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LOCAL BUSINESS | TOWN HALL| COMMUNITY VOICES | EVENTS
EDUCATION & LIBRARY | AROUND TOWN

Local Business

On The Menu

Makiin

Makiin means “Come to Eat” in Thai and “Gold” in Japanese and Chinese.  Fortunately for us, Makiin means we have an exciting new restaurant at 74 Main Street in Maynard. Harit Kongnakorn, chef-owner of the popular Smack Noodle, opened his new restaurant with a soft opening on May 26.  
There was no advertising but people who know Smack Noodle were on the lookout and the restaurant had a good crowd when it opened.

The soft opening will continue for a month or two, Harit said, “while we test each dish to make sure everything is good.  We start small and will eventually be adding sushi and marinated meats on skewers.  We’ll have a full bar after the supplies arrive and we want Makiin to be a place for people to come together, bring the family, relax and enjoy the good food.

“We love this community, it’s so different from Boston and people have been so supportive. We want to thank everyone in Maynard and the surrounding area that supports us,” said Harit. “We try to be a place with good food, good quality, that everyone can enjoy.”  

Smack Noodle opened in 2019 and Harit said his customers have been asking when they would open another restaurant.  Makiin can seat 48 while Smack Noodle has 19 seats.  Smack Noodle focuses on Asian fusion with Thai and Japanese dishes. Makiin’s food is based on Thai cuisine but incorporates a mixture of Thai, Japanese and American dishes.

“In Thai culture, we like to share small plates,” Harit said. “It’s like Thai tapas, sharing food, relaxing and talking.”  The current menu has small sandwiches with pork, chicken or tofu; soups and salads; lots of appetizers; and larger plates with rice and meat. The restaurant is currently open from 4:30 to 10 Tuesday through Sunday with lunch from 11:30 to 2:30 Saturday and Sunday.  Currently there is no delivery option but you can pick up food ordered online.

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Inspired Bliss

Megan had worked in retail most of her working life and then took time off to raise her two children.  A fire forced the building’s previous occupants, the Salt Cave, to close and Megan started talking to the property manager as they were rehabbing the space.  

It’s a large space so Megan asked her mother to join her. When asked how it is to work so closely together, Charity offered that “we’re two different people trying to make a business work.”  Megan added that “with any business, you have to keep growing and evolving, and that’s what we’re trying to do here.”

Charity and Megan had been antiquing for years and had accumulated a lot of materials.  They find the artist’s community appreciates their art.  Besides the many items they create, Megan tries to find unique items from around the world, especially the United Kingdom and France.  They also have paper products from Bangladesh and a selection of babies and children’s items.  They have good relations with many wholesalers to find those unique items, the small token gifts that are special.

Inspired Bliss opened in February, 2022, the same day as Maynard’s Art Walk, and the store was packed.  “We’re still riding the COVID was,” said Megan. “It’s really important here in Maynard, where we have lots of good things happening, to put ourselves on the map.  We need a real draw and our restaurants certainly bring people to town.  The more shops the better; we’re very walkable.” Charity agreed saying “we need to get paper off the windows and have more stores and restaurants open.”

“Maynard has a long history of being the shopping destination for many or the other towns nearby,” said Charity. “We’ve always had a funky, eclectic vibe and we need to keep what Maynard has always been, take care of what Maynard is, and we’ll be successful for everyone.”

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Town Hall

Town Budget Planning and Prioritization

On June 11th, four town boards met to discuss upcoming financial planning, operating budget and capital planning status. Moderated by the Select board and Town Administrator, Presentations were given by the Capital Planning Committee (CapCom), School Administration and School Committee (SC), Select Board (SB) and Finance Committee (FinCom) gave a verbal update on next steps in preparation for fiscal year 2026 budget process and 3-year General budget forecasting.

Discussion at the end of the meeting focused on the need for an updated process for town leaders to
make clearer public access to upcoming projects and priorities that can be funded within our
developing revenue forecast and property tax, fees, grants and state and local funding projections, with a new emphasis on proactively prioritizing within our revenue capacity and choosing for a sustainable
revenue and debt structure. Another meeting will be scheduled in August or September to begin to
prepare for both the autumn Special Town Meeting and the budget preparation calendar as found here.

The Maynard Marketing Task Force strongly encourages voters to follow these updates and participate in the discussions where possible and make tough decisions/votes about how we choose the “what and
when” to invest in to maintain the future health of all the various benefits of our town.

Board presentation can be found here (They are also attached .pdfs below)

In the top right corner choose select board, then click meetings and 2024. Click on the June 11th meeting on left.  Finally scroll to bottom and click view agenda icon to view  item 2 which includes links to the  the 3 presentations given. 

