St. Mark's Area Main Street

Karen Henry-Garrett (left) and Estela Marina

For Valentine’s Day – and beyond - Dot 2 Dot Cafe and Harmony Floral Designs have joined forces to bring Dorchester a one-stop shop for great food and beautiful flowers.

Dot-2-Dot and Harmony are located at 1739 Dorchester Ave (3 doors south from St. Mark’s Church).  Hours of operation: 8 am to 2 pm, Tuesday through Sunday.  Dot-2-Dot Valentine gift baskets start at $15.  Bouquets and floral designs from Harmony Floral Designs – please ask for prices.

For more information, please call the cafe at 617-436-2368, Harmony at 617-288-6300 (number will be active as of Feb 6), or visit www.dot2dotcafe.com

Ashmont Cycles, Ashmont Grill, Epiphany School and Mass Affordable Housing Alliance have joined businesses from across the region in dedicating the next year to increase their sustainability and reduce energy use through participation in  A Better City’s “Challenge for Sustainability.”

Participants in the 2012 Challenge include some of Boston’s largest buildings and progressive
businesses, from convention centers to small pizza shops.

Thanks to our local businesses and organizations, SMAMS has the highest participation rate of any Main Street district in Boston!

The Challenge helps businesses save money by increasing energy efficiency, reducing resource consumption, decreasing solid waste, and reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions. ABC provides participants with hands-on technical assistance, access to energy audits, guidance in developing and implementing a sustainability plan, and connection to a network of sustainability professionals and practitioners for networking and best practices sharing.

Participation for businesses throughout Boston’s Main Streets districts has been made possible through a partnership with the City of Boston and funding from The Boston Foundation.

The Challenge for Sustainability was launched in 2009 by A Better City, a non-profit business association focused on transportation, land development, and environmental initiatives aimed at improving the economic competitiveness of Greater Boston.

Thanks to all who attended our Quarterly Business Networking Breakfast on January 19  at Ashmont Grill. The breakfast, sponsored by Eastern Bank, featured presentations by Eastern’s Nick Calos, Brandon Guillermo of Diverse Elements Consulting, and and a feature presentation on the Boston Business Hub, a City-sponsored web site with a wealth of information on starting, managing, expanding or relocating your business.  For the Boston.com story on the breakfast, please click here.  Watch for our next breakfast in the spring!

“Deck the Windows” is a competition and celebration featuring the best-decorated business windows from 18 local Main Street districts around Boston. The business chosen as the Citywide winner will receive a special presentation from Mayor Menino at their shop on December 20th.

Please give your vote to SMAMS’ window champion, GiGi Hair Concept, by visiting http://www.cityofboston.gov/lightsonmain/windows2011/

Please also forward to to your friends & family everywhere – worldwide votes are accepted!

Those without Internet access can vote by phone at 617-701-6267.

GiGi Hair Concept, located at 1730 Dorchester Ave., is a full-service hair salon serving more than 300 clients from all backgrounds and cultures. They also offer services for clients with conditions such as alopecia.

Voting closes 9:00 AM December 19, so please vote early and spread the word!

After voting, please stop by GiGi’s for a visit, and please check out all of SMAMS’ participating businesses:

Eden Natural Lifestyle Boutique (honorable mention), 1882 Dorchester Ave

Jack Conway, Realtor (honorable mention) 1810 Dorchester Ave

Tavolo Ristorante, 1918 Dorchester Ave

Flat Black Coffee Company, 1906 Dorchester Ave

Yankee Insurance, 569 Talbot Ave

Ashmont Grill, 555 Talbot Ave

Ashmont Realty, 551B Talbot Avenue

Ashmont Cycles, 551A Talbot Ave

Sea Breeze Mexican Grill, 1782 Dorchester Ave

Celia & Company Furniture, Clothing & Accessories, 1775-A Dorchester Ave

House of Kay’s Boutique, 1758 Dorchester Ave

Dot-2-Dot Cafe, 1739 Dorchester Ave

Beauty Line Beauty Supply, 1692 Dorchester Ave

Peabody Square Rain Garden (photo by Charles River Watershed Assoc)

On Dec. 5, WGBH Radio aired a feature story on the “rain garden” in Peabody Square. For the full story of this natural way to filter storm water, Please click here.

