Location, location, location: Even stores within a chain differ by location

“I could go into a supermarket, and I can tell everything about the people who live [in the area] based on what’s in their carts, based on what’s at eye level, what’s not at eye level,” said Phil Lempert, also known as the “Supermarket Guru.”

In retail, specific product placement — not just a store’s inventory — heavily influences a shopper’s experience. So shouldn’t responsible markets encourage shoppers to make better choices?

“There’s a lot of racism, to be honest, I think, behind these decisions, whether it’s unconscious or implicit,” said Andrea Richardson, a policy researcher focused on nutrition epidemiology at the Rand Corp. and professor at the Pardee Rand Graduate School. The presence of a supermarket in your neighborhood should signal that you aren’t living in a food desert, but, I wondered, if the supermarket isn’t guiding you toward more healthful food choices, you might as well be.

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/02/16/lifestyle/what-does-it-say-about-your-neighborhood-if-supermarket-isnt-so-super/

An endcap display of marked-down items at the Stop & Shop on 460 Blue Hill Ave. in Dorchester shows discounts on cake frosting, two for $3, and cake mix, four for $5.CHASEEDAW GILES/KHN

Briller Boutique coming to downtown Franklin

"Hi all.  

Very excited to announce that my shop Briller Boutique will be opening soon in downtown Franklin!  

Stay tuned for grand opening information and please reach out with any questions!

Looking forward to adding to this already incredible town

70 E. Central St

Instagram: @shop.brillerboutique"

Shared from Facebook ->

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551606135109407/permalink/3076789099257762/

Web page -> https://www.brillerboutique.com/

Briller Boutique coming to downtown Franklin

NETA Opens Their 3rd Retail Store in Franklin, MA

New England Treatment Access (NETA) announced today that the cannabis company will be formally opening its 3rd retail store in Franklin, MA on Saturday, December 4, 2021, at 8:00 AM. The 10,000 square foot space, which includes retail, warehouse, and offices, is located at 162 Grove St. Franklin is also home to NETA’s cultivation and processing facility and the company’s headquarters, both located on Forge Parkway.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held today at noon with local and state officials and the grand opening event will take place on Saturday, December 4th from 11 AM  - 4 PM. We look forward to the Franklin community joining us for our celebration.

NETA has hired more than 60 employees for the new store, which will offer the same high- quality products that the company provides at its other two locations, in Brookline and Northampton. The Franklin store will be open Monday through Saturday 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM EDT. The new site provides over 100 parking spaces for patients and customers.

For the first 30 days of operation, it will be reserve ahead only for patients and customers and after that point NETA will offer in-person as well as reserve ahead options.

NETA is a division of the privately held, multi-state cannabis company Parallel and a leading cannabis operator in Massachusetts, being among the first to offer medical and adult-use cannabis to patients and customers in the state.

This announcement follows NETA’s launch of adult use delivery in partnership with Your Green Package, a majority women and Black owned social equity licensee, and is one of the first companies to deliver cannabis in the state.

“We want to thank the Cannabis Control Commission for its continuing support of the cannabis industry. We are thrilled to be able to offer patients and customers in the greater Franklin area easy access to us. We want to thank the Franklin community and its town leaders for welcoming us so warmly,” said Brad Doyle, NETA President. “Route 495 makes it convenient to reach us using either the Route 140 or King Street exits.”

Patients and customers will be able to purchase a variety of premium flower and pre-rolls, edibles, vaporizers, concentrates and more, from an array of Parallel’s top-quality brands.
 

ribbon cutting ceremony

ABOUT NETA
New England Treatment Access (NETA) (www.netacare.org), a division of the privately held, multi-state cannabis company Parallel, is the leading vertically integrated cannabis company in Massachusetts. Founded by industry pioneers whose roots in regulated cannabis date to 2009, NETA's licenses encompass medical and adult-use retail operations in Brookline and Northampton and soon to be opened in Franklin with cultivation and processing facilities also in Franklin. Across the organization, NETA employs 550 individuals and produces more than 435 unique SKUs. NETA conducted the first legal adult use sale of cannabis east of the Mississippi in 2018 and has provided cutting edge therapies and best in class services to our customers in Massachusetts since 2015.

 

Botera Ribbon Cutting officially opens for business on Grove St

Ribbon Cutting for New United Regional Chamber of Commerce Member Botera

Last week, the United Regional Chamber of Commerce welcomed new member, Botera, a recreational cannabis dispensary at 1256 W. Central Street, Suite 6, Franklin https://boterama.com/. The Franklin store is the second Botera; joining the first store, which is at 747 Centre Street in Brockton.

