participate in the project, which was completed this past January. The Sew-N-Sew Fibert Arts Group of Natick did the honors for the town’s panel.

According to a companion guide about the Natick panel, the design involved a good amount of research and focuses on landmarks that marathon participants would see—and wouldn’t see—during their 4-plus miles in town.

The quilters wrote in part: “The basic design plan was to include local sites along the route but absolutely not include “traditional quilt style blocks.”  We wanted a free form layout of sites; if we could not fit things along the route, we would get creative.  We also were determined to emphasize the natural beauty of the route and the town.  Natick has large, lovely ponds, wetlands, rivers and farms.  Instead of making a traditional style quilt with our design elements stitched to one background fabric, we filled the muslin foundation with the natural features of ponds, rivers, trees and flowers according to their location on the town map.  The line drawings of the buildings were scaled up or down to fit on the panel.”

The Natick Common gazebo (pre-repainting), a baseball in honor of the old Harwood factory, one-time U.S. Vice President Henry Wilson’s historic shoe shop, TCAN, marathon charity runners, and numerous buildings along the route are highlighted. The Charles River dam/spillway also appears to make a cameo on the quilty as part of its farewell tour.

Natick quilt panel
Photo courtesy of Evelyn Dow

 
Hat tip to AG for letting us know about the quilt. 

 

 

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