By Devin Shaw

Keys for Kids students.

Keys for Kids has been a staple of the Lexington community for over two decades. Thousands of local students have learned music and life lessons throughout the various locations the school has called home. Inga Magid, Founder and Educational Director of Keys for Kids, has spent years trying to find a new location for the school in Lexington that was more centralized and visible—facing obstacles at every turn. Then recently, an opportunity presented itself when a vacancy became available at 411 Waltham Street, in the little shopping plaza, which is also home to Tricon Sports, Bruegger’s Bagels, and Nature’s Way Cleaners. For Inga, it was love at first sight.

Mrs. Magid told me, “What I love about our new location is it’s more visible—it’s close to the center, it’s close to the schools, and it’s close to many of the families that participate in our various programs. It’s great for the families because it is next-to-or-near a coffee shop, a donut shop, a sports store—pretty much anything you can think of. And, there is tons of parking!”

This was not just as simple as moving into the vacancy. With the new home for Keys for Kids, Inga has shaped the storefront into a musician’s dream. She told me, “It was a six-month project. We gutted the entire facility. It has turned into a music school built from the ground up. It has everything you need for perfect acoustics, along with a fantastic layout. It’s bright, sunny, and versatile. We even recently put the signup!”

Inga continued, “It has a very large main classroom which allows us to hold classes in person again, as well as online. We now have the ability to integrate the two.”

Like every small business, Keys for Kids was forced to adjust its entire business model overnight due to COVID. In-person classes were halted, and Inga was forced to innovate. She explained, “I will never forget it; it was Thursday, March 12th, and I was teaching my night class, and all of a sudden, all of the parents were reading their phones, and they said, ‘Oh my god, starting tomorrow school will be closed!’ So, by the next day, we had moved our classes online. At that point, I didn’t know how to use Zoom or even have a camera! I was moving my computer by hand so the students could see what I was talking about! The next day I ordered two more cameras, and every day our classes got better. I am proud that we did not miss one lesson!”

Inside the new Keys for Kids studio on Waltham Street.

That is a perfect example of the devotion and passion of Inga and the Keys for Kids faculty: faced with adversity, it took fewer than 24 hours to adjust and make sure no student missed a class. And now, the classes have become so popular they are a permanent addition! Inga told me, “There are obviously challenges when it comes to online classes, but there are also so many amazing resources online that we have never explored. Also, now with multiple cameras so the students can follow what my hands are doing from almost any angle. Another great aspect of online teaching is former students that moved away or otherwise cannot be in person are now able to be in our classes again!”

Keys for Kids provides a passionate and highly specialized faculty ready to work hard for its students and can adapt quickly. Inga said, “We offer piano, violin, guitar, singing, percussion, ukulele, and ensemble classes.” She continues, “Our faculty is amazing. It is a group of highly educated instructors with years of experience teaching all types of students—including those with disabilities. They are performers, they are teachers, and, most importantly, they are inspirational. We are so lucky to have such a fantastic faculty.”

Inga has been teaching piano for decades. In that time, she has created an education program unlike any other. She proudly explains, “It’s a very unique program because it’s a combination of all the many styles of teaching: Asian, Russian, European, and American.” She continues, “three-year-olds will start playing the piano and will learn to read music. It’s a program that I have been developing over the course of 35 years, and even after all of my years of teaching it still astounds me that children can learn to read music so well at such a young age. It happens every year and it truly is inspiring.”

Christiana Iyasere has had three children learning music at Keys for Kids; they all started around the age of four. She said, “Inga is a really exceptional music teacher in the sense that she clearly has a mastery of the music herself. It is rare to have a teacher who has such exceptional skill, and who is able to both impart the technical skills in a teaching format, and promote a love and appreciation for the arts in the same way that she can. The other thing that I think is particularly special about her is that she has incredibly high standards for each student, and understands where they are and what their potential is. I think it’s rare to find individuals or teachers that have such faith in what your children can truly achieve and are willing to do the work with them to get them to that point. She clearly is one of those individuals.”

Ted and Jen Murphy also love Keys for Kids. Their daughter, Courtney, has also been studying there since the age of 4 (she is now 8). Even more important to her parents is the fact that Courtney finds both her lessons and practice sessions to be enjoyable and a great source of pride and accomplishment.  “One of the many strengths of Keys for Kids is that Inga employs a ‘hands-on’ management style at the school,” says Jen Murphy.