Botera offers high-quality cannabis products in a comfortable, welcoming, and customer-focused atmosphere for adults 21+. The budtenders at Botera will help each visitor to enjoy a personalized cannabis experience. Visitors are assigned a personal budtender who has been trained to answer questions, educate them about Botera's unique products, and provide tailored recommendations based on their needs and anticipated results.

Left to right: State Representative Shawn Dooley; URCC Board Member Charlie Miller of Business Solutions Advisory Group; State Representative Jeff Roy; Jack Patel; Botera owner Chirag Patel; URCC Board Member Zach Patten of Oak Grove Insurance; David Webster, GM of the Franklin Botera store; URCC Board Member Kate Hyde of Springhill Suites by Marriott in Wrentham; Derek Cameron of URCC member 3805 Productions; Franklin Assistant Town Manager Alecia Alleyne; and URCC President Jack Lank.

Jack Lank, IOM
President & CEO
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce
310 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762
Phone:  508-316-0861
www.unitedregionalchamber.org
"People Do Business With People They Know"

“It’s going to get worse again before it gets better”

"The commercial pipeline that each year brings $1 trillion worth of toys, clothing, electronics and furniture from Asia to the United States is clogged and no one knows how to unclog it.

This month, the median cost of shipping a standard rectangular metal container from China to the West Coast of the United States hit a record $20,586, almost twice what it cost in July, which was twice what it cost in January, according to the Freightos index. Essential freight-handling equipment too often is not where it’s needed, and when it is, there aren’t enough truckers or warehouse workers to operate it.

As Americans fume, supply headaches that were viewed as temporary when the coronavirus pandemic began now are expected to last through 2022.

Dozens of cargo vessels stuck at anchor off the California coast illustrate the delivery disruptions that have become the signature feature of the recovery, fueling inflation, sapping growth and calling into question the global economic model that has prevailed for three decades."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2021/supply-chain-issues/?itid=hp-top-table-main

The Guardian had a similar article shared here last week:

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/why-are-there-shipping-delays.html

“It’s going to get worse again before it gets better”

Washington Post: "Booming business at dollar stores"

"A growing number of Americans are relying on dollar stores for everyday needs, especially groceries, as the coronavirus pandemic drags into its 18th month. Chains such as Dollar General and Dollar Tree are reporting blockbuster sales and profits, and proliferating so quickly that some U.S. cities want to limit their growth. The 1,650 dollar stores expected to open this year represent nearly half of all new national retail openings, according to Coresight Research.

Foot traffic at the largest such chain, Dollar General, is up 32 percent from pre-pandemic levels, far outpacing the 3 percent increase at Walmart, one of the few retail winners of last year, according to Placer.ai, which analyzes shopping patterns using location data from 30 million devices."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/08/20/growing-number-americans-are-relying-dollar-stores/

A shopper pushes a cart through Family Dollar in Chicago. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg News)

Boston Globe: "A pop-up gallery fills a vacant spot in Providence with joy and light"

Franklin received a grant to create a Pop Shop downtown. From the Boston Globe we share what Providence has done with a popup shop as an example.

"During the pandemic, downtown Providence was living in its own shadow, with empty storefronts and restaurants that were “hibernating” for the winter or closed for good.But these days, cobblestone-lined Westminster Street has started to feel alive again, thanks in part to three Rhode Island-based women and their new pop-up art gallery, “Reflection-Delight.”

Curated by Sheryl Kopel, a freelance artist manager and facilitator, the temporary exhibition has filled 233 Westminster St., a space that is usually vacant. She’s chosen two artists whose styles are vastly different, but whose work looks to project “joy and inner strength that fly in the face of darker trends in the wider world.”

Continue reading the article online  (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/14/metro/pop-up-gallery-fills-vacant-spot-providence-with-joy-light/

 

In case you missed the grant announcement:

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/05/town-of-franklin-ma-pop-shop-franklin.html

 

Pop Shop Franklin

 

New hobby shop scheduled to open May 17 - Create Some Fun

"Hello Franklin community!

My husband and I are opening a hobby shop in Franklin, officially on May 17th. We are so excited to contribute to our town and be apart of a thriving small business community.

We have remote controlled cars and drones, electric bikes and scooters, and 3D printing services. Come by and see us!"

Shared from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551606135109407/permalink/2893092974294043/

Visit them online at https://createsomefun.store/

Visit them in person at 256 East Central Street, Franklin MA 02038

 

New hobby shop scheduled to open May 17 - Create Some Fun

 

The Guardian: "What if the most important election of the year is happening right now in Alabama?"

 

"This month, 5,800 Amazon warehouse employees in Bessemer, Alabama, will be voting on whether or not to unionize with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union in what could turn out to be the most important election of the year.

