Good morning friends,

Another one of our region’s legacy retailers is closing.

Only this place also once played a pivotal role shaping our region’s economy too.

“You-do-it” Electronics Center in Needham is closing after 75 years in business, including six decades at its impossible-to-miss location along I-95/Route 128.

For generations, You-do-it was the go-to stop for audio, electronics and other DIY nerds. (And I use ‘nerd’ in the most respectful way.) If you grew up locally and didn’t buy a TV, radio, or an antenna there, your parents, or grandparents, probably did. (And you may need to Google “antenna”)

You-do-it also belongs in the history books for its contribution to the computer revolution that emerged along America's Technology Highway in the late ‘50s.

Entrepreneurs, inventors and tech workers turned to You-do-it for the tubes, the tube testers, switches and virtually every other hard-to-find electronic and tech component.

It was Radio Shack on steroids, long before Amazon killed so many businesses, in an era when folks fixed stuff, rather than tossed stuff.

John Ahigian, who died at 94 in 2022, founded You-do-it in 1949. His children, grandchildren and other relatives worked in the family business.

“After many fulfilling years of serving our community, we're announcing the closure of our beloved store,” the family said in a statement. “While the decision to close is bittersweet, we know that the memories created will endure.”

A final closing date has not been announced. Nor is what will happen to the neon You-do-it sign that’s every bit as iconic out here in our burbs (can you see it in your minds’ eye when you listen to this?), as the Cito sign is in Kenmore Square.

Let’s hope someone is working on preserving it.

Eastern merger with Cambridge Trust approved 

Eastern Bank’s long-awaited merger with Cambridge Trust has been cleared to proceed.

The arrangement will create a $26 billion-asset bank and the biggest Massachusetts-based bank, ahead of the $19.35 billion-asset Rockland Trust and $12.42 billion-asset Berkshire Bank, according to Banker & Tradesman.

Eastern CEO and chair Bob Rivers will retain his seat as board chair but give the CEO role over to Cambridge Trust Chairman, President and CEO Denis Sheahan. Eastern Bank President Quincy Miller will continue in that role with added responsibilities.

Good news, not such good news, for local biotechs

Three local life science companies kept Hannah Green at the BBJ busy last week:

Watertown’s Orna Therapeutics announced it will acquire Cambridge-based ReNAgade Therapeutics. Teams from both companies will be based at Orna’s Watertown headquarters at 500 Forge.

After a trial of a drug to treat sinus inflammation failed to meet the goals of a late-stage trial earlier this month, Lyra Therapeutics said it is cutting workforce and looking to sublease some facilities at 480 Arsenal Way in Watertown and 880 Winter Street in Waltham as it hunts for “strategic options.”

Needham cancer drug developer Verastem Oncology saw its stock plunge last week after the 117 Kendrick Street-located company announced it planned to apply for accelerated approval of its experimental combination of two drugs for adults with a rare form ofovarian cancer. The company’s stock decline was likely triggered by the revelationt hat Verastem is now seeking approval in a smaller patient population than initially expected, according to Green.

It’s a nifty idea. But it’s not much money 

State Sen. Becca Rausch stood on a State House balcony last week and said she was “thrilled to be able to share” that she was able to include $150,000 into the just-passed Senate budget for small business grants to underwrite the costs of converting away from single-use plastics, including food packaging, bags and water bottles, reports Cameron Morsberger at Needham Local.

Sounds like a nifty idea. And we appreciate the sentiment. Except $150,000 in one-time grants won’t go very far considering how many small businesses there are across 351 cities and towns in the state and how pricey many of these alternatives to single-use plastic products are.

Rausch’s measure still needs to survive the conference committee process.

Today’s grab bag

• There’s only two days left to participate in the City of Newton’s online survey that aims to measure how residents, businesses, workers and visitors feel the city does on issues related to integrating diversity, equity and inclusion. The deadline is Friday.
• GBH News reporter James Bennett II recently visited the wondrous Sevan Bakery on Mount Auburn Street in Watertown and asked: What is Kaymak and why does it cost $30 per pound?
• Renovations to the interior of Wellesley Town Hall are moving forward. Photos.
• Needham baker Le Petit Four Bakery is opening a location this fall at the site of the dearly-missed White’s Bakery in Wellesley’s Playhouse Square. (Swellesley Report)
• Celebrate National Trails Day and take this scenic, easy, short walk on Saturday, June 1(1-2pm) with the Wellesley Trails Committee along the Charles River at the Wellesley Office Park. (Swellesley Report)
• Watertown’s Department of Community Development and Planning is hiring a Senior Planner for Economic Development 
• Newton For Everyone hosts “Can New Development Help School Budgets in Cities like Newton?”, tomorrow (May 30), 7 p.m. in person at Congregation Dorshei Tzedek and virtually on zoom. Register.
• Emily Norton, executive director of the Charles River Watershed Association, will present a talk entitled “The State of the Charles River,” June 6, 7:30 p.m. at the Needham Free Library. RSVP
• Looking for something to do tonight? Join Mass Bay Community College and the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra at 6 p.m. for "Colors of Culture," a benefit concert at the Wellesley Hills campus, showcasing diverse music from around the world. RSVP.
• Celebrate Newton's 150th Birthday at Fire Department Headquarters, Newton Centre on Sunday (June 2) 10 a.m. to noon. No sign up required.
• If you’re planning on playing our Aug. 5 golf tournament at Woodland, the early bird discount ends on Friday.

MBTA awarded $67.6M to improve Green Line stops

More than one dozen above-ground Green Line stops will be getting accessibility upgrades thanks to a $67.6 million Federal Transit Administration grant awarded yesterday.

The money will be used to upgrade 14 stations that are currently not accessible to riders with disabilities: Chestnut Hill, Chiswick Road, Packard's Corner, South Street, Sutherland Road, Brandon Hall, Dean Road, Englewood Avenue, Fairbanks Street, Hawes Street, Kent Street, Saint Paul Street, Summit Avenue and Tappan Street, according to State House News.

Newton firm adds focus on housing advocacy

Newton-based Ball Consulting Group, LLC, a strategic communications firm focused on health care, nonprofits, and education, as well as crisis planning, communications and management (and is, of course, a chamber member) is launching Housing Lab, a new “hyperspecialization” dedicated to overcoming the housing crisis.

“It’s something I’ve thought about for many many years,” company founder and President David Ball tells James Sanna at Banker & Tradesman. “I see the crisis worsening and see people being priced out of the market, and young people who can’t afford to rent – let alone buy. The competitiveness of the region is at stake.”

Ball says he’s planning on hiring new staff for the endeavor, which will serve for-profit and nonprofit developers and housing development trade groups – among the company’s traditional clients – while aiming to also attract advocacy groups and businesses looking to help fill a housing shortfall.

Finally, a place to place those empty pizza boxes

Those recycling bins that have just been installed at locations across Needham are for pizza boxes.

And they’re made by the Needham-based smart trash receptacle company Bigbelly.

“This has been in response to increased outdoor dining, especially on early release school days and with regular pizza parties at the playground,” said Matt DeMarrais, superintendent of Recycling and Solid Waste Division.

“The traditional Bigbelly recycling barrels cannot accept pizza boxes without being jammed so the new pizza box barrels are a great solution.”

There are currently a total of 32 Bigbelly trash barrels and 18 Bigbelly recycling barrels at 32 public locations around Needham.

That’s what you need to know for today, unless you need to know about secret thing your workers are doing while working remotely.

Greg Reibman (he, him)

President & CEO

Charles River Regional Chamber

617.244.1688

Keep up with news from our members here.