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Community Voices

Bree Edwards

Maynard Cultural Council

As a professional in the arts and a newly appointed committee member of the Maynard Cultural Council, I am excited to volunteer because of my passion for supporting artistic expression and community engagement. Since moving to town, I have felt a strong sense of belonging and responsibility. Maynard is known for its civic-minded community, and I have discovered a diverse group of engaged citizens, each making valuable contributions to our town’s cultural landscape. I have seen firsthand the powerful impact of collective action through initiatives like the Tree Corps, the parent PTOs’, and the community gardeners’ dedication to caring for our shared green spaces. These experiences have inspired me to join the Maynard Cultural Council to utilize my expertise and knowledge to celebrate and support the arts within our community. By working with fellow committee members and leveraging the talent and resources in Maynard, I hope to contribute to programs that foster a deeper sense of connection and belonging among residents. Together, we have the potential to cultivate a cultural renaissance that enriches the lives of all Maynard residents, ensuring that our town remains a beacon of creativity, vitality, and inclusivity for future generations.

I am thrilled to be part of the Maynard Cultural Council, especially as it launched a new initiative to purchase artworks by Maynard artists to hang permanently in our Town Hall. The fact that citizens voted and selected the artworks they would like to purchase with funds allocated to the town from the Commonwealth is a testament to the democratic and inclusive nature of our community, and I am proud to be a part of it. 

Bree Edwards is the founding director of the ArtLab at Harvard University. Prior to her work at Harvard, Bree was the director of the Northeastern Center for the Arts, program director of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts at the University of Houston, and director of education at the Asheville Museum of Art.

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Events

Maynard Community Band

Wednesdays starting June 26th

Memorial Park

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Summer Jazz Jams – Third Thursdays

Third Thursdays starting June 20th

Evviva Trattoria

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Music at The Market

Saturdays starting June 29th

Mill and Main Parking Lot at The Maynard Farmers’ Market

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Music on Main

Open Table

Thursdays starting July 11th – August 15th

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For more on events, shopping, things to do, and dining head over to Discover Maynard

Education

Athletics at Maynard Public Schools

Athletics at Maynard Public Schools represent an opportunity for students to engage in activities outside of the classroom- Athletics is part of the total educational experience and teaches Student-Athletes valuable life lessons that may not be afforded in a classroom alone.  Led by many dedicated and seasoned Coaches, Student-Athletes are taught and expected to compete at the highest level and honorably represent their school and community while competing in athletic contests.  

Maynard Public Schools Athletics strives to be a leader in the Midland Wachusett League due to our sportsmanship and dedication to our drive for excellence on and off the field.

Maynard Public Schools Athletic Department serves Student-Athletes in grades 6 through 12, and offers a variety of programs by season.

The 2023-24 School Year saw a lot of exciting games and success!

Fall 2023:

• The MHS Golf team finished the season with a record of 8-4, and qualified for Division 3 Central Golf Tournament as a team where they traveled to Kettle Brook Golf Club.  They unfortunately did not make the cut for the Division 3 State Tournament as a team.
• The MHS Field Hockey team qualified for the MIAA Division 4 Tournament as the #27 seed with a record of 10-6-2.  They went on to face #6 Lunenburg in the Round of 32, where they unfortunately lost by a score of 7-1.
• The Maynard/AMSA Football team qualified for the MIAA Division 6 Tournament at as the #7 seed with a record of 7-1.  They hosted the #10 seed Bellingham in the Round of 16, where they took a tough loss, 28-21.  They went on to play Marlborough in their Week 10 non-playoff game, and finished their season off at West Boylston on Thanksgiving morning.
• The MHS Girls Soccer Team qualified for the MIAA Division 5 Tournament as the #6 seed with a record of 10-5-3.  In the Round of 32, they hosted the #27 seed Westport and won by a score of 7-2.  They then went on to host the #11 seed Hopedale in the Round of 16, where they lost by a score of 2-0.
• The MHS Boys Soccer Team qualified for the MIAA Division 5 Tournament as the #5 seed with a record of 10-5-3.  In the Round of 32, they hosted the #37 seed Neighborhood House and won by a score of 2-1.  They went on to host the #12 seed St. John Paul II in the Round of 16 where they won by a score of 2-1.  They then went on to face #4 Boston International in the Round of 8, where they took a 3-0 loss.
• The MHS Boys Cross Country team finished the season with a record of 4-3, and the MHS Girls Cross Country team finished the season with a record of 1-6.  They both went on to compete in the MIAA Division 3 Championships at Northfield Mountain.

Winter 2023-24:

• The MHS Boys Basketball team qualified for the MIAA Division 5 Tournament as the #4 seed with a record of 14-6 after winning the Clark Tournament.  They went on to host #36 Minuteman Regional in the Round of 32 where they took a tough 61-59 loss.
• The MHS Girls Basketball team qualified for the MIAA Division 5 Tournament as the #7 seed with a record of 9-11.  In the Round of 32, they hosted #39 the Collegiate Charter School of Lowell, whom they beat 70-18.  In the Round of 16, they hosted #10 Pioneer Valley Regional, and won 42-41.  In the Round of 8, they traveled to Shrewsbury to play #2 West Boylston, where they took a 63-43 loss.
• The MHS Indoor Track team enjoyed a lot of individual successes as part of the Midland Wachusett League Invitational schedule.  There were multiple League All-Stars, and some Student-Athletes on the Boys and Girls teams had a chance to compete in the MIAA Division 5 State Championships.
• The Assabet Valley Regional Boys Ice Hockey team consisted of six MHS Student-Athletes this past Winter.  They unfortunately did not qualify for the MIAA Division 3 State Tournament as they finished the season with a 3-14-2 record.
• The Nashoba Girls Swim Team consisted of two MHS Student-Athletes this past Winter.  They finished the season with a record of 7-4, and had multiple Athletes compete in the MIAA Sectional Meet.

