Natick to honor Kaufman family Vietnam veterans with square dedication

November 2, 2021 by Bob Brown 3 Comments

Update: Here’s a video of the dedication from Natick Pegasus:

Natick plans to dedicate the corner of East Central Street and Penacook Lane as the Kaufman Family Square on Nov. 6 in honor of Bruce George and Robert John Kaufman, who each served in the armed forces.

A proclamation (embedded below) is slated to be made at this week’s Select Board meeting on Nov. 3.

Robert John joined the Marine Corps in 1969, reaching the rank of Corporal. He was deployed to Vietnam and was awarded the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Rifle Marksman Badge, and the National Defense Service Ribbon.

Bruce George joined the Marine Corps in 1965, reaching the rank of Lance Corporal. He was deployed to Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Rifle Marksman Badge.

More: Natick to honor Young family with square dedication

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State awards Natick $50K for Golden Triangle revamp planning

October 26, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Administration of Gov. Charlie Baker this week announced tens of millions in grants for housing and economic development, including a $50K Community Planning Grant to Natick for revamping the Golden Triangle retail district.

Natick’s Department of Community & Economic Development is spearheading an effort to revitalize the Golden Triangle, a 940-acre area in Natick and Framingham known for its shopping malls bordered by major highways and roadways. A 2018 study by the communities and consultants identified issues with traffic, challenges of competing vs. online shopping, etc., and now Natick looks to join forces with Framingham in revisiting recommendations in the context of current conditions and then actually taking action.

natick mall rte 9 sign — Natick Mall, which has lost key tenants in recent years, is among the Golden Triangle’s shaky pillars

According to the state’s grant announcement, “The Golden Triangle Implementation and Recovery Strategy will advance recommendations of Natick 2030+ and the Golden Triangle Study to support long-term success of the district and address immediate economic recovery needs from the COVID-19 pandemic. The project will amend zoning and create a plan for near-term achievable transportation and other infrastructure investments, with attention to issues of equity and climate change as well as the particular challenges revealed by the pandemic.”

Natick had pegged the cost of its Golden Triangle plan at $300K in the spring, but was hopeful that grants like this one from the state would bring that cost down.

Article 25 at the ongoing Natick Fall Town Meeting also addresses funding the Golden Triangle plan.

Natick Halloween happenings 2021

October 25, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Somethin’ Bout a Pumpkin

Join the Bacon Free Library on Wednesday, October 20, at 5pm on the library lawn for a harvest-themed interactive musical show. Elijah T. Grasshopper & Friends are a children’s music group featuring Emma “Go-Go Green” Bean and their puppet pals, Willa the Worm and Weatherbee Frog. Today they will bring a special guest — the Orange Farmer — to perform her interactive dance song, Somethin’ Bout a Pumpkin. This program is best suited for children ages 2 through 8, but can be enjoyed by all ages.

*This show is sponsored in part by a grant from the Natick Cultural Council.

Morse Institute Library, Great Pumpkin Walk

Bring your family and join the Morse Institute Library for The Great Pumpkin Walk. Pick up a pumpkin at the library children’s desk, take it home to carve and/or decorate. Return it to the library and come to the event on Friday, October 29, on the library lawn. Stroll the grounds in your costume (or not, your choice!), share some (slightly) scary songs, play a little, and take home a treat.

MOST SPOOKTACULAR EVENTS CANCELED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

The downtown shops will still have candy available for trick-or-treaters, but the events on the Town Common are off due to the expected rainy conditions.

Halloween Wicked Fun Run

Brown Elementary School will hold a Wicked Fun Run on October 31, 9am, at 1 Jean Burke Dr. Sign up to run, or just come out in costume for this collaboration with Memorial School that includes a 2 mile run plus a DJ, balloon animals, pumpkin painting, and a 50m Monster Dash.

Eliot Church Jack O’Lantern Contest

Eliot Church is once more “building community, one pumpkin at a time” at its annual Jack O’Lantern Contest.

Here are the contest rules & tips:

1. Email info@theeliotchurch.org to let them know you’re coming (and so they can reach you in case weather causes a change of plans).
2. Carved Jack O’Lanterns should be dropped off on the ramp leading to the side church door (45 Eliot St.) on October 30, before 5:15pm.
3. Include a candle with your masterpiece
4. Write your name and phone number in permanent ink on the back of your Jack O’Lantern.
5. The Jack O’Lanterns will be lit and on display from 5:15-6:30pm
6. Pickup and awards at 6:30pm on October 30. First, second, and third place ribbons will be awarded.
7. You take your pumpkin home to use on Halloween the next night.
8. The best place to park is in front of the Bacon Free Library, or behind the office buildings. (The town doesn’t allow parking by the church after 4pm.)

