We are excited to share the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion August newsletter featuring news, updates, and information from our Cabinet. | | ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION | |
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION CABINET LAUNCHES SUMMER OF 2026 COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SURVEY
In June and July 2026, Boston welcomed the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ and Sail Boston®, while celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
To add to the festivities, the City of Boston implemented social districts (where patrons could consume alcohol outside in public) at Union and Marshall Streets—located in Downtown’s Blackstone Block Historic District—and on Temple Place in Downtown Crossing. Businesses also had the option to extend liquor license hours until 3am. The last day for both initiatives was July 31.
The City of Boston Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Cabinet is interested in hearing from residents about their experience during June and July. Fill out this short survey by August 31 to share your feedback on the summer of 2026!
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BOSTON RANKED #1 U.S. METRO AREA FOR WORK BY INDEED
Boston is ranked #1 on the inaugural Best Cities for Work 2026 index compiled by Indeed.
The index scores 40 metrics across six pillars — job opportunity, compensation, job quality & security, career mobility & dynamism, work-life & flexibility, and economic opportunity — for 228 US metro areas with more than 200,000 residents.
Boston is particularly strong on compensation and mobility, as well as good on opportunity, quality, work-life balance, and economic opportunity.
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26TH ANNUAL GOSPEL FEST RETURNS TO CITY HALL ON AUGUST 30
Gospel Fest, an annual City event that showcases local and national gospel talent, will take place this Sunday, August 30, at 5:00 p.m. on City Hall Plaza. The show will be headlined by Billboard Gospel Charts-topping artist Todd Galberth.
Galberth will be joined by a lineup of talented performers including the Community Choir, City Praise Team, Jesus Gang The Family, Alexis Benoit, Angela Elizabeth, Pastor Jeremy D. Battle, and the Boston Latin School Gospel Choir. The Community Choir features more than 85 members representing nearly 40 churches across the city and region.
The event will feature food vendors, including Cool Shade Jamaican Food Truck, Gourmet Fingerz Southern Cuisine, Chivo Taqueria, and delicious cookies from Boston Cookie Kitchen. All attendees should bring their own chair to this event.
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NUBA CAFE, AN EXPANSION OF NUBIAN MARKETS, OPENS AT NORTHEASTERN’S LIGHTVIEW APARTMENTS
Congratulations to Nuba Cafe on their grand opening at 742 Columbus Avenue!
Founded by Yusuf Yassin and Ismail Samad, Nuba builds on the foundation of their Roxbury flagship location (Nubian Markets) while leaning even deeper into the stories, ingredients, and culinary traditions of the African diaspora. Nuba is more than a restaurant: it's a place where food becomes a way to understand history, culture, and community.
On Wednesday, August 19, representatives from the City of Boston, Boston Medical Center, Northeastern University, Boston Ujima Project, American Campus Communities, and community members joined Yusuf and Ismail for a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially welcome Nuba to the neighborhood.
City of Boston Interim Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Donald Wright presented a certificate of recognition on behalf of Mayor Michelle Wu and the City of Boston to honor this expansion of Nubian Markets, a SPACE Grant recipient.
Visit Nuba Cafe at 749 Columbus Avenue and learn more about Nuba Cafe nubianmarkets.com/kitchen-cafe.
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LOADZ LAUNDRY N DRY CLEANING CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING IN BRIGHTON
On Wednesday, August 26, Loadz Laundry N Dry Cleaning celebrated their grand opening at 142-144 Tremont Street in Brighton.
Abby Furey, Boston Main Streets Program Director for the City of Boston, joined owners for an official ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome Loadz Laundry N Dry Cleaning to the neighborhood.
Loadz Laundry N Dry Cleaning offers wash and fold, dry cleaning, sneaker cleaning, pickup & delivery, and monthly memberships — all under one roof, seven days a week.
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OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS ANNOUNCES RESTAURANT FINANCE WORKSHOP SERIES
The Restaurant Finance Workshop Series (September 28, 29, and 30), led by Prepshift and organized by the Office of Small Business, is designed to help restaurant owners and managers strengthen their financial foundations and improve profitability.
Through a virtual series of interactive workshops, participants will learn practical tools and strategies for understanding restaurant financials, controlling costs, and planning for growth. Each session combines instruction with real-world examples and actionable takeaways that participants can apply immediately in their own operations.