Spring 2024: 

• The MHS Baseball team qualified for the MIAA Division 5 Tournament as the #16 seed with a record of 10-9.  In the Round of 32, they hosted #17 McCann Tech and won 1-0 in exciting fashion as they no-hit McCann Tech and won in a 7th inning walk-off homerun.  In the Round of 16, they traveled to #1 Georgetown, where they lost by a score of 9-0.
• The MHS Softball team qualified for the MIAA Division 5 Tournament as the #9 seed with a record of 13-7.  They hosted #24 Mohawk Trail Regional in the Round of 32, and won by a score of 12-0.  In the Round of 16, they traveled to #8 Tahanto, where they lost by a score of 4-3 in 11 innings.
• The MHS Boys Track team finished the season with a 1-5 record and the Girls Track team finished with a 5-1 record.  We saw a great deal of individual successes with 10 League All-Stars between the two teams, and had multiple Athletes compete in the MIAA Division 6 Championships.
• The Weston Boys Lacrosse team consisted of one MHS Student-Athlete this Spring.  They qualified for the MIAA Division 4 Tournament as the #7 seed with a record of 12-4.  In the Round of 32, they hosted #26 Bellingham, and won 14-5.  In the Round of 16, they hosted #10 Wahconah Regional and lost by a score of 9-5.

Around Town

Assabet Co-op Anniversary

The Assabet Co-Op Market celebrated their first anniversary June 1 with a party at the market that included live music, samples from local venders, raffle prizes from local partners, and guest speakers.  During the program they announced that Assabet Co-op won an award at a national conference last week, receiving the Start Up of the Year award for 2024. What a wonderful accomplishment.

Sam McCormick, general manager of the market, said ““Spring 2023  to spring 2024 was a year of major change and transformation for our co-op. Often it was tumultuous, raising the last amount of capital in the spring before we opened, having a wildly busy summer and then a slow fall. 

“But the persistent hard work on the part of the staff and board to learn and grow through all of these things have resulted in a space that is starting to thrive. None of this would have possible without the strong and persistent support from our local folks and co-op community, showing up with their lending and volunteer support continuously to help open the store, and then showing up and shopping, engaging with staff, giving feedback, and living into the wonderful changes in this space that is all of ours. Thank you to everyone that has made the co-op their local grocery store and community space, and be sure to tell your friends about us,” said Sam.

“It’s been an amazing year of growth for our community-owned grocery store and we’re so grateful,” said Lorne Bell, the co-op’s produce manager and operations coordinator. “More than 2,500 proud locals from 40 towns and cities now own our co-op. Thousands of non-owners have also made us their local grocery store and gathering spot for community events, live music, and more. We’ve partnered with more than 100 local producers to build a strong local food economy. And we’re increasing healthy food access through SNAP/EBT and weekly sales across our grocery store. We can’t wait to see what the next year holds for our food cooperative.”

To learn more about the Co-OP, to become a member, or receive their newsletter, please visit their website at https://assabetmarket.coop.

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Maynard Farmers’ Market Opening Day

On Saturday, June 29 the Maynard Farmers’ Market kicks off its 29th season!  Hours are 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., rain or shine in the Mill Pond parking lot on Main St (near intersection with Sudbury St) in Maynard where it will run every Saturday until September 28. 

Weekly vendors include Applefield Farm (sustainably grown vegetables, herbs & flowers), Balance Rock Farm (grass-fed meats, chicken, eggs plus specialty items from other local producers), Cookie Lady Treats (sweet and savory baked goods), FSG Baking (breads, rolls, pretzels & pastries in the German/European tradition), Hudson Hives (10+ honey varieties, lip & body balms, beeswax candles), and Muddy Water Coffee (coffee beans & freshly made coffee drinks). The day’s periodic vendors are Aaronap Cellars (premium wines made with MA-grown grapes), Huckleberry Bakes (dedicated gluten-free baked goods including cakes, cupcakes, cookies, donuts and bars) and Maynard Maple (maple syrup and candies). Opening day artisans are returning favorites Brookfield Candle Co (soy-based candles), Groovy Home (interior design) and Jennifer’s Handmade Soap (artistic artisan soaps and bath products). NEADS World Class Service Dogs will be at the Community Tent, the kids can do Spin Art at the Children’s Tent and Maynard musician Lily Waguespack will be performing under the Interlude Music tent.

The Market is looking for volunteers to help staff the Market tent for one or more early or late Saturday shifts during the season. You’ll greet visitors and do customer counts. This is an easy, but very helpful way to get involved in the Market and meet new people. Stop by the Market tent or email [email protected] for more information.

For the full season’s schedules and vendor descriptions: www.MaynardFarmersMarket.com. For the latest updates follow the Market on Facebook www.Facebook.com/MaynardFarmersMarket.

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