Business & Tech

Top It Off Named West Roxbury's Business of Year

West Roxbury's Andrew Dean was chosen as Volunteer of the Year for West Roxbury Main Streets.


Top It Off Accessories was named West Roxbury Main Street's Business of the Year, and Andrew Dean was named Volunter of the Year, during the 17th annual Boston Main Street awards ceremony. 

In celebration of the achievement, the businesses of Fairview Corner celebrated with a chalk Walk of Fame (see attached photo).

Top It Off Accessories has quickly became a very noticed business in Westie through such things as the Fashion Mob Show.

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Held at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester on June 20, Department of Neighborhood Development Director Sheila Dillon and WPLM Easy 99.1’s “Strictly Sinatra” host Ron Della Chiesa presented awards to the 2012 Boston Main Streets Volunteers of the Year and Businesses of the Year. Featured entertainment included the Boston Latin School Wolftones and Cornell Conley’s AfroLatin Jazz Band.

There were hundreds of volunteers for Main Streets' programs in 2012 who donated more than 27,000 hours of time through events, planning, fundraising and more. Each district chose one volunteer to honor as “Volunteer of the Year.” (See the full list below.)

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Also, each Main Streets district chose one business to honor as Business of the Year. (See the full list below.)

The Boston Main Streets Foundation also announced raising $200,000 for the Main Streets program, to "ensure the sustainability of the program" that runs throughout all of Boston's major neighborhood business districts.

“Boston Main Streets has had tremendous success helping revitalize our neighborhood commercial districts, and there are many people here tonight to thank for all their hard work in and dedication to their neighborhood commercial districts,” said Menino via press release. "This event is special because we get to honor the people in the neighborhoods who are making our local commercial districts vibrant and welcoming places to shop and do business. I’m proud to say that the funds raised by the Foundation will help us continue to support new businesses and create jobs in our Main Street Districts.”

The Foundation also announced the launch of its first Innovation & Impact grants that provide as much as $5,000 for proposals that "provide new or enhanced programming, services, or partnership opportunities that benefit of Main Streets commercial districts and small businesses." Foundation president Joel Sklar said the Foundation will award 10 Innovation & Impact grants, totaling almost $50,000 that will go to Main Streets districts.

"The grant proposals have been as diverse as way-finding signage to ESL training for small businesses. We are so excited to see how these funds will empower Main Streets organizations to produce exciting new outcomes in our neighborhoods,” said Sklar.

The Boston Main Streets initiative was created by Menino in 1995 to empower those in the small business sector to have a direct role in the economic health, physical appearance, and development of their own community. As of today, Boston Main Streets provides funding and technical assistance to 20 neighborhood-based Main Streets districts throughout Boston, and has been replicated as a national model for urban areas seeking to revitalize neighborhood commercial districts including Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Milwaukee, Detroit, New Orleans, Seattle and Portland, Oregon.

This year’s Outstanding Volunteers are:

Allston Village                                    Daniel Toffling  

Bowdoin/Geneva                            Claire Gooden and Yvonne Ruggles

Brighton                                               Sue Tufts            

Chinatown                                          Jing Wu

Dudley Square                                  Renee Jolley     

East Boston                                        Rosa Dominguez

Egleston Square                               George Anastos              

Fields Corner                                     Ed Geary, Jr.

Four Corners                                      Sharhea Wade

Greater Grove Hall                          Roberta Young                 

Hyde/Jackson Square                    Gretchen Van Ness

Hyde Park                                           Debbie Leuth 

JP Centre/South                               Brian Allieri        

Mission Hill                                         Michael Soltani

Roslindale Village                             Wayne Beitler  

St. Mark’s Area                                 Michael Soucy

Mattapan Square                             Nicole Echemendia

Upham’s Corner                               Nick Chernoff   

Washington Gateway                    Michael Semizoglou

West Roxbury                                   Andrew Dean

 

The 2012 Outstanding Businesses are:

Allston Village                                    Refuge Cafe

Bowdoin/Geneva                            Rodriguez Barbershop  

Brighton                                               Treats on Washington   

Chinatown                                          Burbor Cha Cha Restaurant

Dudley Square                                  Arthur J. Hurley Company

East Boston                                        Las Palmas         

Egleston Square                               Millennium Restaurant

Fields Corner                                     A Sweet Place

Four Corners                                      Down Home Delivery & Catering

Greater Grove Hall                          GotSole

Hyde/Jackson                                    Tremendous Maid

Hyde Park                                           Zaz Restaurant & Catering

JP Centre/South                               Salmagundi

Mattapan Square                             Mattapan Community Health Center

Mission Hill                                         Green T Coffee Shop    

Roslindale Village                             Sophia’s Grotto

St. Mark’s Area                                 Tavolo Ristorante            

Upham’s Corner                               Paraiso Restaurant

Washington Gateway                    M. Flynn

West Roxbury                                   Top it Off Accessories

 

The Boston Main Streets Foundation funders include:

Bank of America Charitable Foundation; Boston Private Bank & Trust; Boston Realty Advisors; CB Richard Ellis; Citizens Bank Foundation; Elkus Manfredi Architects; Goulston & Storrs; HFF; Holiday, Fenoglio & Fowler; J. Derenzo Associates; John Hancock Financial Services; John Moriarty & Associates; Samuels & Associates; Suffolk Construction; Vanasse Hangen Brustlin; Walter & Shuffain; and Weiner Ventures.


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