Ted Murphy tells explains, “She brings a rare energy and accountability to all of the classes, which teaches children responsibility and ownership of their progress. This helps them in all of their studies and activities.” Courtney’s love of Inga’s approach motivated her to take up the violin as a second instrument. Ted tells me, “Nowadays, there are fewer distractions and activities to compete with playing and practicing. We are grateful that Courtney has developed a passion for music due to the inspiration of talented and devoted teachers.”

For Inga, Lexington is home. She has lived here for 19 years. Her business is here. She raised her children here. She has great pride for the town, and being part of the community is extremely important for her. She says, “I am so happy that we have been able to teach in Lexington for so long and truly become a part of the community. That personally means a lot to me as a longtime Lexington resident.” But, being part of the community isn’t enough for Inga—she also gives back. She says, “Music programs in most school systems are not as well funded as other programs, so each summer, we host our Summer Performance Gala, and we donate all proceeds to the Lexington Public Schools’ Music Department.”

And, while Lexington is both Inga’s and Keys for Kid’s home, the new home on Waltham Street is the next step for this staple of Lexington education and culture. Inga encourages people to stop by and experience her faculty’s passion and dedication and see the beautiful brand-new facility with the pristine sound. And, while you’re there, make sure to ask about the popular Summer Music Day Camp.

While you are there, you will probably find Inga teaching or playing the piano. She concludes, “The saying goes: ‘choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.’ Well, I can tell you—they were right.”

411 Waltham St,

Lexington, MA 02421

781-274-9729

By E. Ashley Rooney

MOLLY HARDING NYE GALLERY
Upon completion, the newly renovated gallery was named in honor of Molly Harding Nye, a longtime member, a potter-sculptor, and former President of the Society (1975-1977 and 2009-2011).  The Gallery boasts a 1,000 square foot room with new LED gallery lighting. Shows and sales are free and open to the public. Show opening receptions, demos and lectures are often held along with the exhibitions.

While the pandemic closed many local facilities, The Lexington Arts and Crafts Society (LexArt), renovated its gallery and building during these months. The current structure, first built in 1953 on land bought for $5000, had gone through other additions and transformations, but this change is massive.
The gallery now is a simple but stunning venue. The ceiling was opened up to create an open, airy spatial feeling. The elegant light system enhances the artwork on display; the carpet was removed and the floor is now polished concrete, a handicapped lift and bathroom, new HVAC and hot water systems, increased storage, and Covid upgrades such as air purification systems were added, and the kitchen updated. Beautifully designed cabinetry with custom lighting will showcase the art of the society’s artists in the new retail space at the north end of the building.

Molly Harding Nye

The Love Story

Joseph Nye, Jr .wanted to do something special for the 80th birthday of his wife Molly. For years, he had listened to her, a decades-long member, talk about issues at the society. Wayne Davis, Chairman of the Board, now picks up the telling of this story. “When Joe asked Molly about a birthday gift, she said I am excited about the changes that are happening at LexArts. So they approached us. We said that the gallery is our face, and we want to be much more open to the community and more welcoming. In December 2019, Joe gifted the society with $250,000 in honor of Molly.

“To do the project and to do it right, we needed additional gifts so other family members and friends contributed as a way to honor Molly.” Wayne said. “Her daughter-in-law said it’s about Joe’s love for Molly and Molly’s love for Lex Art. And everyone loves Molly. She has so many admirers including me, because she has so much energy and so much enthusiasm.”

The Future

This attractive community gallery renovation continues the changes the society has been implementing in the last several years. Founded in 1935, the Lexington Arts & Crafts Society was a “town treasure” according to Molly, but “many people didn’t know about it. Under Wayne’s leadership, we have rewritten the bylaws, changed name to LexArt, and tried to be more with it in today’s world. Wayne saw how to make that happen and how to help the older members understand that change was necessary.”

Molly does some sculpture and regular throwing of bowls. She also makes these marvelous stonewall heads as seen here at the DE Cordova.

The organization has become more outward-facing and community-oriented. Its Executive Director Matt Siegel points out, “LexArt is striving to play a much more active role in community engagement, support and partnerships. The Federal Government doesn’t grant us nonprofit status to serve ourselves. It is the responsibility of arts organizations to promote learning, sharing, to generate discourse and dialogue. In tandem with the opening of our 25th annual high school exhibit February 17, we are announcing the expansion of our high school scholarship program, and a teen-focused arts education program.”

