Smithfield
Smithfield, RI · Business
Patriot Ledger
Toys 'R' Us has new standalone store at South Shore Plaza ‒ 1st in MA
Toys 'R' Us has a new location on the South Shore as the chain expands its U.S. retail footprint nearly a decade after filing for bankruptcy and closing stores nationwide. The iconic toy store chain has opened a new location at South Shore Plaza , the Braintree mall shared on social media. The store is located on the upper level between Tilly's and Forever Flawless. This Braintree location is the only standalone Toys 'R' Us store in Massachusetts. The South Shore location opens as the chain is expanding its U.S. retail footprint with 120 new standalone stores set to open across the country this holiday season, Patriot Ledger sister paper USA Today reported. The standalone stores will carry toys and collectibles from major brands and entertainment properties, including LEGO, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Pokémon, "KPop Demon Hunters" and more, according to Toys 'R' Us. The chain's expansion, which takes Toys 'R' Us from 40 standalone stores in the U.S. to 160, comes as it continues to rebuild its nationwide presence through standalone stores as well as locations in Macy's , airports and Navy Exchange locations. There are several Toys 'R' Us stores inside Macy's throughout the greater Boston area, including one
hoodline.com
Food Basket International Opens in Former Brockton Supermarket
Food Basket International has opened at 683 Belmont St., in the former Brockton Stop & Shop. The store began with a soft opening a few weeks ago, The Enterprise reported; MassLive also reported on the new market. The Brockton opening comes amid other changes to former Stop & Shop spaces....
aftermarketmatters.com
Advance Auto Parts opens three new stores in the East
New location in Athens, Ga., also serves as a market hub to improve parts availability and same-day fulfillment across a network of stores. Raleigh, N.C.—Advance Auto Parts has opened three new stores in Randolph, Mass., Lanham, Md., and Athens, Ga., last week. The company marked the opening of each location with ribbon-cutting ceremonies and donations to local automotive technology programs.
high-profile.com
Connolly Brothers Completes 127,120sf Self-Storage Facility in Canton
Canton, MA — Connolly Brothers Inc. has completed a new, ground-up 127,120sf self-storage facility for a development team at 362 Turnpike Street in Canton. Located approximately 12 miles south of Boston on the Route 138 corridor, the four-story facility is professionally managed by CubeSmart Self Storage. The building offers 97,300sf of net rentable area and features 986 climate-controlled storage units, 10 exterior storage units, a first-floor rental office, an access control system, two self-service freight elevators serving separate unloading zones, at-grade customer parking and 37 outdoor spaces for boat and RV storage.
plymouthindependent.org
YOUR VIEW: Recognizing the sacrifice of those relocated by The Drew
Mr. Antall gave a lovely and forward-looking description of the gentrification of Plymouth. With lifelong friends and acquaintances in town I’m always vested in its progress. You may wonder at another aspect of Mr. Vayo’s project. I did, as a Planning Board member, when Mr. Vayo presented his plans for The Drew to the board. What will happen to the mainly elderly tenants of the affordable “rundown” homes being replaced by the build? I was told that they would be “relocated” mostly out of town. I didn’t know them, but I’m sure they had lifelong friends and acquaintances in Plymouth too, and I’d like to recognize their sacrifice for the gentrification of Plymouth.
The Standard-Times
How to apply for Habitat's New Bedford affordable, single-family home
Turnto10.com
Southern New England homeowners seek cheaper alternatives as heating oil prices rise
(WJAR) — Soaring heating oil prices have Southern New England homeowners looking for cheaper ways to stay warm as winter approaches. With some homeowners reporting heating oil prices around $6 a gallon, suppliers of alternative heating sources say they're expecting an increase in demand. At Frederickson Farms, Alex Frederickson...
umassdtorch.com
LARTS Water Main Break Might Have Been the Best Thing to come of the Renovations
Earlier this month, UMass Dartmouth had its campus shaken by an abrupt interruption: The beginning of the Water Wars. What once flowed from mountain to river to tributary to ocean was now cut off at its very source, by nations seeking to control the global populace through stopping the stream of life at its very source.
theweektoday.com
Construction well underway on new Uncle Jon’s location
MARION — The long-empty former gas station on Route 6 will soon be the new home of Uncle Jon’s Coffee. Construction is quickly progressing at the 413 Wareham Road location, adjacent to the coffee shop’s current location. A crew has been busy clearing out the current structure,...
MassLive.com
Longtime Mass. discount store laying off 214 workers, closing after 43 years
Discount retailer Frugal Fannie’s Fashion and Shoe Warehouse in Westwood is preparing to close permanently after 43 years in business. In a message to the store’s customers posted on the Frugal Fannie’s website, co-owner Kathleen Doxer attributed the closure to “medical hardships, retirements and the coming end of our lease, with no remaining options.”
