St. Mark's Area Main Street

Saturday May 12 marks the return of the Great Dorchester Ave. Scavenger Hunt - a chance to get acquainted with SMAMS district merchants while chasing a $500 cash reward! Hunters will gather at the Ashmont Grill at 1:30 PM for a 2:00 PM sendoff, and work their way through the SMAMS business district (Dot Ave from Ashmont Station to Melville Ave), finishing up at 4:00 PM at Dorchester's newest Irish pub, Tony McKernan's Centre Bar.

In between, hunters will stop in at many of the district's businesses to identify objects on the clue sheet. The individual or team (up to four per team) that identifies the most objects will take home $500 in cash, and everyone will have a great time learning what our district offers to consumers.

Registration fee is $5 per person, payable at the door, to help cover expenses. For more information, please call Dan Larner in the SMAMS office, 617-825-3846.

Beginning Thursday Feb. 8, the Ashmont Grill will be open for lunch from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, when dinner begins. Owner Chris Douglass will offer a complete lunch selection from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with limited lunch selections such as burgers from 3:00 to 5:00.

With its top-quality food and service and attractive, spacious layout, the Grill is the perfect place for a mid- day business meeting as well as a great spot to grab lunch!

SMAMS is thrilled to welcome Mt. Washington Bank and Trinity Financial as Corporate Supporters. Mt. Washington and Trinity join our "Corporate Buddy" Countrywide Home Loans as committed sponsors.

Mt. Washington Bank has been serving the needs of local customers for more than 100 years. The bank has a branch on Gallivan Blvd., and a second Dorchester branch will be opening soon in Codman Square. Among its many services, Mt. Washington offers a wide range of mortgages, commercial loans, personal loans, IRAs, CDs, and investment planning services.

SMAMS will present "Oscars on the Avenue" – an Academy Awards night fundraiser/party – on Sunday, Feb. 25, 8 – 12 p.m., at the Ashmont Grill, 555 Talbot Ave., Dorchester (at Dorchester Ave., across from Ashmont Station).

Guests will enjoy the Grill’s superb hors d’oeuvres; Dorchester's own Jeopardy champion Gerry Wagget will quiz the crowd on movie trivia; Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral will lead a live auction; and Bob Wahlberg, who played in The Departed and Mystic River, may drop in for a visit. “Red Carpet Attire” is suggested! (but not required.)

Tickets are $75 in advance, $90 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased by mail or online.

The Peabody Square Tree Lighting and holiday party will take place Saturday, Nov. 25, 6:30 PM at the Peabody Square Fire House. There will be hot chocolate and a sing-along at 6:30. Santa & Mrs. Claus arrive to light the tree and hand out goody bags at 7:00 and the Fire House crew hosts the party at 7:15. For more information, or to help with preparations, please call the SMAMS office at 617- 825-3846.

The Boston Public Health Department has awarded a $20,000 grant to SMAMS as part of its "Walkable Main Streets" initiative. The program allows districts to design programs that encourage walking in local shopping districts.

Realizing that a perception of safety will encourage people to visit the district, SMAMS will use part of the grant to pay for police details at strategic times. We will also fund a walking/ shopping guide to neighborhood businesses, sponsor public events like the tree lighting celebration and the Dot Ave. Scavenger Hunt, and install bike racks at strategic locations throughout the district.

If you're in an artistic mood, looking for a fun activity for the kids, or need to work off some stress, stop by SMAMS' newest business, Plaster Place.

Located at 1730 Dorchester Ave., across from St. Mark's Church, Plaster Place features an assortment of hundreds of plaster figurines. Choose one and paint it in any of 25 colors; owner Lisa Kelley or her helpers glaze it for you while you wait, and you go home with a new masterpiece!

Lisa, a SMAMS resident, got the idea for Plaster Place while driving her son to a similar shop in a suburban mall. She questioned why we couldn't have this kind of wholesome entertainment in our own neighborhood, and answered the question by opening her own business. After two years in Grove Hall she joined us on Dot Ave., and she welcomes all children and adults to "Come in and Paint Something!"

The Boston Globe's Brian McGrory will be the guest speaker at SMAMS' Annual Meeting on Monday, Oct. 23 at the Epiphany School, 154 Centre Street (behind Shawmut Station). Brian is a twice-weekly columnist in the Globe's Metro/Region section and was previously the paper's White House correspondent. He is the author of the Jack Flynn thrillers The Incumbent, The Nominee, and Dead Line.

Refreshments, provided by the Ashmont Grill, will be served at 6:00 p.m. The speaking program begins at 7:00 sharp. Please contact SMAMS to let us know if you will attend, even as a "maybe." This will help us coordinate with the Grill. You can reach us at 617-825-3846 or office@smams.org

After Mr. McGrory speaks, we will review our budget and work plan for the coming year, and hold elections for the Board of Directors. Any current SMAMS member is eligible for nomination. Please contact us if you would like to nominate yourself or another SMAMS member.

ABC Dry Cleaners/The Walk-In Closet is sporting a new look after working with SMAMS to put up new signs and lighting on its storefront.

ABC, located at 1658 Dorchester Ave., across from the O'Hearn School, continues the long tradition of serving the neighborhood begun by Alice Stephatos of Alice's Cleaners. New owner Alex Clarke worked with Alice for over a year before taking over the business when Alice retired. Like Alice, ABC does alterations in addition to dry cleaning.

Alex moved the shop across the street and added a new wrinkle - The Walk-In Closet, featuring his own Organized Gear clothing line. SMAMS provided design assistance and a matching grant for the sign. Alex further dressed up the shop by re-painting the exterior and renovating the interior space.

SMAMS and Fields Corner Main Street (FCMS) present The Return of the Dotini – the second annual Martinis on the Avenue fundraiser, Tuesday, September 12, 7:00 – 10:00 PM, at the Blarney Stone, 1505 Dorchester Ave.

The evening will benefit SMAMS’ and FCMS' work of revitalizing our business districts on Dorchester Ave. It will also mark the return of the “Dotini” - a unique recipe developed by an FCMS volunteer and served at Dot’s finest watering holes!

Guests will enjoy the “Blarney’s” famous hors d’oeuvres, great music, and the company of old and new friends. Last year’s event drew well over 200 people, and this year’s promises to be one of the highlights of Dorchester’s year-round social season.