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LICENSING BOARD APPROVES NEW BATCH OF LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATIONS
This month, the Licensing Board approved applications from beer and wine licensees to upgrade to all alcohol licenses:
Additionally, the Licensing Board recently:
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Granted a CV license to MOTW Coffee and Pastries. Designed to be a third space in Downtown Boston, they plan to stay open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
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Approved the transfer of a liquor license which will allow The Sports Bra to open their first Boston location in the Financial District.
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Approved Brighton Sushi and Fry and Khau Galli (both in Brighton) to extend their closing hours to 2 am.
- Approved multiple businesses located within Boston Logan International Airport to extend their hours to 2 am.
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Approved 7th Street Burger in Back Bay to extend their closing hours to 1 am.
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Granted a CV license to Ruthie's Juice Cafe in Charlestown, a City of Boston SPACE Grant recipient.
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TOURISM, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT
DONNA SUMMER DISCO PARTY
August 28 | City Hall Plaza | 5 pm - 9 pm
Dance the night away to all of Donna Summer’s greatest hits on City Hall Plaza featuring glow sticks, bubbles, colorful lights, a disco ball, and roller skating.
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TOURISM, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT
OPEN STREETS BOSTON - MATTAPAN
September 12 | Blue Hill Avenue | 10:30 am - 3 pm
Open Streets Boston will transform Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan, from River Street to Babson Street, into a vibrant, car-free boulevard featuring live music, food trucks, kid's activities, and much more!
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GREATER BOSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FORUM
September 16 | Boston Marriott Copley Place | 9:45 am - 11 am
In her annual address to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Wu will share her policy priorities with 600 business and community leaders.
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BOSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL
Suffolk University snags first city grant for small business program
The City of Boston's Office of Small Business awarded Suffolk University $50,000 for its Business Advancement for Small Enterprises (BASE) program. Suffolk's BASE program trains 40 early-stage entrepreneurs through bootcamps, mentorship, and student consulting. [READ MORE]
THE DORCHESTER REPORTER
City Leaders Say That A Busy Summer's Events Gave Big Boost To Local Economy
The city of Boston saw roughly $83 million in consumer spending accompanied by an estimated $1.5 million boost in tax revenue in June, according to Mayor Wu. [READ MORE]
WCVB
Boston bars, restaurants see biggest World Cup spending jump among host cities
Director of Nightlife Economy Corean Reynolds sits down with Jessica Brown to discuss everything the city’s nightlife has to offer and where there's room to grow. [WATCH VIDEO]
BOSTON GLOBE
Hub for underserved entrepreneurs to open in downtown Boston
Boston nonprofit Lawyers for Civil Rights is opening a hub for small business owners from underserved communities in Massachusetts this fall, aiming to provide free legal training, co-working space, and other resources to hundreds of entrepreneurs. [READ MORE]
BAY STATE BANNER
City to conduct disparity study to help minority, women-owned small businesses
The Bay State Banner spoke exclusively to the city’s Director of Supplier Diversity Andrea Swain about the City's upcoming disparity study and how it will benefit the community. [READ MORE]
BOSTON GLOBE
50 years after Donna Summer's first hit, Boston fans gather at a party fit for a (disco) queen
The Boston Globe spotlights the annual Donna Summer Disco Party on City Hall Plaza produced by the city's Office of Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment, and discusses Donna Summer's greatest hits since 1976. [READ MORE]
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BOSTON BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: CHATTERMARK DISTILLERS
Boston has three distilleries and we’re spotlighting them all through our Made In Boston video series.
Our next episode in this series highlights Chattermark Distillers. Founded in 2019, Chattermark Distillers is an award winning, veteran-owned, made from scratch, craft whiskey distillery in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood.
In this episode, learn from Founder and CEO John Sorgini about how his U.S. Air Force service inspired different elements of the Chattermark Distillers brand from its logo to the way its barrels are labeled. John also takes City of Boston Business Strategy Manager Jeanne Dasaro on a tour of Chattermark Distillers, sharing more about the company’s products, processes, and craft along the way.
Visit Chattermark Distillers at 200 Terminal Street in Charlestown.
Learn more about Chattermark Distillers at chattermarkdistillers.com.
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Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion
1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
econdev@boston.gov
617-635-5729
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