Mayor Walsh Celebrates Boston Main Streets at 20th Annual Awards Ceremony

Individuals and businesses were honored for their dedication.

BOSTON - Tuesday, June 28, 2016- Mayor Martin J. Walsh, together with Department of Neighborhood Development Director Sheila Dillon, Chief of Economic Development John Barros, City staff, members of Boston Main Streets and community members, today celebrated the Boston Main Streets volunteers and businesses of the year at the 20th annual Boston Main Streets awards ceremony.

"Boston Main Streets has had tremendous success in helping to revitalize our community and highlight the role our small businesses play in our neighborhoods," said Mayor Walsh. "I want to congratulate all of this year's volunteers and businesses of the year, who represent some of the best and brightest leaders who have gone out of their way to help not only their organization thrive, but their entire commercial district and city thrive as well."

From among the hundreds of Main Streets volunteers who gave more than 26,000 hours of time in 2015, each district has chosen one volunteer to honor as "Volunteer of the Year." Since the start of the program in 1995, volunteers have contributed more than 375,000 hours of their time to Main Street efforts.

This year's Volunteers of the Year are:

Allston Village Main Streets - Rebecca Corso
Bowdoin Geneva Main Streets - Paulo DeBarros
Brighton Main Streets - Danita Jo Talbot
Chinatown Main Street - Shi Lan Liang
Dudley Square Main Streets - Settenah Wright
East Boston Main Streets - Veronica Robles
Egleston Square Main Street - Karen Sama
Fields Corner Main Street - Lee Adelson
Four Corners Main Street - Michelle Merrit
Greater Ashmont Main Street - Erica Mattison
Greater Grove Hall Main Streets - Andre Barbour
Hyde/Jackson Square Main Street - Arno Puskar
Hyde Park Main Streets - Cathy Horn
Mattapan Square Main Streets - Cynthia Lewis
Mission Hill Main Streets - Alison Pultinas
Roslindale Village Main Street - Marna Persechini
Upham's Corner Main Street - Nicole Chandler
Washington Gateway Main Street - Kristin Phelan
West Roxbury Main Streets - Dominic Rebelo

In his remarks to awardees, Mayor Walsh referred to Boston's small businesses as "economic engines for their district," providing products and services to the people who live and work in the neighborhoods. Each Main Streets district has chosen one business to honor as Business of the Year. In 2015, more than 2,100 businesses have received business assistance through their local Main Streets organizations, and Boston's Main Streets districts have boasted an average 95 percent occupancy rate for the last three years.

This year's Businesses of the Year include:

Allston Village Main Streets - Whole Heart Provisions - Rebecca Arnold & James DiSabatino
Bowdoin Geneva Main Streets - Bobby Fish Market - Maria Ramos & Omar Lawren
Brighton Main Streets - The Green Briar - The Briar Group
Chinatown Main Street - Jook Sing Café - Jadine Soo Hoo & Hing Soo Hoo
Dudley Square Main Streets - Dudley Café - Solomon & Royeka Chowdhury
East Boston Main Streets - Dough East Boston - Kevin Curley and Michael Sanchez
Egleston Square Main Street - Anique Nicole Hair Salon - Anique Nicole
Fields Corner Main Street - Antonio's Pizza - Brian Chavez
Four Corners Main Street - Sustainability Guild - Jhana Senxian
Greater Ashmont Main Street - The Modern Dog Boston - Charles Maneikis
Greater Grove Hall Main Streets - Covenant Creations Salon - Lakeisha Gillard
Hyde/Jackson Square Main Street - Tails - Yessy Feliz
Hyde Park Main Streets - Ron's Gourmet Ice Cream - Ron Covitz
Mattapan Square Main Streets - Auto Service & Tire - Ward & Chris McKeen
Mission Hill Main Streets - The Puddingstone Tavern - Harry Walsh
Roslindale Village Main Street - Boston Cheese Cellar - Adam Shutes
Upham's Corner Main Street - Boston Pizza and Grill - Aycan "John" Gencoglu
Washington Gateway Main Street - Anita Kurl Salon - Kandace Cummings
West Roxbury Main Streets - B & M Auto - Mark Karafotias & Bruce Lovely

Earlier this year, Mayor Walsh launched the City of Boston's first small business plan to serve as a roadmap to guide the City's approach to supporting small businesses as they start and grow in Boston. The City of Boston has 40,000 small businesses that create 170,000 jobs and generate nearly $15 billion in annual revenue.

About Boston Main Streets

Developed out of a partnership between the City of Boston and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Boston Main Streets initiative was created in 1995 as the first urban, multi-district Main Streets program in the nation, with the goal of establishing thriving commercial districts throughout the city. Boston Main Streets is a successful model for urban commercial district revitalization that strengthens local business districts through strong organizational development, community participation, resident and merchant education and sustainable development. Boston Main Streets continues to empower individuals in the small business sector to have a direct role in the economic health, physical appearance, and development of their own community.