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Needham Bank, Natick
 

Natick business buzz: Barnes & Noble reopens at new location; David’s Bridal jilting Natick; new manicurist at Jesamondo

June 15, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The latest Natick, Mass., business news:

Barnes & Noble reopens at new location

We popped into the new Barnes & Noble bookstore location in Sherwood Plaza on Rte. 9 east in Natick on its opening day, June 14, and breathed in that new-store smell while browsing the book and gift shelves. The mega-retailer announced late last year that it would move from its long-time Shopper’s World location in Framingham and take over the 18,000 sq. ft. space between the Paper Store and Dick’s (the former Petco location). Within six months,  Barnes & Noble opened for business. Amazing how fast things can happen when that old COVID virus doesn’t get in the way.

The store is open 9am-9pm except Sundays, when it is open 10am-7pm.

Barnes & Noble

The selection at the new store is wide and well organized, with A-Z authors, and special sections for everything from Harry Potter to LGBTQ+. In addition to books, you can find vinyl records, office and art supplies, greeting cards, candles, puzzles, wellness journals, chakra cards, diffusers,  more. No doubt the place is massive. In an effort to make it seem more homey and less like a warehouse, the very well-lit space is divided into “rooms” while retaining its open floor plan. Sci-fi and fantasy lovers, for example, enter an area set up with walls of books—in front of you and on your left and right. The psychology and personal growth section invites browsers to take a seat in one of two mid-century modern style chairs and thumb through books with titles like The Happiness Trap and I Thought it was Just Me. Kids will enjoy the big wooden train set up with its freight of picture books.

 

Barnes & Noble, Natick

 

Barnes & Noble

We tried to get a sneak peek at the store before its opening, but you know, corporate. We found the store employees friendly and eager to help on opening day.

We have a few quibbles, however. We attempted to find any signs of Natick at the store, knowing full well this is not really a local book shop complete with ancient dusty tomes, sagging shelves, and a cat. An associate pointed us to a pile of “local author” books, but those were more Boston-focused. A “local communities” shelf proved to be a random selection of Auburn, Hull, and Woburn…no Natick.

We did uncover a copy of the late Natick Rabbi Harold S. Kushner’s When Bad Things Happen to Good People stocked on the bottom shelf of the Personal Growth section. But no sign of books by Natick’s arguably most famous author, Horatio Alger, who in the mid-1800s authored over 300 novels about boys who rose from rags to riches through thrift and industry. His most well-known title: Ragged Dick. Alger spent most of his adult years in New York City, coming back occasionally to visit family. In his final years Alger returned to town in poor health, and died in Natick on July 18, 1899.

Barnes & Noble, Natick

David’s Bridal jilting Natick

David’s Bridal warned of mass layoffs in April and filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in four years, as it looks to sell the business.

Now it is closing stores, including the one in Natick’s Sherwood Plaza. The business doesn’t make it easy to find info about the closing on its website. One sign on the storefront refers to “Closing: This location only,” but stores in Danvers and North Dartmouth are also being shuttered as part of the company’s efforts to survive.

David's Bridal Sherwood Plaza

Hello kitties

No stop at Sherwood Plaza would be complete without saying hello to the fine kitties at Kitty City at Pet World.

Kitty City

Jesamondo add new manicurist to its rank and file

Sponsored content: Jesamondo welcomes Daysy Benavides as the newest talent to the salon and spa. Daysy brings more than 15 years of experience as a manicurist and reflexologist from Bella Sante, and the Jesamondo team looks forward to working with her. Daysy will be working at the 154 E Central St, Natick location Wednesday-Friday,  and select Saturdays and Sundays, 9am-5pm each day. Schedule your appointment online at https://jesamondo.com/  or call 508-907-7171.

Jesamondo, Natick

 

Jesamondo, Natick

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Filed Under: Books, Business, Shopping


Wegmans to close its Natick Mall store later this summer

June 1, 2023 by Deborah Brown 4 Comments

It’s been a fun five years, but Wegmans announced on Thursday, June 1, that it will close its Natick Mall location later this summer, with an exact date TBD.

wegmans natick mall

A memo on the Wegmans corporate website said that the store’s 365 employees (142 full-time and 223 part-time) were notified of the decision throughout the day and were assured that their positions with the company are secure, albeit at other area Wegmans’ locations.

Wegmans has five additional stores in the Greater-Boston area, and approximately 2,700 employees. Corporate says Wegmans does not have plans to close any other stores.

Sure thing though let me also add that everyone that I know in Wellesley and Natick is not happy about this and agrees the store is always crowded. We speculate that they probably have high OpEx and are being squeezed out by the incoming Moms in Sherwood Plaza and the rumored Amazon Fresh in the Shopper’s World Plaza.

Wegmans customer Lindsay Diamond Cary wrote to us that “I find it hard to believe that they were unable to attract enough shoppers to the space -it is ALWAYS packed when I am there, weekends or weekdays. How can we start a petition to keep the store??!” She added that “everyone that I know in Wellesley and Natick is not happy about this and agrees the store is always crowded. We speculate that they probably have high OpEx and are being squeezed out by the incoming Moms in Sherwood Plaza and the rumored Amazon Fresh in the Shopper’s World Plaza.”

Natick Report readers have been reacting to the surprising news on social media:

  • “Wegman’s has been my go-to’ grocery store since they opened. It always seemed busy so this news is truly shocking!”
  • “Prices are high but love shopping there. Garage parking in winter, easy access, great customer service, fresh foods, good bakery. Fixed costs are high there, I guess they need more customer traffic. Bet Stop and Shop and Roche Brothers are happy. Maybe the Stop and Shop will improve their customer service but won’t hold my breath.”
  • “What the F?!”

