What’s New September/October 2011

ASSEMBLY SQUARE

Wal-Mart announced plans to open a supermarket on the site of the old Circuit City (65 Mystic Ave). See our story here.

DAVIS SQUARE

Dave’s Fresh Pasta (81 Holland St, , davesfreshpasta.com) is still in the early stages of planning a 45- seat wine and antipasto bar, to be located where Black & Blues (89 Holland St) used to be. The new restaurant, as yet untitled, is a joint venture between Dave’s owner Dave Jick and Dave’s wine buyer, Felisha Foster. Jick and Foster have a five-year lease on the new space. Jick says the lease is contingent on his getting a serving license (to serve alcoholic beverages) from the city. “We’re basically at a standstill,” says Jick. “These things take time.” Asked if he thought the new joint would be open sometime in 2011, Jick replied, “I have no idea. I hope so. If I had more info I’d tell you.”

Five Horses Tavern (400 Highland Ave, , fivehorsestavern.com), located where Sagra used to be, will open in early September with 36 rotating draft beers and more than 80 varieties of bottled beer. Hours will be 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week. There will be 30 seats at the bar and 80 seats in the house. Owner Dylan Walsh is formerly a manager at Bukowski Tavern in Inman Square. This is his first venture as a restaurant owner. His head chef, Aaron Parsons, is someone he initially hired at Bukowski. Walsh aims to make Five Horses Tavern a place where diners can sit and take their time. “So many places focus on turning tables, and when you stop eating or drinking the server ignores you,” he says. “I’m going to focus on hospitality and make sure people don’t feel rushed.”

Flatbread (45 Day St, 617- 776-0552, flatbreadcompany.com) still plans to offer delivery via bike during lunch hours (11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.), but has not set a timetable for the rollout. “I honestly don’t know how long it’s going to take,” said Managing Partner Evan Fetras.

Imagine an ice cream truck… for cupcakes! Kickass Cupcakes (378 Highland Ave, 617-628- 2877, kickasscupcakes.com) has made this dream a reality in Boston. Will there be a truck in Somerville? “Right now, I’m working on getting a Medford permit so I can take the truck around Tufts,” writes owner Sara Ross in an e-mail. “I am open to bringing the cupcake truck to special events in Somerville, but so far, do not have any scheduled.”

 EAST SOMERVILLE

Mudflat Studio (81 Broadway, , mudflat.org) has moved from its old home at 149 Broadway. See our story here

The basement of the Edgerly Education Center (11 Otis St) will be the new home of the Somerville Youth Development & Boxing Club. Alderman-at- Large Bruce Desmond, who is on the SYDBC board, told Scout that he expects the club to be up and running by the third week of September. All told, there will be 15 heavy bags, eight speed bags and two rings. It will be staffed by volunteers. Anyone under the age of 21 can use the club at no cost, as long as they commit to performing two monthly hours of community service. Anyone over the age of 21 can use the club for a $25 monthly or $250 annual fee. Former boxer Alex Rivera will run the boxing component, while Somerville Youth Programming Coordinator Nancy Bacci will oversee the community service and youth development component.

 INNERBELT

In mid-August, discount store CW Price moved next door to Target into the former location of A.J. Wright (176 Somerville Ave). CW Price is owned by a privately held corporation called Conway Stores Inc, which runs 45 stores in nine states.

 SPRING HILL

The debut novel of Scout editor Ilan Mochari, Zinsky the Obscure, is due out this fall from Fomite Press. Stay tuned to this space for updates.

3LittleFigs (278 Highland Ave, 3littlefigs.com, 617-623- FIGS) plans to open a bakery and espresso bar by October 1 in the former location of Café Aroma and Café Lola and Café Rossini. “The neighborhood has an attractive energy,” wrote owner Katie Rooney, 30, in an email. “The name 3LittleFigs represents myself, my mother and my Greek grandmother, as three generations of strong Greek women working and bonding in the kitchen. I started the business when my yiayia passed away, so I was inspired to honor her and keep her memory close.”

TEELE SQUARE

Masala (1127 Broadway, ), a new Indian and Nepali restaurant, opened in late August in the former location of Tip Top Thai. Co-owner Binoj Pradhan, 27 is also the proprietor of the Subway in Union Square. The other owners are Janak Gauchan and Paramjit Singh.

 UNION SQUARE

Calling their restaurant a “modern interpretation of the Spanish Caribbean,” the owners of Casa B (253 Washington St, casabrestaurant.com) plan to open by October 15. The husband-wife team of Alberto Cabré and Angelina Jockovich are also architects; the Casa B interior will bring “a new aesthetic to the block,” says Jockovich, referring to the restaurant’s clean lines, ornate carved woods and simple Caribbean colors. Formal dining will take place downstairs, while the ground level will be a lounge with a counter or mostrador displaying menu items. There will be 22 seats downstairs and 20 on the main level. As for the food itself, expect treats like bacalao (codfish wrapped in banana leaves) and shark nuggets (breaded shark meat) served with criollo sauce. At press time, Casa B had no plans to do either takeout or delivery.

Journeyman (9 Sanborn Ct, , journeymanrestaurant.com) reopened August 4. It had closed after a June 18 accident when a vehicle slammed into the right side of the building, causing the roof to collapse. Now the restaurant plans to expand by mid-October, building a cocktail bar at 7 Sanborn with 36 seats: 12 at the bar proper and 24 at tables. “We feel Somerville needs more cocktail culture,” says Meg Grady-Troia, general manager and co-owner.

Somerville Grooves (26 Union Sq, ), a record store in the former location of Moda Basil, opened August 13. The store has been the darling of the local media, warranting mentions in the Boston Herald and Weekly Dig. Just remember: Scout was first with the Grooves scoop in our July-August edition. Owner David Plunkett eagerly attended the August 21 Rock & Roll Yard Sale, buying records and handing out his business card.

 WILSON SQUARE

Artisan Asylum (10 Tyler St, artisanasylum.com, 617-863- 7634) moved to the former Ames Envelope building, a 25,000 square-foot manufacturing facility. “This is an opportunity to finally create an environment as professional as we’ve always wanted,” president Gui Cavalcanti wrote in an e-mail. The move will allow AA to expand its shop spaces, increase its class offerings and lease out more than 100 studio rental spaces to artists, artisans, entrepreneurs and small businesses. At press time, AA had found tenants for all of its studio spaces. A highlight reel of tenants includes: Sindrian Arts, which recently raised $21,000 on Kickstarter to develop a new type of computer controlled router; Wobbleworks, a startup developing low-cost robotic toys; and The Uncommon Green, a furniture/furnishing designer that recently relocated from Boston.