This Is Framingham

I’ve posted about this before but for anyone who gets hopeless about downtown (I’m guessing similar to how the officer in the above photo feels) there is a fine group of people who are part of the Framingham Downtown Renaissance group that have put together a new website you can check out at http://downtownframingham.com
You can see their vision plan and documents, studies what upcoming plans and collaborations like the Farm Pond Initiative with FSU and participating the the Main Streets program, which focuses on revitalizing dowtnown areas.
It’s worth checking out and meetings are open to the public for those interested and can attend.
So although progress is slow, people (smart people) are working on making downtown a desirable place to go to.   I’ll be attending next month’s meeting and hopefully have something interesting to report.

I haven’t posted since April 1st?  This month has flown by,  jeez!
I get emails now and then about the apparently very missed KFC on 135 which closed maybe a year ago now.  I never went there and don’t miss it but people sometimes ask me what’s going in there so I’m happy to have a report.  As I was running by the location by last Monday I saw this sign for “Carrie Anne’s”.    I’m pretty sure I was the only one of the 27,000+ running by here thinking “Hey! I’ll have to blog about that!”.  I just got around to it today and  I tried googling them but just got a facebook result.  On their info page they describe themselves as “Homestyle breakfast, drive through and more”.  There are photos of the extensive work being done for remodeling and what looks like some practice runs of baking (the donuts look awesome) and they look like a happy crew looking forward to opening up shop there.  I wish them the best and can’t wait to try it out.  They certainly have been putting in the hours to make this happen.  Search for them on FB if you’d like to check out their photos.

I was driving by the old Ski Market on Route 9 as lots of people do everyday and haven’t looked up permits but I’ll go out on a limb and guess there will be a Dunkin’ Donuts moving in.  I think it would be an odd place considering Panache Coffee is also in that same plaza, but I guess DD knows no competition with their loyal following.  I’d be more excited if their coffee was consistent from store to store but it’s not what it used to be.
Or who knows, maybe the driver of that truck just happened to stop for a cup of coffee at Panche?

Today we walked around downtown and checked out the new fabric store where Fabric Place used to be.
It was nice to see it being occupied and although they don’t use as much space as the old store, there are still plenty of fabrics, notions, books and other sewing supplies.

Their website is up and running if you want check it out. http://framinghamfabric.com
We also saw that the old Fabric Place workshops on Concord St. (first couple of shops north of the train tracks) are now occupied. One is a place called Aaron’s, which is an appliance rental type place (picture didn’t come out) and the space next to it is called Partners Balloon Design.

I peeked in the window and saw they have a nice space with lots of balloons and party displays

Also we noticed that the Russian store Skaska is now a beer/liquor/convenience store:

We also saw a note on Rent-A-Center’s door:

At first I thought it must be for Halloween but then thought maybe they have that sign up year-round.
Anyway, Happy Halloween!

I’ve actually got a few emails suggesting I check out the new Cumberland Farms on at the Rt. 30/Speen St. intersection.
I never seem to get over this way anymore but made a trip just to see what the hub-bub was about.
It’s a nice looking building that’s simple but not boring.  I like the colors and the design.
Inside is everything that people said it would be.  Bright, clean and a convenience oasis that rivals other gas stations.
A few pics of inside:

Cold drink wall:

Extensive coffee selection:

Candy:

Gum and mints:

This place IS pretty nice of a convenience store.  The people working there were nice and friendly and I know it’s new but I couldn’t get over how clean it was.  I wish all gas stations were all like this!

We were out taking a walk tonight and saw some of the new recycle bins that the town is in the process of delivering to each household.   They’re pretty big but good for picking up every two weeks.  The containers pictured above are the larger ones that I believe had to be requested and the standard 64 gallon bin are delivered to everyone else.   In fact, when we got home from our walk the recycle bin fairy had stopped by our house and there was a shiny new bin waiting for us at the end of our driveway!
I think it’ll be fine but my friend Rev. Bob pointed out that this will be more of a challenge for the people who rummage through the bins in search of cans and bottles.  I picture seeing legs sticking out of the tops of the bins every pick up day but we’ve been pretty lucky to have neat rummagers who make sure to put everything back so hopefully it’ll stay that way.
The new recycle schedule of picking up ever other week starts Sept 7th.  For more infomation, check out the town website.

The Planning Board is meeting on June 24th and on the agenda is parking for the former White’s Hardware which will finally be occupied.  As soon as White’s when out of business, I wondered what could possibly want to take it’s place.  The location is behind a strip of three stores on Franklin St and it’s very hard to see from the street.  

When I heard that a wine storage company was looking to move in, it seemed like a perfect fit.  A big warehouse type space that doesn’t need pedestrian traffic to operate.  International Wine Vault has a website you can check out to see what they do and what their rates are.  I won’t be needing their services, but I think it’s great they are occuping the old place and I wish them luck.  One less empty, lifeless building in Framingham!