The Rain Garden grew out of SMAMS’ 2004 community planning project, funded by Boston Main Streets, which led to the overall redesign of the Square. The City’s Dept. of Environmental & Energy Services played a key role in funding the rain garden, which serves as a pilot program for other infrastructure renovations around the City. The Department also connected SMAMS with the Charles River Watershed Association, with whom we collaborated on design of the rain garden and on another filtration system, the “porous pavement” plaza in front of Ashmont Grill.

Thanks to all who joined Santa & Mrs. Claus for the annual Peabody Square Tree Lighting on Saturday, Nov. 26!

Many thanks to our MC, Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry, The Boston City Singers, and our many co-sponsors: Mayor Thomas Menino; MBTA; Councilor Ayanna Pressley; Councilor Charles Yancey; Sheriff Andrea Cabral; Ashmont Hill Association; Ashmont-Adams Neighborhood Association; Dorchester Holiday Celebrations Committee; Dot Art; Fuller-Bailey Neighborhood Association; Parish of All Saints, Ashmont; 1810 Realty Group; Ashmont Grill; Tavolo Ristorante; Eastern Bank; Flat Black Coffee Company; Boston Bowl; commentopia.com; Designer Draperies; Trinity Financial; Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services/Chris English; Boston Parks & Recreation; Boston Fire Dept Engine 18/Ladder 6; Boston Police Area C-11; Transit Police; Mass Convention Center Authority; and City View Trolleys.

Many thanks to all who joined SMAMS and Fields Corner Main Street for Martinis on the Avenue/Feeney-Tini and helped honor our friend and Councillor Maureen Feeney.

For a full gallery of photos from the event, please click here, and use the password FeeneyTini (case-sensitive).

Photos are available for purchase from our photographer Mike Ritter, and a portion of the proceeds will go to SMAMS and Fields Corner Main Street.

Thanks once again to our sponsors!

The Blarney Stone, Auctioneer Craig Galvin, Cedar Grove Gardens, Century 21 Cahill Associates, Eire Pub, Fields Corner CDC, Hon. Linda Dorcena Forry, Hon Martin Walsh, H. Levenbaum Realty, Fields Corner CDC, McCourt Construction, Viet-AID, Ashmont Auto Collision, Ashmont Tire, Gerard’s Restaurant, Historic Boston Incorporated, John C. Gallagher Insurance Agency, Mohawk Insurance, St. Joseph Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center, Super 99 Cent Plus, Tedeschi Food Shops, Inc, Tedeschi’s Peabody Square, Tevnan/Tevnan, Yankee Insurance, Metalsmiths, Bulfinch Benefits, OutFit Bootcamps & Personal Training, Entertainment Cruises, Ashmont Grill, Tavolo Ristorante, Adams Fish Market, Aidan’s Barbershop, Butcher Shop Market, Sea Breeze Mexican Grill, Pho Hoa Restaurant, Pho Le Restaurant, Origins, Savin Bar & Kitchen, Boston Beer Garden, The Playwright, American Provisions, Habit Boutique, Ku De Ta Boutique, Champagne Nails, Flood Square Hardware, Indulge Day Spa, B Boutique, Abby Park Restaurant, Emmerson Animal Hospital, Green Hills Bakery, Dutch Maid Bakery, Hair Image Salon.

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Mark your calendar! Wednesday, Nov 16, 7:00 PM, at the Blarney Stone in Fields Corner – for the 7th annual “Martinis on the Avenue,” a fundraiser to support the work of SMAMS and Fields Corner Main Street.

This year’s event, featuring the Feeney-Tini, honors the long and dedicated service of our friend and District City Councillor, Maureen Feeney.

$30 advance, $35 at the door helps SMAMS and FCMS revitalize our Dorchester Ave business districts. Enjoy the Blarney’s great hors d’oeuvres and cash bar! Meet old and new friends and try a Feeney-Tini! Bid on great items at our live auction! Advance tickets are available at www.fieldscorner.org. For more information, call 617-474-1432 or visit www.fieldscorner.org

Thanks to our sponsors!

Cedar Grove Gardens, Eire Pub, Fields Corner CDC, Hon. Linda Dorcena Forry, H. Levenbaum Realty, McCourt construction, Viet-AID

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