Whole Foods might buy Johnnies Foodmaster

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

http://www.boston.com/business/news/2012/08/29/whole-foods-talks-buy-six-johnnie-foodmaster-supermarkets-boston-area-whole-foods-looksat-johnnie-takeover/btF7NC9VeA0OPmcx2b8TgI/story.html

From the article:

"Negotiations are still in the early stages, but Whole Foods wants to move into six of the 10 Johnnie’s Foodmaster sites in Arlington, Brookline, Charlestown, Melrose, South Weymouth, and on Beacon Street in Somerville."

and

"It is unclear whether Johnnie’s Foodmaster would continue operating the remaining four stores in Lynn, Medford, Whitman, and the Somerville location on Alewife Brook Parkway if it finalizes an agreement with Whole Foods."

Dang. I really like their butcher, their meats always look good and are extremely reasonably priced. They're also a clean, friendly store.

Maker Faire Somerville, Oct. 13, 3-7PM, Union Square

[georgy.livejournal.com]

I'm not affiliated, but I thought people here would find this particularly interesting:

"Artisans Asylum, the City of Somerville, and the Somerville Arts Council are hosting the first Somerville Mini Maker Faire in Somerville’s Union Square (near Boston), Saturday October 13th 3-7pm, and we’re looking for makers!

To make this a success we need YOU, the makers of the area, to come and show off all your cool stuff! If you’ve got anything you think the greater world of both makers and non-makers might enjoy, this is the place to show it off."

More info and call for makers here: http://www.makerfairesomerville.com/

Please help us if you can - vote for Second Chances today!

[2ndchancesinc.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone -

I don't generally like these types of contests, but the exposure and help with fundraising will help us provide free clothing and gift cards to people in need in our community. Please help us by voting and sharing this with your networks if you can and are willing. Thank you!

Second Chances has been nominated as Boston University Project Mailbox's Charity of the Month for September. Please vote for us on Facebook by tomorrow - August 31st so that we can receive donations of coins and marketing help from students during the month of September.

Vote on Facebook and please share with your friends too! »

More about Project Mailbox on Facebook »

Also: Moving this month? Fall cleaning?

Since so many people move for September 1st and others clean out their closets and drawers to make room for new fall and back-to-school purchases, I want to remind you about our four clothing donation locations nearby in Cambridge and Watertown. Since we don't have the ability to pick up donations at your home, dropping off at one of these locations is the best way to get clothing to us and our clients.

Get full details on where to donate here »

More information about Second Chances and our work: www.secondchances.org

Thanks again for your support! This LiveJournal community has always been great to us and I am so grateful for that.

-- Andrea

Miso Market building

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

(Once again in lieu of an active porter-square community.)

I saw Miso Market has a petition to save their building from being demolished. At first I was "yeah, save this little piece of Tokyo!" Then I was "wait, it's a one-story building, it totally deserves to be replaced by something taller, ideally a whole bunch of apartments on top of a commercial level, like the Paper Source building at 2018 Mass Ave[1]". Then I was "how is a petition going to stop a landlord?"

Also I don't know if Cambridge zoning is smart enough to allow a mixed-use building to be built these days; the Paper Source one is obviously way old.

So does anyone know what the plans for the site are?

Edit: I forgot to rant about the veritable plague of one-story commercial buildings in the whole area. But there really is, once you know to look for it. Big waste of space, plus their parking lots (near T stops), plus that empty triangle at Beacon and Oxford.

[1] At least it says 2018, but it's across from the mystery church on Roseland, and before 1815 on the other side, so I dunno.

Mass Primaries

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

The Massachusetts primaries are next Thursday September 6. There are three local contested races on my ballot, and I've had no time to research the candidates. I'm voting in the Dem primary, and the races and candidates are under the cut. I'm just looking for opinions, endorsements (or anti-endorsements) or any general information that might help me make the best choices possible.

( Any thoughts on these local candidates? )