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Natick Business Buzz: Lemon Tree going online-only, Calliope swooping into space; Exterior clean-up; Natick General Store on the way; Sherborn Gallery & Gifts opens across the line; Thanks MutualOne Bank!

October 25, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Our roundup of the latest Natick MA business news:

Lemon Tree going online-only, Calliope swooping into space

The Lemon Tree Goods consignment shop has announced it is vacating 29 Main St., and taking its business exclusively online starting Jan. 1. We’ll miss their visually astonishing wall of high-end designer bags, but take comfort in the fact that now we’ll be able to access the luxury 24/7.

Meanwhile, Calliope Paperie has snapped up the amazing Natick Center location and will open there sometime next year. Calliope, the shop that carries “…everything your little heart desires; as long as it desires stationery,” has for the past five years brought an artsy Parisian vibe to the corner at 1 North Main St.

On Facebook, owner Kristina Burkey when announcing her exciting news posted, “Many of you have come to my little corner recently and have noted that we are bursting at the seams. You don’t even know the half of it. This move means not only breathing room for all my current products but SPACE for even more amazing things.”

Calliope, Natick — Calliope Paperie is open for business while the 1 North Main St. shop plans its move to 29 Main St.

Out of the dozens of comments Burkey received in reply, strangely enough not a single person spoke out in defense of all the poor real estate agencies and banks who never really got a shot at 29 Main. This much is true: never try to get in the way of a stationery shop that does not wish to remain stationary.

Calliope will join Comella’s, 43 Studios, Five Crows, H. Brandt Jewelry, Debsan Decorating Store, and more on that stretch of downtown.

Exterior clean-up in Natick Center

While not generating the sort of social media frenzy that helicopters flying overhead inevitably do, scaffolding against prominent buildings might also raise questions about what’s up.

As we suspected though, the exterior work taking place at the corner of Main Street and Rte. 135 isn’t overly exciting. Gary Stucchi of Stucchi Jewelers tells us it’s just some brick and lower roof repair. The building owners are repointing brick in the southeast corner and replacing the lower rubber roof above Stucchi Jewelers and Paper Fiesta. Next will be updates to the windows between the second floor and retail shops along and below the sign band, Stucchi says.

Way to keep Natick Center looking good…

Generally speaking

We see that Natick General Store and Market is coming into 54-58 East Central Street, which was formerly occupied by a 7-11. (Most customers thought the 7-11 was actually a Tedeschi because of signage inside and out that identified it as such.)

Natick General Store and Market will become neighbors in that stretch to longtime businesses Shanghai & Tokyo; Adagio Salon & Spa; Excellent Cleaners; Fashion Nails; and Bill’s Pizzeria.

Beyond Natick—Sherborn Gallery & Gifts, 5 Washington St.

Just over the Natick border, Sherborn Gallery & Gifts has opened up at 5 Washington Street, Sherborn. A long dreamed-about project brought to reality by Landmark Residential’s Nora Lynch Smith, the cute spot offers handcrafted gifts, many of them by local makers; jewelry; pillows and throws; scented candles; and more.

Thanks MutualOne Bank!

We’re thrilled to have MutualOne Bank sign on as a Natick Report advertiser. And we appreciate that they take our Business Buzz ribbing about banks in good stride. MutualOne Bank and Natick Report, we get each other.

We really appreciate organizations and readers who support our independent journalism effort.

Got business news to share? Email us the details: natickreport@gmail.com

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‘History of Natick’ mosaic comes to life

October 21, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Artist Carol Krentzman installed her newest mosaic—based on a “History of Natick” theme—at Court Street in Natick Center on Friday.

The mosaic stands 12 feet high and 64 inches wide, and adds to a collection of other public art displays downtown, including Krentzman’s “We the People” mosaic. She says it’s her biggest mosaic, and that her grandson estimates it includes 6,000 tiles.

Featured on it are the South Natick Dam, the old baseball factory, a fire that changed the looked of downtown Natick, and more.

She recently finished her studio work and this weekend got to screwing the mosaic panels onto the wall and adding other finishing touches. Tilling, grouting and other glamorous stuff.

carol krentzman mosaic history — Carol Krentzman, top, and assistant Kathleen on ladder, showcasing Natick’s past and present

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