While the Bessemer fulfillment center itself is a drop in the bucket when compared to Amazon’s roughly 500 facilities around the country, this could be the ballot heard around the world. If successful, this election would mark the first unionized Amazon facility in the US.

Over the past 26 years, Jeff Bezos has built himself a private empire. Amazon is now the second largest employer in the US, after Walmart, and the fifth largest in the world. The more than 800,000 Amazon employees across the country represent a population between the size of Maine and Montana. Globally, the company employs more than 1 million workers."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/11/amazon-bessemer-alabama-union-election

Watch "Think Franklin First ‐ A Keep It Local Campaign" on YouTube

Video link = https://youtu.be/G9tsuCx7uiM 

"Retail association says 30% of members fear going under"

From the Commonwealth Magazine, ab article of interest for Franklin:

"The Green Bean’s experience is not unique. Many businesses are beginning to reopen with new safety standards and reduced capacity, but there are many others that may not be able to reopen at all. And those closures could have a ripple effect on Main Streets across the state.

“Businesses have made decisions where to locate around amenities,” said Greg Reibman, president of the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber. “If we’re losing amenities, that has a whole domino effect.”

The Retailers Association of Massachusetts recently surveyed its members and found that 30 percent of respondents were somewhat or extremely concerned that they would not survive the pandemic. President Jon Hurst said many businesses are at the end of their financial rope. They have had to pay for leases and inventory they could not sell. A clothing store might have a large stock of unsold winter coats – but it needs to buy summer clothes to reopen in June. Federal business loans can only go so far.

“It’s the reality of just not having the wherewithal to do that outlay for buying the inventory when you’ve had no income coming in,” Hurst said."

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/economy/many-businesses-closed-by-covid-are-not-coming-back/

The news of the British Beer Company closing is not the only retail operation we'll hear about. We do need to support our local businesses, all the time. This pandemic is going to have some significant impact on many operations.

Commonwealth Magazine

Kohl’s must give records to identity theft victims

Kohl's must give records to identity theft victims by Bridget Small, Consumer Education Specialist Imagine a thief used your information to buy things at Kohl's – or used your Kohl's credit card to go on a shopping spree.  You'd want to get the records to prove it and clear up your good name. The law says you're entitled to do exactly that.  That's what the FTC's latest settlement with Kohl's is about. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/06/kohls-must-give-records-identity-theft-victims?utm_source=govdelivery  This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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“We’re losing revenue, but everyone is in the same boat”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

The owners of Bruno’s Barber Shop on Pond Street in Natick feel fortunate.

The family-owned business that has existed for 60 years has a loyal clientele, and it tapped that group to sell enough gift cards online to pay the rent for May and June.

That’s a relief for Antonia Stockley, part of the family who owns Bruno’s, because the shop hasn’t had customers for weeks.

Lost revenue is a fact of life during COVID-19, but Stockley said she has no problem with the governor’s decision.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200501/for-some-non-essential-merchants-two-week-extension-on-closures-creates-more-angst

sign on the window at Pete's Emporium on Main St

 

Once Upon a Town: Grocery Stores - Franklin MA

Eamon McCarthy Earls and Joe Landry talk about the days "Long before big box stores or the opening of the first supermarkets, Franklin residents turned to small grocery stores in downtown to get their food"

Video link = https://youtu.be/Mq1oQkglsZk

FIORI: We now sell eGift Cards!

Give the gift of FIORI with a special eGift Card!

Place your order online  https://squareup.com/gift/QE9A48RJBYEZ5/order?

FIORI: We now sell eGift Cards!

FIORI
305 Union Street, Franklin, MA, 02038

In the News: funeral masses suspended by Archdiocese of Boston; some stores close, others remain open

From the Milford Daily News, an article of interest for Franklin:

"Funeral Masses and other forms of church funeral services will be suspended starting on Monday, the Archdiocese of Boston announced on its website Thursday.

The archdiocese’s Office of Risk Management recommends that “the bereaved be offered the opportunity for a graveside committal service during this time and a memorial Mass when we are able again to offer the celebration of Mass and religious services at our parishes and churches.”

This is the latest in a series of steps local Roman Catholic officials have taken in an effort to to halt the spread of the coronavirus."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200320/boston-archdiocese-to-halt-funerals-starting-monday-because-of-coronavirus

"As normal everyday life grinds to a halt amid the coronavirus pandemic, some of the nation’s biggest retailers have temporarily closed thousands of stores to help stem the spread of the virus.

Simon Property Group, the largest owner of shopping malls in the nation, closed all of its properties on Wednesday. Westfield and Taubman malls followed with U.S. closures on Thursday.

