First gut punch of 2026
First gut punch of 2026
Good morning,
I hope your new year is off to a great start.
Today, we look at a not very strategic Strategic Plan in Newton and sad news about another beloved local shop that’s closed its doors.
But first, a quick plug for our Winter Celebration event at Greatland Reality Partners’ jaw-dropping facility at 275 Grove Street in Auburndale, next Wednesday (Jan. 14).
With more than 200 people already registered, it’s shaping up to be a who’s who of our region’s business community—but only if you’re there too, of course!
The first gut punch of 2026
Losing a cherished family business is always a gut punch.
We begin 2026 with just that: news that Wellesley Toy Shop has closed after 32 years in Wellesley Square.
The downtown destination at 59 Central St. posted a message thanking its customers, employees, and landlord, according to the Swellesley Report. (Gift cards will be honored at the Needham Learning Express.)
This loss isn’t just about nostalgia or charm, although Andy Brown’s lovingly curated business provided both for generations of kids of all ages.
It’s about jobs, livelihoods and the economic vibrancy of the square itself.
It’s also not an outlier. Fifty-one percent of retailers said in a Retailers Association of Massachusetts survey last year that they don’t expect to still be operating by 2030.
It doesn’t help that our communities are losing young families due to high costs and limited housing supply.
Which is why our chamber will continue to be a pain in the butt when it comes to advocating for housing and lowering the costs of doing business again this year.
A missed opportunity in Newton
Just days before now-Mayor Marc Laredo moved into Newton City Hall, the Fuller administration released its long-anticipated, $50,000 Economic Development Strategic Plan.
Ideally, such a document would provide a roadmap — or at least data-driven suggestions — for Laredo’s new economic development team to follow.
Over 65 pages, the report highlights many of Newton’s strengths: quality of life, world-class schools, market demographics, a prime location and more. It also offers common-sense recommendations, such as streamlining permitting and investing in the arts.
But overall, the plan frames economic development as a standalone municipal exercise – and that’s a colossal oversight.
Economic growth across Greater Boston is interconnected. Yet there’s barely any discussion in the consulting team Camoin Associates’ report of collaboration with state agencies, regional business organizations, or neighboring municipalities.
It also barely, if at all, acknowledges emerging growth sectors that have shaped the Massachusetts economy, including the life sciences and lab sector, even though Newton is home to several biotechs and a thriving lab incubator.
There are no references to AI as an exploding industry. There’s no mention of clean tech or green tech, or other emerging technology sectors, including robotics, that are actively shaping Massachusetts’ economy.
These are all sectors that other communities across the Commonwealth, the country and the globe are competing aggressively to attract.
The Healey-Driscoll administration has committed $500 million to life sciences, $400 million to climate tech and clean energy, and $100 million to establish a statewide Artificial Intelligence Hub. It’s part of nearly a $4 billion investment to strengthen Massachusetts’ economy over the next decade.
Yet there’s no suggestion that the city tap into any of this. There’s no discussion of how state priorities could benefit Newton’s future.
That’s not just a missed opportunity — it’s an out-of-touch assessment of today’s economic reality.
The irony is that the $50,000 spent to produce this plan was state-funded. Meanwhile, many of the industries it overlooks already have a foothold here— sectors we hope Newton’s new mayor will see as worth nurturing.
I value your input.
We’re launching a group for Latino and Hispanic professionals
Chamber members Mónica González, Juan Wulff and Claudia Carroll recently approached us with the idea of forming a networking group to bring Latino and Hispanic professionals together to build community and connections.
We were all in.
Learn more about IMPACTO at an info session at the Needham Workbar on Jan. 29, at 8:30 a.m. to learn more. RSVP
Tuesday grab bag
- Businessman and town activist Bill Dermody is running for Needham Select Board in April. Incumbents Cathy Dowd’s and Marianne Cooley’s seats are up for reelection. Dowd is expected to run again. Cooley is stepping away.
- Nineteen homes are being proposed at 592 Washington St. in Wellesley Square. The developer will seek a special permit and present to the Design Review Board on Wednesday night.
- One of the loudest applause lines during Mayor Marc Laredo’s inaugural address last week came when he promised to revamp the “city’s website to make it far more user-friendly.” In the meantime, we have Fig City News’ user-friendly What’s Up in Newton municipal calendar.
- J. Derenzo Properties is presenting an early concept for a three- to four-story mixed-use project at the former Hillcrest Gardens site on Great Plain Ave. to the Needham Planning Board tonight.
- Newton Ward 2 City Councilor David Micley is moving to Ward 6, yet can keep his seat for two more years under city rules, reports the Newton Beacon. “It is legal,” Councilor Andrea Kelley wrote in a recent newsletter, “…but some feel let down.” This matters on a council viewed as split 13–11, with Micley in the majority. If he hadn’t run because he knew he was moving, it’s conceivable the council might have elected a different president.
- Happy 20th birthday to the Swellesley Report. Show your appreciation here.
- Kestrel Therapeutics is moving into Watertown’s Arsenal on the Charles campus. The biotech startup is advancing new drug therapies for hard-to-treat cancers caused by genetic mutations. Watertown BIO.
- Meet the Newton couple who shopped locally in 351 cities and towns across Massachusetts. (CBS Boston)
- The average homebuyer in Greater Boston will need to save for two decades to afford a down payment, according to a new analysis from Realtor.com. (Banker & Tradesman)
- Cannabis prices in Massachusetts are sitting at their lowest point since the state’s recreational pot market opened more than seven years ago. (BBJ)
- Yes, that was rapper Cardi B in the produce section at Star Market in Dedham. (MassLive)
Just one more thing….
Finally, be sure and read Aaron Goldman’s lovely reminiscence of his decades-long friendship with former Mayor Setti Warren, as published by Fig City News.
And that’s what you need to know — yes, it’s January 6th, grrrrr — unless you need to know about the guy whose simple idea has saved us all from a lot of grief at the gas pump.
RIP The Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Be back Friday!
President & CEO
Charles River Regional Chamber
617-799-0550
I always value your feedback