Natick has no shortage of grocery stores with Roche Bros., ALDI and Stop & Shop, and is about to get another at Sherwood Plaza, with a possible Amazon Fresh store going into a location vacated by Barnes & Noble.

Small area package stores might breathe a sign of relief, as a big box competitor goes away.

wegmans natick mall

THANK YOU to all who forwarded the Wegmans letter to us. We appreciate your efforts to help us report the news. Please send news tips, photos, ideas to natickreport@gmail.com


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Filed Under: Business, Food, Shopping



Natick business buzz: Swarms are visiting The Hive; Holistic Healing Open House event; Thank you to new advertiser Write Ahead

April 6, 2023 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

The latest Natick, Mass., business news:

The Hive is buzzing in Natick Center

We stopped by Natick Center’s newest retail venture, The Hive located at 22 N. Main St., to see what the multi-tenanted space is all about. On our way in we admired the flower boxes filled with blooming daffodils and hyacinths—curb appeal counts. Inside, the large space is loosely divided into about nine individual boutiques, each curated by a different small business owner. One area showcases vintage goods, artisanal soaps, and tea towels with bold graphics; children’s clothing, books, and toys are tucked into a front-window space; hand-made dolls wait to be taken home; a gallery wall displays art; and more.

That’s right now. A few months later a couple of businesses may have moved on to make way for, say, a maker who sells hand-knitted sweaters, or perhaps someone who handcrafts products from honey. It’s all part of the grand plan of the place.

The Hive, Natick

An important goal of the collaborative is to help small, local businesses to move on from a residency at The Hive to permanent tenancy elsewhere. What The Hive offers the members of its collective is a first step in running a business. Face it, between supervising (and paying for) renovations, buying fixtures and inventory, and hiring staff,  going it alone in a traditional bricks-and-mortar location can be a big, scary step. The Hive offers a shared space with shared responsibilities, which keeps expenses low.

Jill Hourihan of Metro Pets Boutique in Natick is behind the venture and explained, “What you’ll find with pop-up shops is that they’re usually the tenant between tenants. If you’re only there for a few months, how much can you invest in the community and how much can the community invest in you? This will be here for at least five years. We’ll have residencies between three and 12 months.”

The Hive, Natick

Meet several of the collaborative’s members:

The Hive, Natick

If joining The Hive sounds sweet, apply for residency.


Meet your next health practitioner at Holistic Healing

Holistic HealingHolistic Healing, Natick

On Wednesday May 3, from 6:30-8:30, Holistic Healing practitioners will be holding an open house in their serene and welcoming office space at 8 Pleasant St, Natick where attendees can learn about the holistic mind and body health services available to them. Light refreshments will be provided.

Attendees can sign up for a complimentary physical therapy postural or injury screen, get an intro nutrition counseling session, enjoy mini reiki and acupuncture sessions, learn about energy healing and attend a mini meditation workshop and qigong and self massage workshop.

Stop by to see how Holistic Healing practitioners can help you.

Thank you to new advertiser Write Ahead

We’re excited to have Write Ahead, which offers after-school and summer writing classes, as a new Natick Report sponsor. Please check out Write Ahead’s website to learn more about its analytic writing, college application essay, and other class offerings.

Write Ahead, Natick


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Filed Under: Business, Community, Shopping

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Top 10 things to do in Natick, Mass. in 2023

January 4, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

We’ve updated our popular “Top 10 things to do in Natick” page to remind everyone of how much the town has to offer. From hiking and bird watching at Mass Audubon’s Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, to catching some culture at The Center for Arts in Natick, or visiting the Natick History Museum (currently by appointment only) inside the Bacon Free Library, there’s plenty to do and see in Natick.

Have you experienced everything on our list?

TCAN

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Filed Under: Art, Bacon Free Library, Boston Marathon, Entertainment, Natick History Museum, Outdoors, Shopping, Theater

Natick Holiday Stroll brings out a festive crowd

December 19, 2022 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The annual Natick Holiday Stroll drew last-minute holiday gift shoppers, kids and their families on a quest to see Santa, and those who took the event at its word and were just in town to walk around and enjoy the lights before popping into a restaurant for Saturday night dinner.

Natick Holiday Stroll

Natick Center merchants took advantage of the mild-enough weather to throw open their doors in a welcome to shoppers. The strains of live music were audible from inside Baylee Bee, and a hustle-and-bustle scene was evident at Calliope Paperie, where author Lindsay Cadigan was signing copies of her book, Betty the Confetti Yeti. Paper Fiesta hosted Jonah’s Twisters, who gave out free balloon animals to excited children, who then could get further wound up by getting their faces painted at Sweetwaters (we saw 1 little kid fall on the sidewalk, and her face was perhaps saved from hitting the cement when her ballon animal—which did not pop—cushioned the fall). We missed out on the free soup at Agostino’s but are sure it was delicious.

Natick Holiday Stroll

In addition to the classic bricks-and-mortar shopping experience, local small business owners and non-profit organizations set up tables on the sidewalk to capture the street traffic.

Natick Holiday Stroll

 

Natick Holiday Stroll

The Natick Center Cultural District put together the event, designed to encourage people to shop and eat in Natick’s downtown district.

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A post shared by NCCD (@natickcenterculturaldistrict)


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Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Holidays, Shopping

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