Menu...
Home / Commentarytitle_li=Newstitle_li=The Localist Movement

Category: News

Small Business Saturday is November 26th

November 25, 2016
 |  No Comments
 |  Categories: Commentary, News, The Localist Movement

by Aravinda Ananda Waltham Local First Co-Founder & Treasurer The holiday shopping season is upon us! Surely everyone knows about Black Friday when major retailers offer blockbuster sales. But does everyone know about Small Business Saturday? It is happening this year on November 26 and is a day to show some love to some of the many wonderful small, local businesses right here in Waltham that offer some unique finds and excellent gifts for the holiday season. Launched in November...

Read More →

On Localism and Liquor Licenses

July 18, 2016
 |  No Comments
 |  Categories: Commentary, News, The Localist Movement

It's not just the weather: The topic of liquor licenses has been hot in Waltham of late. Our community has been processing two separate but related issues. The first issue remains before the Licenses and Franchises committee of the Waltham City Council, currently on summer recess. The matter they're wrestling with has at least three parts (1) whether there should be more liquor licenses in Waltham, (2) if so, how many, and (3) and how should they be distributed. We have no hard...

Read More →

Commentary: Farewell to a Founding Member, and a piece of Waltham’s heart

August 13, 2015
 |  No Comments
 |  Categories: Commentary, News

by Bob Perry, Waltham Local First Co-Chair This hurts. Back Pages Books on Moody Street—one of the founding members of Waltham Local First—closed this week. Back Pages' Owner Alex Green quoted a friend in his eloquent farewell posted on the store's website, saying "nobody is surprised when you close a bookstore, they're surprised when you open one." Well, as a long-time small-businessperson myself, I am not surprised, but I am stunned. Back Pages Books was a cultural anchor in Waltham, a...

Read More →

Member Profile: Stephen Bernardi – Johnson Compounding & Wellness

January 12, 2015
 |  No Comments
 |  Categories: Member Profiles, Members, News

Johnson Compounding & Wellness has been operating in Waltham since 1852(!), and Steve and Diane Bernardi are only the third family to own the business in its 162+ year history. To help us all get acquainted with Steve and his remarkable business, we asked him a few questions: What inspired you to buy Johnson Compounding & Wellness? We were inspired to buy our business because, as pharmacists/employees of other pharmacies, we were unable to practice our profession the way we believed...

Read More →

Small Business Saturday 2014

November 24, 2014
 |  No Comments
 |  Categories: Members, News

This Saturday, November 29th is Small Business Saturday! The vast majority of our members are small businesses.  As such, this new American tradition—following hot on the heels of Black Friday that seems to be a big box storapalooza—Small Business Saturday is an important calendar landmark for our member retailers. We've put together the following alphabetical list of promotions that we know our members are running this Saturday. We encourage you to take part in the festivities and patronize as many as...

Read More →

Waltham Farmers’ Market – Welcome, and Welcome Back!

June 13, 2014
 |  No Comments
 |  Categories: Members, News

Tomorrow's the big day, the day of the 2014 season for Waltham Farmers' Market! Yay! We want to welcome Waltham Farmers' Market as one of the newest members of Waltham Local First. If there were ever an archetypal entity that represents "Local First," it's a farmers' market. We also want to welcome Waltham Farmers' Market BACK, after the long, cold winter. —No doubt restarting each spring is always challenging, but we suspect this off-season was particularly challenging for their organizers, because...

Read More →

Go Tom!

April 21, 2014
 |  No Comments
 |  Categories: Members, News, Sponsors

GOOD LUCK in today's Boston Marathon to Waltham Local First founding member and co-chair Tom Leblanc, owner of Watch City Kitchens and Leblanc Contracting! To Tom, and each and every runner in today's race, we admire your courage and grit!! UPDATE: This photo shows Tom (right in the middle) with his brother Randy to his right, along with a handful of friends on race day! (photo credit: WickedLocalWaltham)  

Read More →

Thank you Watertown Savings Bank!

January 24, 2014
 |  No Comments
 |  Categories: Members, News, Sponsors
Watertown Savings Bank: A Waltham Local First Sponsor!

Waltham Local First wishes to welcome Watertown Savings Bank as a sponsoring member! Watertown Savings Bank has a very convenient, full-service branch at 6 Lexington Street, Waltham, at the corner of Main Street, opposite the Common and City Hall. You'll find an ATM at 800 Lexington Street, in the Staples parking lot, and another full-service branch ALMOST in Waltham, just over the Lexington line at 1075 Waltham Street.  We are very grateful for the strong support of Watertown Savings Bank...

Read More →