FCMS Officers and Board members, including Kristina Melendez, Director Jackey West Devine, Hung Le, Tad Mendes, Brian Chavez, President Alina Lopez Thomas, Treasurer Sarah Fisher, Vice President Christian Rosa, and Robert Kelley-Morgan. Seth Daniel photo
Michael Zayas and Eliana Accomazzi were strangers when they started volunteering at the Dorchester Community Fridge several years ago, giving back to their neighborhood during challenging pandemic times.
Last Monday (May 18), when they accepted an award on behalf of the Community Fridge at the Fields Corner Main Streets annual meeting at Just Book-ish, they did so as an engaged couple preparing to be married in July.
“These two met at the fridge,” said FCMS Director Jackey West Devine when introducing the couple. “And we also got engaged at the fridge,” added Accomazzi.
FCMS Director Jackey West Devine introducing Michael Zayas and Eliana Accomazzi, a happy couple whose romance began while volunteering for the Dorchester Community Fridge. Seth Daniel photo
“If you’re looking for love, sometimes you never know where you’ll find it,” added Zayas with a smile.
Fields Corner Main Streets gave out another award at the meeting –to Antonio’s Hi-Fi Pizza – the FCMS “Business of the Year.”
Owner Brian Chavez, in accepting the award, noted that when he assumed ownership of the celebrated Hi-Fi Pizza shop in 2015, he was fresh out of college – the son of a small business owner in Fields Corner – but with no experience.
“I always put myself in the shoes of the consumer and optimize the experience and try to get one percent better every day,” he said. “I graduated UMass Boston and was wondering what I’d do and three days later I opened a pizza shop.
“I read most businesses don’t make it past the first year,” he said. “I survived the first year, then I survived Covid, and I figured I could survive almost anything.”
The Community Fridge, now located at 110 Claybourne St. near Four Corners, had its roots in Fields Corner at the old Gallagher Insurance building prior to TLee Development constructing the mixed-use building that now houses Just Book-ish. With FCMS, the fridge opened during the pandemic and thrived in that location before settling on Claybourne Street last year.
“A lot has changed over the years,” said Zayas, who works full-time at the non-profit Eastie Farm. “The operation is different, but the need has only increased, especially from last year to this year. We see it a lot in Dorchester. The Fridge is a way to get food without having to show an ID and with dignity. That work couldn’t still be happening without the Fields Corner Main Streets.”
In addition to the awards, the organization laid out accomplishments from the past year and plans for the upcoming year. Part of the program included a panel of local business owners speaking about their experiences: Sidney Baptista of Pynrs Running Club and Apparel, Bing Broderick of Just Book-ish, and Michaela Flatley of The Local Hand.
Attendees heard about an exciting new lighting plan coming this summer for the district. Director Devine said “Lighting Up Fields Corner” will roll out in July and will be funded by their final chunk of pandemic assistance funds.
FCMS Director Jackey West Devine and Antonio’s Hi-Fi owner Brian Chavez. Chavez’s shop won ‘Business of the Year.’ Seth Daniel photo
“It’s the last of our ARPA funds and we’re excited about it because it helps with increasing the walkability of our neighborhood,” said Devine. “It helps people feel safe in the district at night and staying in the neighborhood.”
The new look will involve replacing flood lighting in front of businesses with warmer lighting, adding gooseneck fixtures and lights to storefronts that don’t have them, and making all of the streetlights the same brightness and color.
Businesses participating include Trinity Management (1460 Dorchester Ave.), D’Benny’s Pizza, Pho Hoa Restaurant, the Lenane building, and the strip of stores containing D’Maximo barbers, Thuy’s, a new restaurant coming soon, and Turtle Screen.
FCMS Notebook
•The group will partner with Dot Tire Sunday Funday on June 21 for a soccer watch party at the weekly open market that will begin operations on May 31 at 1160 Dorchester Ave. The June 21 event will feature local restaurants, food trucks, specialty cocktails, soccer clinics, entertainment, and the viewing of three soccer matches (Spain vs. Saudi Arabia, noon; Iran vs. Belgium, 3 p.m.; and Cabo Verde vs. Uruguay, 6 p.m.)
•A program titled “Bag it Forward” under outreach coordinator Devon McNeil (above) has switched gears to focus on the youth. Originally, after loitering, vandalism and crime increased in the district, the idea was to engage those causing the issues – allowing them to collect trash and exchange full bags for coupons to be used at local businesses. A novel idea, Devine said, but one that didn’t work out due to participants not following through.
Meanwhile, many young people in the area were eager to participate, and the program has done well with youth volunteers bagging trash and exchanging it for coupons to be used at Antonio’s Hi-Fi.
•Jones Hill resident Matthew Dickey (above) gave a presentation on the history of Fields Corner, and how it built up over the years.
•An asphalt mural at the busy corner of Park Street and Dorchester Avenue will be installed later this year after the new Fields Corner Library opens. Also, rainbow-themed crosswalks will be placed near Blend Restaurant next month to celebrate Pride Month and to denote the beginning of the FCMS district.