Not everyone is deserting their posts. Grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies are keeping their doors open to help people stay stocked with essentials, though many are shortening store hours to clean and restock. Walmart, the world’s largest brick-and-mortar retailer, shortened hours beginning Thursday, for the second time in less than a week.

Those stores are joined by office supply and home improvement chains which say they, too, provide essentials. Among the justifications: they provide products people – including first responders – need in a natural disaster. Others say they sell supplies that people need to work and school their children from home."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200320/coronavirus-has-led-many-stores-to-close-why-gamestop-bed-bath-amp-beyond-lowes-cvs-others-are-still-open

"By the end of the week, the state will have 28 open recreational marijuana stores"

From the Boston Globe, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Two recreational marijuana shops are opening in Massachusetts this week, adding to the adult-use pot options for consumers in central Massachusetts.

Gage Cannabis Co. in Ayer and Nature’s Remedy of Massachusetts in Millbury each received “commence operations” notices from the state Cannabis Control Commission last week, allowing them to open within three calendar days.

Gage opened Monday, and Nature’s Remedy plans to open Friday.

By the end of the week, the state will have 28 open recreational marijuana stores."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/marijuana/2019/09/23/here-what-know-about-two-pot-shops-opening-mass-this-week/eVl9RjQpMoQPnNW1MSACsL/story.html

The Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) webpage has more info on the application process. The retail operation currently in the application process at the State level and working through the Planning Board for Franklin would be about the 100th by the time it opens.

The CCC has information on the number of applications, by type, by location that you can query  https://opendata.mass-cannabis-control.com/stories/s/Applications-and-Licenses/eteq-dp5h

"By the end of the week, the state will have 28 open recreational marijuana stores"

 

“There’s a lot of things to consider here”

Via Wicked Local, we share their recap of the retail marijuana hearing at the Planning Board meeting held on Monday, June 17. The hearing continues July 22. There is not yet a timeline for when a decision would be made.

"A retail marijuana dispensary proposed for an industrially-zoned site at the northwest side of Forge Hill would be open by appointment only, starting with a maximum of 40 visitors allowed within an hour. 

The site would also include 24-hour interior and exterior surveillance, with ID check-in and check-out, ample parking above and beyond the minimum required by the town, and no sign. 

Proponents of the shop, GTE Franklin, LLC shared these plans for the venture with the Planning Board at an initial hearing on Monday, which drew a sizable crowd. Many were there to speak against the proposal, though there were also voices raised in support. 

For the Planning Board, it is the start of the members’ first foray into considering a marijuana-related business that will be open to the public."

Continue reading the article
https://franklin.wickedlocal.com/news/20190618/retail-marijuana-talks-begin-in-franklin

In the News: Franklin mulling retail marijuana shop, breweries

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"A retail marijuana store is on the agenda for consideration by the Planning Board next week, along with two proposed breweries. 

The board will hold public hearings on each proposal on Monday in the Town Council chambers at the Franklin Municipal Building, 355 East Central St. 

The hearing on the first brewery convenes at 7:05 p.m., followed by the second brewery at 7:10 p.m., and a hearing on the retail marijuana shop at 7:20 p.m. 

“This is our first retail marijuana (proposal),” Town Planner Amy Love said, noting the proposal is for a 5,000-square-foot facility at 1256 West Central St. “It’s in a marijuana overlay district.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190614/franklin-mulling-retail-marijuana-shop-breweries

The public hearing notifications were posted here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/06/public-hearings-planning-board-june-17.html

The complete Planning Board agenda can be found on the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/agendas/june_17_2019.pdf

As Built Brewing (Facebook image)

Franklin's Dress Barn to close - date TBD

The Franklin Village Drive store is one of 650 stores nationwide being closed.

"Dressbarn's owner Ascena Retail Group said Monday its closing all of its roughly 650 stores, as it hopes to stabilize its business. 

Ascena has built up a portfolio of apparel brands over the past decade through acquisitions, including plus-size retailer Lane Bryant and women's apparel brand Ann Taylor. But as shopping has shifted online and styles have evolved, Ascena has been grappling with sagging sales and a large debt-load. 

Same-store sales for the year ended July 2018 were down 2%, according to Factset. The company had $1.33 billion in total debt, in the same period. Shares of the company, which have a market value of $214.4 million, are down 55% year-to-date 

Looking to stem the losses, Ascena is turning to pruning its less successful brands."

Continue reading the DressBarn article online
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/21/dress-barn-is-about-to-close-650-stores-heres-a-map-of-the-stores.html


MA Store listing

US Store listing