Good morning friends,

The big dig begins. And we start with not-quite-a-fairy-tale.

Once upon a time, in a land not far away, a well-meaning town leader found a magic lamp while strolling through her community’s very charming downtown.

After picking it up and giving it a few good rubs, a genie appeared, offering three wishes.

She thought carefully about her town’s needs and values.

Find out what she wished for (and why a happily ever ending has been elusive) in an op-ed I wrote this week for CommonWealth Beacon.

Supreme Court ruling unlikely to bring relief

When you’re running a business, you can handle almost anything — high costs, tough competition, even bad news — as long as the rules are clear.

What’s brutal is not knowing what’s next.

The Supreme Court’s decision last week striking down President Trump’s sweeping tariffs is a milestone win for the separation of powers.  But it’s unclear how much certainty it restores.

“The ruling gave Trump an opening to back off his unpopular tariffs,”  the Globe’s Larry Edelman wrote. “Instead, he doubled down,” racing to replace the old tariffs with new ones and prolonging the uncertainty.

(Although Trump says he’s imposing a 15% global tariff, the administration has yet to do so, Bloomberg reports.  Effective today, the levy is 10%.)  

We conducted a quick (and unscientific) survey of some of our members yesterday. More than 70% reported higher costs from the tariffs since “Liberation Day” last April. Of those, more than half raised their prices.

We also asked if they thought last week’s ruling would lower their costs. Only 7% told us they thought it would. About 60% said it’s too soon to know.

Asked if they expected to see refunds on an estimated $100 billion in illegally collected tariffs, almost no one is holding their breath.

Sixty-three percent expect no reimbursement. Just one respondent out of more than 40 anticipates a refund. Everyone else was unsure.

“I am not confident that I will get any of this money back," the owner of a candy shop told us.

“We paid around $300K in tariffs in 2025, and we were NOT able to pass the cost to clients,” another member told us. “It has affected our hiring and compensation. We are not sure if we can claw the money back because it may be costly (lawyers, time, etc.)."

"The bigger issue is just the unknown,” added another.

Tuesday grab bag

• Don’t forget to be extra nice this week to all those essential workers who’ve been working around the clock to dig us out, staff emergency facilities and work behind cash registers and at coffee shops.
  
  
• The BC Heights Grace Duffy and Nathan Yarnall have published an illuminating profile of our chamber’s board chair and entrepreneur, Angela Pitter. I talk with Pitter nearly every day and learned things I never knew.
  
  
• Mortgage rates dropped below 6% yesterday, the lowest since 2022. (CNBC)
  
  
• The Town of Needham hosts a public input session for businesses and commercial property owners on proposed updates to town-wide parking requirements tomorrow (Weds), 9 a.m., at the Public Services Administration Building and via Zoom. Details
  
  
• For the first time in more than 150 years, The Boston Globe will not be printing a newspaper today due to the blizzard. However, subscribers will receive a copy of Tuesday’s edition along with Wednesday’s paper. I suspect I’ll uncover the copy delivered yesterday sometime in May.
  
  
• Educational Advocates College Consulting, a Brookline-based chamber member with over 20 years of experience, has joined Galin Education to expand its nationwide college admissions advising services.  
  
  
  
• A convenience store called Liliko will bring Asian snacks, bubble teas and beauty products to Wellesley Hills at 268 Washington St., a former Subway location. (Swellesley Report)
  
  
• Nordblom Company is proposing a new seven-floor apartment building with 103 units on the site of a private parking lot it has owned for decades in Coolidge Corner.  (Brookline News)
  
  
• We recently launched a new effort to better connect our business and nonprofit communities through volunteerism. Chamber nonprofit members are encouraged to submit their volunteer needs .
  
  
• Congrats on completing your doctorate Rümeysa Öztürk.

First Citizens moves forward with Wellesley Hills project

First Citizens Bank’s planned ground-up redevelopment of the former Taylor True Value Rental site at 26 Washington St. in Wellesley’s Lower Falls is moving forward.

This week, bank representatives are scheduled to meet with town officials to begin the permitting process on a 15,000 SF Wellesley branch and offices.

First Citizens, a North Carolina–based regional bank, entered the Massachusetts market three years ago through its purchase of Silicon Valley Bank, which later folded.

Regional Executive VP Ron Sanchez told the Globe’s Jon Chesto last year that the bank could invest at least $15 million in the property.

Our restaurants fight winter with meals for those in need

Chris Osborn (Better Life Food) and Ron Stoloff (Blue Ribbon BBQ) deliver meals to the Newton Food Pantry.

Baramor, DePasquale's, Sandwich Works, Better Life Food, Blue Ribbon BBQ, Bill's Pizzeria and Johnny's delivered nearly 500 meals last week to the Newton Food Pantry, Welcome Home, the West Suburban YMCA and Centre St. Food Pantry.

It was all part of our Nourishing Newton program, with Rotary Club of Newton volunteers helping make it happen. Deliveries from more than 20 Newton restaurants will continue in the weeks ahead —  a boost to both our neighbors in need and local restaurants battling our cold, snowy winter.

Funded through a state earmark secured by Sen. Cindy Creem, the program purchases prepared meals from local independent restaurants and distributes them to food pantries and community programs.

A similar program run through the Brookline Chamber is just wrapping up.

And Nourishing Wellesley launches soon. We’re still accepting Wellesley restaurants to participate.

That’s what you need to know for today, unless you need to know about the  teacher who attempted to turn the parents of a kindergartener into ICE.

Be better than that, OK? Good luck digging out.

Greg Reibman (he, him)

President & CEO

Charles River Regional Chamber

617.244.1688

I value your feedback

Max Woolf contributed to today’s newsletter.