In 2024, our Business of the Year and Volunteer of the Year were recognized at an awards banquet hosted by the Boston Main Streets Foundation. The event took place at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter in South Boston on October 28, 2024. Volunteers and businesses from all of the Main Streets districts in Boston were recognized at the Gala.
We are proud to recognize Miss Laura’s Beauty Culture as our Business of the Year 2024. Located at 46 South Street in Jamaica Plain, the shop bridges the old and new Jamaica Plain, serving as a retail business with quirky, irreverent, and cool gifts, cards, plants, candles, and more. Owner Laura Dembski is a steady presence among the business community, having run her shop for almost 40 years. She has done outstanding work in promoting the South Street shops and leading the South Street Nite Market. She also organized a memorial bench for a long-standing postal carrier who served the neighborhood faithfully. Established in 1936 as Cla Mar Beauty Culture, the shop endures today because of Laura’s work ethic, irreverent outlook, and genuine investment in her community.
We are happy to recognize Kate Raisz as our Volunteer of the Year 2024. Kate joined our board of directors in 2024, and quickly offered to lead the Promotions team, helming our events and involvement in Open Streets, the Oktoberfest Trolley Tour, and launching our SMS Advent Calendar. She is whole-heartedly invested in lifting up our organization and community by embracing new opportunities and bringing mindfulness to our mission to promote our business district. Prior to joining the board, she was an avid volunteer and brought her expertise in digital media to our projection shows and events. Kate is the proprietor of 42 Degrees North Media, where she is an award-winning media producer, director, and writer with 30 years of experience making films, websites, and interactive experiences for museums and broadcast television.
The awards celebration proved to be a wonderful time with drinks, eats, art, and music.
