Jeff Brown

Wonder opens

March 21, 2026

by Jeff Brown

A long anticipated grand opening and ribbon cutting took place at Wonder Restaurant on Thursday, March 4. Wonder is located in Brookside Shops, 145 Great Rd., Acton. Company executives and store staff joined Select Board members, Senator Jamie Eldridge, Representative Dan Sena, and Economic Development Director Patricia Costa.…

JR Rug Gallery to close

March 14, 2026

by Jeff Brown

Movses Movsesian moved from Armenia to the United States, hoping to find employment as a chemical engineer. That didn’t work out but he did land in the rug business, first by demonstrating an ability to repair rugs, a skill he picked up by watching his grandmother in his…

Energize Acton open house

March 7, 2026

by Jeff Brown

By the time the afternoon open house began, the morning’s light snow had melted off the roof of David Martin’s home on High St. Now the black tiles that covered the entire roof of the garrison colonial were visible. Each tile was a mini solar panel. Connected together,…

Business Briefs Mar. 7, 2026

March 7, 2026

by Jeff Brown

Acton Circle Furniture Auction Date Set Circle Furniture closed suddenly last December, leaving clients in the dark concerning their undelivered orders. After recently declaring bankruptcy, the courts approved a schedule of auctions to liquidate the company’s assets. The Acton store will have its auction on April 3. On…

New York Bagel Factory Opens

February 7, 2026

by Jeff Brown

The New York Bagel Factory had its grand opening on Saturday, January 31. The store is in the Brookside Mall, next to Staples. Owner Randal Noller said business was brisk all morning. He and a partner own three other locations in eastern Mass. The layout is like the…

Circle Furniture closes abruptly

January 10, 2026

by Jeff Brown

Just before Christmas, Circle Furniture closed all its retail locations without notice. Phone calls to the corporate office were not answered. As of this writing, the Acton store at 425 Great Road looked the same as the day it shut down, with furniture on display, table and floor…

Business Briefs – November 22, 2025

November 22, 2025

by Jeff Brown

McGovern Subaru The new dealership will open for sales on Saturday, November 22, and for service Monday November 24, at 11 Nagog Park (area known as Nagog Mall). Service hours M-Th 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 7:30-5:00, Saturday 8:00-5:00. Closed Sunday. 978-897-1128. Mcgovernsubaruofacton.com The Fab Lab Allison…

Great Spaces expands into a greater space

November 22, 2025

by Jeff Brown

Boxborough native Dawn Willis, principal of Great Spaces, has just completed an expansion of her store into the adjacent area. The brick building at 245 Arlington St. is next door to the West Acton Post Office and across the street from Table to Teapots. On November 14, Willis…

Art mural “Great Place to Learn and Grow” unveiled

November 1, 2025

by Jeff Brown

Acton’s newest piece of public art was unveiled on Friday, October 17. The twelve-foot-square mural is mounted on the back wall of Donelan’s in Gould’s Plaza, visible from the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and Brooks St. Several town and state officials attended the ceremony in the parking lot,…

Restaurant Week re-cap

November 1, 2025

Jeff BrownandThe Acton Exchange Team

This year’s Restaurant Week featured twelve establishments, each offering a special item or menu. Ever ready for a challenge, Acton Exchange’s writing crew fanned out to sample what Acton had to offer. Rapscallion: Cozy ambience meets comfort food with a brewery. 5 Strawberry Hill Road, Acton: For decades,…

Business Briefs, November 1, 2025

November 1, 2025

by Jeff Brown

Acton Medical Associates sold The Boston Globe reported on October 10 that Acton Medical Associates will be acquired by Optum, a division of United Health Group. The 45-doctor practice’s website is titled, “Your Independent Community Healthcare.” Terms or timing of the acquisition were not revealed. Dr. Deborah Kovacs…

Business briefs: Three ribbon cuttings and a groundbreaking

October 25, 2025

by Jeff Brown

Ribbon cuttings Patricia Costa, Acton’s economic development director, schedules and attends ribbon cuttings for the town’s new businesses. On October 17 there were three ceremonies. Magenta Dance Studio The dance studio recently moved from the third floor of Exchange Hall in South Acton to the lower level of…

Local beer fests raise funds and bring people together

October 18, 2025

by Jeff Brown

This fall’s weather has been phenomenal for outdoor activities and perfect for gatherings to participate in beer tasting, food truck sampling, music listening, games playing, and mingling with people. It’s an opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones. Several such festivals were held locally in recent…

Online Acton company calmly thrives

October 4, 2025

by Jeff Brown

According to owner Pooja Garg, “Drymint is an Acton-based wellness lifestyle brand founded on the mission of helping people create mindful, balanced lives through thoughtfully crafted products which are organic and toxin free.” Inspired by her children’s entry into a local business fair five years ago where they…

Business Briefs, Sept. 8, 2025

September 13, 2025

by Jeff Brown

The grocery store Aldi is coming to town. The business intends on outfitting the space formerly occupied by Stop and Shop on Powdermill Road in South Acton. An opening date has not been announced. Select Board member Fran Arsenault, who heard the news from Economic Development Director Patricia…

Business Briefs: September 2025

September 6, 2025

by Jeff Brown

Siesta Sleepworks, 276 Great Road, in Applewood Square, has moved from the front of the building, where they have been located for many years, to the rear of the same building. Andre Sevigny has worked at the company for over 25 years and became owner in 2021 after…

Harris Hearth Breads

August 9, 2025

by Jeff Brown

Andreas Apostolopoulos and his wife Sarah have been baking sourdough breads for a year and a half in a permitted microbakery in their home. Andreas’ interest in baking began during his childhood in Greece and continued when he and his wife moved to Acton seven years ago. Their…

Business Briefs, August 4, 2025

August 9, 2025

by Jeff Brown

KJ Caffè, in the Brookside Shopping Mall, closed on July 13. A statement posted at the location read: “It is with great sadness to announce that our time in Acton must soon come to an end…This was not an easy decision, however it is best for our KJ…

A new microbakery rises in Acton

July 26, 2025

by Jeff Brown

Gonzalo Bethencourt grew up in Madrid, Spain. His marketing career took him to Los Angeles, then to Amsterdam, and finally to Acton in 2016. At each location he searched for the bread of his home country, but he did not find it. He did some baking at home…

Business Briefs, July 1, 2025

July 5, 2025

by Jeff Brown

J.Crew Factory Store J.Crew opened a factory store in The Brookside Shopping Mall on July 2. Kate Connolly, district manager for J.Crew, said that the remodeling of the store was completed on June 26 and merchandise began arriving the next day. The J. Crew Factory Store sells discounted…