Business

Jamaica Plain Recreational Marijuana Dispensary Opening on March 13

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It's been a long time coming, but it looks like Jamaica Plain will finally have an open recreational marijuana dispensary. Tomas Gonzalez, Chief Operating Officer of Core Cannabis LLC told Jamaica Plain News that the company will be opening its store Seed at 401A Centre St. in Hyde Square on Saturday, March 13 at 11 am to the public. They will be holding a soft opening on March 6 for friends, family, and invited guests. The approximate 6,000 sq.

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Restaurants

Top Mix Bar and Kitchen JP to Bring American-Caribbean Fusion Menu to Hyde Square

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Joseph Correia is looking forward to providing a distinct American-Caribbean fusion menu to his new restaurant, Top Mix Bar and Kitchen JP, in Hyde Square later this year. "We plan to provide a comfortable, fun, and unique environment for all patrons to come and enjoy amazing food, along with uniquely mixed spirits, beer, and wine," said Correia, owner and manager, to Jamaica Plain News. "As suggested by our name Top Mix, we provide what we consider 'traditional bar food but with a twist' that appeals to every and all types of customer tastes." The restaurant will be opening at 365 Centre St., which was most recently occupied by The Frogmore restaurant, which closed in 2020 due to the pandemic. Correia hopes to open the second quarter of 2021.

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Business

JP Marijuana Dispensary Virtual Job Fair on Jan. 29

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There will be a virtual job fair on Friday hiring for retail positions for the marijuana dispensary that will be opening later this year. The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) and the Office of Returning Citizens are co-hosting the job fair this Friday at 10 am. The Core dispensary will be opening the only adult-use marijuana business in Jamaica Plain in early 2021. Register for free to attend the virtual job fair at jpndc.org/corejobfair. You can email questions to Enrique Ponce at eponce@jpndc.org.

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Business

Organizers of Community Fridge Searching for New Location

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The organizers of the Jamaica Plain community fridge  are searching for a new location to host their project, but concerns about liability are making businesses hesitant to commit.  
The original fridge was located outside of D’Friends Barbershop in Hyde Square and was destroyed in a shooting on November 6th. It had been put in place in September as a way to combat spiking food insecurity
Like other community fridges that have sprung up across the US in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the JP fridge sought to fight food insecurity through a simple concept -- those passing by its brightly painted exterior could drop off food donations if able, or take food if in need. 
Josiel Gonzalez, a leading JP fridge volunteer, loved watching people peer into the fridge on their way to the nearby Whole Foods, then circle back on their way home to donate freshly purchased goods. According to Gonzalez, organizers already have a replacement refrigerator. D’Friends would be happy to host the new fridge, but Gonzalez explained that the D’Friends location was always temporary.

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Police and Fire

No One Injured After Stones Fall Off Blessed Sacrament Church

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For two days in a row the Boston Fire Department visited the Blessed Sacrament Church to attend to falling stones from the building. On Nov. 24, the Boston Fire Department tweeted that, "Some of the beautiful coping stones have show they're aging by falling to the steps below." No injuries were caused by the falling stones. The Blessed Sacrament Church is owned by Hyde Square Task Force, which purchased it in 2014 with the intent of redeveloping it into a community center.

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From the Community

Halloween Story Walk & Activity Packages in Hyde and Jackson Squares

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Celebrate Halloween with a Story Walk by taking a stroll down from Hyde Square to Jackson Square and grab a kids' activity bag with games and treats. The Story Walk can be completed at any time between October 26th and 31st. While walking you read from the children's book Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book by Yuyi Morales, which will be hanging in business windows from October 26th to October 31st. There will be two routes that you can follow: one starting at Jackson Square and the other from the Connolly Branch of the Boston Public Library. Both routes end at the Blessed Sacrament Plaza where there will be a photo booth set up.

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Business

Local Vyntage T-Shirt Biz Taking Over Sorella’s Old Spot

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A t-shirt company that prides itself on local memories is opening in the former spot of one of Jamaica Plain's favorite bygone restaurants. Local Vyntage is opening a retail store on the second floor of what was a dining area of the old Sorella's restaurant in Hyde Square. For several years the business has been operating online. "Local Vyntage is about connecting people through common, cherished memories and local icons," said Chet Winnicki, who co-owns the business with his wife Brittany. "One t-shirt we plan on making is a tribute to Sorella's.

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From the Community

Letter to the Editor: We Need to Keep Our Promise to Youth of Boston’s Latin Quarter

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I am writing this letter to call on the Hyde Square Task Force, elected officials, and our entire community to come together to find a solution to the future of the Blessed Sacrament Church. The announced decision that the church will be sold with no restrictions for luxury housing or some other use that won’t benefit the Latin Quarter will hurt both the future of our neighborhood and the legacy of a great organization that has done so much for the youth of our community. I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and have lived in Jamaica Plain since 1975, raising two kids as a single mother. I have owned a business here since 1980 and participated as an active volunteer for almost 40 years in the Business Association, Main Street program, Mount Pleasant Home, Spring House, and also with the Hyde Square Task Force. My two children and three siblings were educated at Blessed Sacrament School and my children were baptized in the church, which we attended every Sunday.

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History

Historical Society Leading (Real Life) Walking Tours of Stony Brook, Hyde Square, Jamaica Pond and More

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The Jamaica Plain Historical Society is leading four real life walking tours during the next four weekends. The hourlong tours are on Saturdays . The tour schedule is as follows: Stony Brook; Hyde Square; Green Street; and Jamaica Pond. JPHS has had to adapt their tours to modern pandemic times. "Luckily, the tours are all outside and that also makes things safer.

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Business

Frogmore Restaurant Says Farewell, Closing This Weekend

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The Frogmore's website says it will be serving brunch soon, adding another offering to its takeout and indoor dinner menu. But it appears brunch will not be on the menu, as the restaurant announced it will be closing this weekend. On Sunday, The Frogmore posted a video of a watermelon margarita melon being poured into a cup -- letting customers know that the tasty drinks are baaaaack. Then on Tuesday they posted a farewell message on Instagram saying, "Come say farewell to the Frogmore! Don't be sad, we had 5 great years."

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