By Courtney Wright
Happy June!
May was jampacked in the neighborhood! Between events, outdoor dining set-ups, street and sidewalk cleaning starting, Small Business Month, service days- I will not be able to capture it all but am happy to reflect on some of the highlights.
On Memorial Day, the Mission Hill Post held their annual ceremony in Hanlon Square to honor local veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Amazing Grace on the bugle never gets old, nor does spending time and hearing the stories of our wonderful Post members and Veterans who instill in us all such a sense of pride. As usual, there were refreshments provided by Mike’s Donuts, and a great turnout of Mission Hill stalwarts who got together for lunch following the ceremony. Thank you for your service!
On May 12, Main Streets partnered with Nick Korn and his organization OFFSITE to sponsor a free TIPS+ (responsible alcohol) 3-year certification training for Mission Hill businesses that handle alcohol. Thank you to Melo, Manager at the Mission and Puddingstone, for working with us to provide the space and coordination necessary to offer this resource. We had staff from Tavern of Tales, Mission Bar and Grill, Puddingstone Tavern and Penguin Pizza in attendance, all who left certified. We are in the process of scheduling more trainings this summer for SERV Safe 5-year certifications and will offer a class in English and Spanish. If you are interested in this opportunity or who have staff in need of certification, please reach out to [email protected].
The Mission Grammar school had their annual “Road to College” on May 15th and as always, it was a beautiful evening and a reminder in the promise of our shared community potential. Local Saint and Main Streets Board Member Christine Dwyer was awarded the 2025 Kevin Fitzgerald Alumnus of the Year award, presented by Tricia Fitzgerald with a beautiful tribute. As I was looking through the program for the event, I saw the following quote in reference to Chrissy and her impact that I think encapsulates her spirit. “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members”- Coretta Scott King. We’re lucky to have you, thank you for always looking out for all of us in Mission Hill!
This month, the 2025 Legacy Business Awardees were announced, and two local business owners/businesses are receiving recognition, Penguin Pizza and Merengue Express owners Hector and Nivia Pina, for their original Merengue location on Blue Hill Ave. Awarded businesses are longstanding, independent enterprises that make a strong contribution to the residents, communities, and neighborhoods of Boston. By recognizing and supporting Legacy businesses on an annual basis, the Program helps further Mayor Wu’s vision for a family-friendly, vibrant city with sustainable community businesses.
Here at Main Streets, we feel a deep sense of pride in our business community and those who run the businesses that keep our corridor active. Penguin Pizza is one of the best examples because of the way their commitment to Mission Hill manifests beyond serving food and drinks- and extends into civic responsibility and support. Dermot Doyne opened the Penguin on September 24th, 2004 and a few years later, became one of the founding and original Board members of Mission Hill Main Streets. When Pamela Carthy took over in 2020, in the face of the pandemic, she remained steadfast and committed to ensuring Penguin and Dermot’s legacy of giving back to the community beyond providing a great establishment. As long as Main Streets has existed in Mission Hill, a Penguin owner has sat on its Board, in turn advocating for businesses and offering suggestions, advice, and guidance on the work of the organization. We are grateful for their service and commitment to the MH Business district. We will be celebrating these achievements by these businesses at our Annual Meeting in September, but in the meantime I will leave you with this quote of Pam’s: “Originating from Ireland, it can be hard to create your own “abroad” family, but The Penguin made this extremely easy for me. Over the years we have seen wonderful lifelong friendships form inside our 4 walls. We’ve witnessed engagements, celebrated weddings and the birth of babies, honored deaths and survived a pandemic. Thank you to the amazing staff, both those who have moved on, and those who remain. By always treating the Penguin like your own, you have made it what it is today.”
Thank you Dermot, for choosing Mission Hill over 20 years ago as the place to start your business and thank you for hiring Pam (almost) 19 years ago to carry on your vision and contributions to the neighborhood and MH Main Streets.
In other business news, we have a new barbershop! I’d like to introduce Luis Duverge and Duverge Barbershop who opened his doors the second week of May at 12 S. Huntington Avenue. The barbershop will be open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Luis “is excited to bring his expertise and enthusiasm to Mission Hill, a vibrant and diverse community that I am proud to call home. At Duverge Barbershop, we’re dedicated to providing exceptional service, unparalleled quality and a welcoming atmosphere that makes everyone feel at ease”. Please take some time and go visit the newly renovated and beautiful space and meet Luis for yourself. We are working on a way to formally introduce and “open” to the neighborhood with a ribbon cutting but, in the meantime, please welcome him to Mission Hill.
Did you know that you can play trivia at one of our local restaurants 4 nights a week? Yellow Door is the latest establishment to offer this fun option for a night out beginning this week. Get a group of friends or colleagues and come test your knowledge this (and every) week:
• Mondays 8-10 p.m. at Yellow Door Taqueria
• Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Penguin Pizza
• Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Tavern of Tales
• Saturdays at 7 p.m. at Puddingstone Tavern
Finally, looking for something to do this Friday/month? Check out local artist Luanne Witkowski’s art exhibition” Quiet Disruption” at the Kingston Gallery in the South End! Opening Reception: Friday, June 6, 2025, 5:00 – 8:00pm (exhibited through the end of June).
From the description Luanne provided: “The work presented here is a continued exercise in bridging processes, my concerns for the environments we share, and discovery of visual signaling and messaging in my practice. As an environmental advocate, social activist, and reflective practitioner, I find myself looking ahead and backward simultaneously. I am always curious and constantly considering the relationship between intention and action, action and results.”