The WBC Weekly: Perkins, Mosesian, Arranta Bio, Ethos, Donohues, AY, Indigo Fire, WFPL, Rotary Club, and more!

The good news: we still have TWO DAYS LEFT in Shop Watertown Week. Which Watertown business will you support this weekend? Refer back to the list of participating local businesses and show them (or any Watertown business) some love during the holidays. ❤

Now, on to a WBC Weekly chock full of Watertown business updates…

WBC Top Picks

1. Mosesian Center for the Arts has REOPENED! Thursday evening, the Arts Center located in the Arsenal on the Charles, held a grand opening for its new and improved lobby, and a return of the performing arts. The space is beautiful and we applaud Mosesian Center Executive Director Darren Farrington, President of the Mosesian Center’s Board of Directors, Vincent Piccirilli, and the entire Mosesian team and staff for accomplishing what they have during the pandemic. Learn more from Watertown News!
2. Thankful for a running town favorite! More than 1,000 people joined in the 16th annual Donohue’s Bar & Grill Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, an event that raised money for the Watertown Boys & Girls Club. Love it! 
3. Arsenal Yards thanks Watertown and Sideris. Before Thanksgiving, Boylston Properties, Wilder, and the Arsenal Yards team gave thanks to the city and unveiled a bronze plaque to Town Council President Mark Sideris for his championing of AY and economic development along Arsenal St and in Watertown. Read their letter of thanks in Watertown News, watch the ceremony live thanks to Watertown Cable Access TV, and check out photos from the event where the plaque was revealed.
4. Toyota of Watertown Gift Drive! Toyota of Watertown announced it will be collecting toys for children during the holidays. The dealership teamed up with the Watertown police department and the Whooley Foundation for their annual toy drive. Taking donations until December 14, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at 149 Arsenal St. Watertown, MA. The drop boxes are located in the service & sales department. Thank you, Toyota!
5. Flavor Boom packs in the flavor. Watertown News detailed the three month old eatery on Arsenal St., inspired by the cooking of places like China, Spain, Indonesia, France and Thailand. Yum yum yum!
6. Governor Baker visited Arranta Bio. Arranta, on Pleasant Street, got a visit to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, as one of Watertown’s life science companies which is doing its part to train workers to participate in the creation of treatments for infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases and cancer through a new apprenticeship program partially funded by the state. He was joined by, among others, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta, and Governor’s Councilor Marilyn Petitto Devaney from Watertown. Congrats, Arranta!
7. An update on the Mt Auburn St. Road Diet. Businesses along Mt Auburn St., Watertown News has an extensive update on the latest. The Mt. Auburn Street designs must be completed by the spring 2023 to qualify for the Federal funds, Shedd said. Advertising for contractors will take place in summer 2023, with construction expected to begin in the fall of 2023. More public meetings will be held, included when the 75 percent design is complete. See more information at the project website, www.mountauburnstreet.com and read the overview in Watertown News.
8. Ethos Cannabis now open! Ethos Cannabis just opened its new storefront at 390 Arsenal St. and is the first marijuana store in town serving both adult use and medical customers. The business, formerly Natural Selections, closed its location at 23 Elm St. in Watertown on Nov. 17 and re-opened the new location on Nov. 18. Check it out!
9. Holiday Pottery Sale at local studio! Indigo Fire will host a Holiday Pottery Sale at its studio on Dec. 10 from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Dec. 11 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Indigo Fire recently expanded to the location at 79R Grove St. this past summer, and would love to open up our doors for Watertown residents to take a peek at this new space, to celebrate our studio artists, and maybe to find a gift or two for a loved one! Learn more in Watertown News.
10. Winter WondAYland — Check out all that’s happening over at Arsenal Yards for the holidays: from meet & greets with your favorite holiday characters, to an evening with Santa Paws, holiday tastings at Roche Bros. & Gordon’s, tree decorating contest, story time with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and so much more! Plus the giving tree farm in Bond Sq, where the trees you see will go to a family in need. Check it out!
11. The Watertown Dam… Turns out, there are numerous reasons why the dam should potentially be removed, but of interest to our local businesses is the potential for its future failure and resulting flooding. According to the Charles River Watershed Association, if the spillway failed during a storm, downstream flooding would be monumentally destructive to homes, businesses and infrastructure. Learn more, get involved, and attend the virtual event on Monday, December 6 at 7pm.
12. Charles River Road Project continues… The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will provide an update regarding the construction of the Watertown Riverfront and Charles River Road Phase II project on Thursday, 12/9 at 6 p.m. This project includes five new pedestrian crossings, new sidewalks, restored sidewalks, ADA access to DCR playground, restored river erosion, restored pathway, and native landscaping. Get involved. 
13. The most delicious partnership… The Boston Globe announced a partnership between Watertown’s Perkins School for the Blind and America’s Test Kitchen to make recipes more accessible. Kudos! Read more.
14. Speaking of Perkins… Tonight, the Prudential Center in Boston is lit in “Perkins Blue” for International Day of Persons with Disabilities. 💙  Amazing to see #EveryoneIncluded
15. Tufts Health redevelopment will begin… Spear Street Capital has secured a $421,400,000 construction loan for 705 Mount Auburn Street in Watertown. Plans call for addition & renovation to the existing building to create 480,986 square feet of Office/Lab/R&D use when complete. Details here. 
16. Watertown Free Public Library Author Talk… Kate Fletcher will explore a simple question: what if we pay as much attention to tending and using clothes as to designing and making them? The answer will examine the creativity of everyday life, an alternative to fashion’s consumerist priorities, and a broader array of valuable fashion actions. Kate Fletcher (PhD) is Professor at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, University of the Arts London, UK. Join this Author Talk on Sunday, December 5, at 2pm.
17. Rotary Club’s 50/50 Raffle! Join the Watertown Rotary Club for their Holiday Celebration and Raffle Drawing on Tuesday 12/7 from 6pm – 7:30pm at Donohue’s (87 Bigelow Ave., Watertown)! The Rotary Club of Watertown is part of Rotary International, a global network of volunteers who share a passion for enhancing communities and improving lives around the world. Learn more!