We are excited to share the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion March newsletter. Each month, we share news, updates, and important information from our cabinet. | | |
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CITY OF BOSTON LICENSING BOARD ANNOUNCES THE APPROVAL OF 37 NEW LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATIONS
On February 13, the City of Boston Licensing Board announced the approval of 37 new liquor licenses for various establishments across Boston’s neighborhoods. The establishments—including 28 that received approval on February 13—span neighborhoods across Boston, including Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Oak Square, Roslindale, and Roxbury. The Licensing Board sent the applications approved on February 13 to the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) for further review.
On February 16, Mayor Michelle Wu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Segun Idowu, and City of Boston staff visited Blue Mountain Jamaican Restaurant (pictured above), one of the 37 establishments recently approved for a liquor license. The Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion supported Mattapan's Blue Mountain Jamaican Restaurant through the Re-FRESH Grant program, SPACE Grant program, and ReStore program leading up to the opening of their new location at 1301 Blue Hill Avenue in December 2024.
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ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION | |
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DEPUTY CHIEF DONALD WRIGHT MODERATES PANEL AT MIT HONORING THE LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
On February 12, Deputy Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Donald Wright led a panel discussion for Massachusetts Institute of Technology's annual MLK Speaker Series, honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Panelists reflected on Dr. King’s vision of a ‘society at peace with itself,’ shared their perspectives on how to uphold Dr. King’s dream in civic spaces, and the importance of driving meaningful change not only in big spaces but within small, local spaces.
Panelists included:
- Isaac Yablo, Senior Advisor for Community Safety for the City of Boston
- Lori Nelson, Senior Advisor on Racial Justice for the City of Boston
- Joshua Reed-Diawuoh, Founder of GRIA Food Co.
- Niko Emack, Affiliated Faculty, Emerson College School of Communication
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MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF SOUL & SPICE IN NUBIAN SQUARE
On February 20, Mayor Michelle Wu, elected officials, and Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Segun Idowu joined Soul & Spice owners Boyce Slayman and Will Yakah to celebrate their grand opening.
Soul & Spice, located at 2306 Washington Street within the Bolling Building in Nubian Square, brings together the bold flavors of West African cuisine and the comforting tastes of African American BBQ. The Office of Small Business has supported Soul & Spice through the ReStore program. Their new storefront signage will be installed in the coming weeks.
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SMALL BUSINESS
SESIÓN INFORMATIVA DE APOYO Y RECURSOS EMPRESARIALES
March 10 | Gloria's Beauty Center | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Unase a la Oficina para Pequeñas Empresas de la ciudad de Boston para una sesión informativa de apoyo y recursos empresariales organizada en español, el lunes 10 de marzo de 10:00 a.m. a 1:00 p.m. en Gloria’s Beauty Center.
Join the City of Boston's Office of Small Business for a business support and resource information session, hosted in Spanish, on Monday, March 10, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Gloria’s Beauty Center.
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LICENSING BOARD
ROSLINDALE/WEST ROXBURY LIQUOR LICENSE INFO SESSION
March 11 | Roslindale Branch of the Boston Public Library | 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Join the City of Boston Licensing Board and Office of Small Business for a liquor license information session at the Roslindale Branch of the Boston Public Library on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 4:00 pm.
Business owners looking to apply for a liquor license or learn about the state's 2024 liquor license legislation are encouraged to attend this session.
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MAYOR'S OFFICE OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT
WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEUR BOSTON (WEBOS) SUMMIT
March 16 | Boston City Hall | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Join the Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement for the inaugural WEBOS Summit. The event will feature expert-led workshops, technical support, networking opportunities, and food trucks on site. The summit also includes a pop-up shop showcasing local women-owned small businesses, a $5,000 pitch competition hosted by Allison Byers, and performances by Oompa and The Femmes with sounds by DJ Troy Frost.
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BOSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL
Nine new restaurants to open downtown, plus more retail news
Despite worries that hybrid work patterns are hurting downtown Boston’s restaurants and retailers, nine new restaurants are coming to Downtown Crossing, the Financial District and City Hall Plaza. [READ MORE]
BOSTON GLOBE
Boston issues 37 new liquor licenses for restaurants and community groups from Mattapan to East Boston
Flush with new liquor licenses to give out, the Boston Licensing Board has issued alcohol permits to 37 restaurants and community organizations across the city from Mattapan to East Boston, the bulk of them approved on Thursday. [READ MORE]
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In honor of Black History Month, we spotlighted three Black-owned legacy businesses across our social media channels in February. Collectively, these businesses have been operating in Boston for 174 years.
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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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