Patriot Ledger
Long-stalled former air base redevelopment to begin construction work
After years of stalled progress, the long-awaited redevelopment of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station is finally taking a major step forward this fall. A joint venture of New England Development and BGRE, formerly Brookfield Properties, is starting construction this month in connection with redevelopment of 1,400 acres at the air station in Weymouth, Abington, and Rockland, which will include a mix of residential and commercial uses as well as an extensive open space network. Crews will be be working on the roadway and associated utility and infrastructure construction for the initial backbone road, New England Development Executive Vice President John Twohig told The Patriot Ledger in a written statement. The roadway will extend east from Route 18 at Shea Drive, past the Shea Field Memorial Grove and then veer south toward the Union Point Sports Complex to the roundabout on Patriot Parkway. The approximate 1.5-mile route includes approximately 1 mile of new roadway, and work is expected to take about a year, Twohig said. What's being built at the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station? The roadwork comes after the primary landowner, Washington Capital Management sold land at the base to New England Development and BGRE for $65
Boston
Toys R Us is coming back to standalone stores. Here’s where in Mass.
One has already landed at South Shore Plaza in Braintree. It’s unclear how many more could be coming to the region. Childhood dreams do come true — at least for anyone who misses wandering the aisles of Toys R Us, searching for the latest Barbie, Hot Wheels car, or other must-have toy.
rimonthly.com
Digging the Past at Aardvark Antiques
Arthur Grover circles the wooden secretary desk that once stood in Senator Claiborne Pell’s Washington, D.C., office. A thought hits him and he stops. “The Rhode Island flag,” he says. “It needs the Rhode Island flag.”. He walks briskly out of sight, returning in seconds with a...
Clean Queens
From Realtor to Cleaning Entrepreneur: How One Woman Found Her Niche
In January 2020, Jan MacGregor found herself at a crossroads. As a Business Major at UMass Dartmouth and a licensed Massachusetts Realtor managing short-term rentals, she faced a persistent challenge: finding a reliable and professional cleaning service for the properties she managed. This gap in the market was glaring, yet no local solutions seemed to meet the high standards required for turnover cleanings. So, MacGregor decided to take matters into her own hands, literally. Starting with a mop and bucket in hand, she began cleaning the properties herself. What started as a stopgap measure quickly morphed into a burgeoning business. Clean Queens was born from this necessity, transforming from a single-person operation into a full-fledged company that has redefined cleaning services on the South Coast. The business name, a nod to the empowerment and respect she hopes to instill in her team, reflects her belief that every member of the staff is a 'queen' in her own right. Clean Queens stands out in a saturated market for its premium service offering. Unlike many competitors, the company is one of the few local bonded and insured cleaning services. "We treat our clients and their homes like royalty," MacGregor explains, which is not just a motto but a guiding principle that permeates every aspect of the business.
high-profile.com
Walnut Knoll Wins Vanguard Award for New Construction
Foxborough, MA — Walnut Knoll, a 200-unit affordable rental community for adults 55 and older in Foxborough, has received the 2026 Vanguard Award in the New Construction, Over 100 Units category from the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA). The property is owned by AHSC Peabody Developer LLC & Onyx Group Development, with Peabody Properties Inc. serving as management company. Situated on a 15-acre parcel at the corner of Walnut Street and Route 140, the community opened to residents in September 2025.
fallriverreporter.com
City of Fall River, Springfield, Boston area communities recognized by Mass Save for leadership in energy initiatives, helping lower costs
BOSTON, MA – The Sponsors of Mass Save have announced the recipients of the 2026 Mass Save Impact Awards, recognizing 17 organizations and communities across Massachusetts for their leadership in energy efficiency, electrification, building modernization and other initiatives that are helping shape a more sustainable and resilient Commonwealth with a focus on helping residential and commercial customers save on their overall energy costs. The recipients will be honored at an awards ceremony at the Massachusetts State House on October 27, 2026.
Dianna Carney
Hanover Urges Eligible Residents to Take the Next Step Toward Tax Relief
The Town of Hanover, Massachusetts, is urging eligible seniors and disabled veterans to apply for real estate tax relief by April 1, 2027, to be considered for fiscal year 2027 exemptions. The town says applications received by November 1, 2026, can have an approved exemption reflected on the tax bill mailed in December.
coastalabc.com
Starbucks closes 2 Rhode Island locations amid nationwide cuts
WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) — A Starbucks that opened on Post Road in Warwick a little more than a year ago has closed as part of the company’s latest round of North American store closures. The location at 1727 Post Road was among roughly 250 coffeehouses Starbucks said it...