The organization is working to determine how LexArt is best equipped and positioned to provide service to the community. It would like to enter into partnership with other organizations, to hold public events, to become a meeting place for others. The society is considering themed and juried shows – rather than just shows by guilds. For instance, it had a trunk pottery show where potters drove into the large parking lot with their trunks filled with pottery for sale!

In the past, entering the building according to Molly “was like going into a gray cocoon. Now, someone will greet you at the front door. There is an ongoing salesroom for those birthday and wedding presents. It feels much cleaner and seemingly bigger.” Wayne adds, “We believe that this will help in the revitalization of Lexington.”

Address: 130 Waltham St,

Lexington, MA 02421

Phone: (781) 862-9696

www.lexart.org

Clean Heat for Lexington public information forum with panelists:

-Craig Foley, Realtor LAER Realty Partners

-Jordan Goldman, Chief Engineer, Zero Energy Design

-Mark Doughty, President, ThoughtForms Corp.

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 7:00 PM

For details, and to register for this Zoom event, go to lexgwac.org

Other forums are in the planning stages. Stay tuned.

By Clean Heat for Lexington Alliance

What if you could help the planet avoid the worst effects of climate change simply by leading a healthier, more comfortable life? And what if you could even save money in the process? Well, you can. The key is electrification. In 2018, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change advised that avoiding the worst effects of climate change would require a sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Lexington has already committed to address the climate challenge. In 2018, the Select Board approved a “Getting to Net Zero Plan” that laid out a roadmap to achieve net-zero emissions in 25 years.

Last spring, the Town hired its first Sustainability Director to guide implementation of that plan. And in November 2020, Town Meeting overwhelmingly approved a resolution proposed by Sunrise Lexington, a local youth climate change movement, to declare a Climate Emergency and set a goal of “ending townwide greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible and no later than 2035.” How do we meet zero-emission goals? Currently, about a third of Lexington’s greenhouse gas emissions comes from heating buildings with fossil fuels — natural gas, oil, and propane. Switching the energy source we use to heat our buildings from fossil fuels to clean electricity is a logical place to begin the transition to a carbon-free future.

Clean Heat for Lexington: Moving Buildings Away from Fossil Fuels and Toward Electrification

The Lexington Global Warming Action Coalition (GWAC), Mothers Out Front (MOF) Lexington, the Lexington Public Schools (LPS) Green Teams and the Town’s Sustainable Lexington Committee have formed the Clean Heat for Lexington alliance to raise awareness of the health, environmental, and economic benefits of transitioning to clean electric heat and to support measures that would formalize that transition. “Clean electric heat” refers to heat generated by air and ground source heat pumps, which actually supply both heat and air conditioning. Heat pumps work like refrigerators, by extracting heat from the air and transferring it — into the building to warm it during the winter and out of the building to cool it during the summer.

But Isn’t Electricity Partially Generated by Fossil Fuels? 

Electric buildings produce lower emissions than those directly fueled by gas and oil, and the way we generate electricity is rapidly becoming greener as utilities incorporate more wind and solar to power the grid. This is especially true in Lexington, where most residents have 100% renewable electricity through the Town’s Community Choice Program.

The Clean Heat Article for the 2021 Annual Town Meeting: A Practical and Cost-Effective First Step 

A logical first step to transition away from heating our buildings with fossil fuels is to avoid adding new fossil fuel infrastructure. Every building we build today with fossil fuel infrastructure makes it more difficult for Lexington to meet its emission goals and will require an expensive retrofit in the future. For this reason, the alliance supports the Clean Heat Warrant Article (Article 31) to enact a town bylaw to require that new construction and major (“gut”) renovations rely on clean electricity rather than new fossil fuel lines. “It would work against the town’s sustainability goals to allow the addition of new gas piping that would likely be in place far beyond Lexington’s net-zero goal of 2035,” notes Cindy Arens of the Sustainable Lexington Committee.

The proposed bylaw would help accomplish this goal, but there is an obstacle: Lexington, as a town, lacks the authority to pass such a bylaw under current Massachusetts law. This came to light last year when the Town of Brookline tried to enact a similar bylaw. The Brookline town meeting passed almost unanimously a warrant article that would have required electrification in all new construction and gut rehabs, but Attorney General Maura Healey’s office struck it down as being in conflict with existing state building and gas codes, despite her support for the policy goal behind it. “If we were permitted to base our determination on policy considerations, we would approve the bylaw,” Healey wrote. In order for Lexington to have authority over how its buildings are powered, the Town must get a Home Rule Petition approved by the state legislature.

Accordingly, the alliance will ask Town Meeting at its March 2021 session to approve two things: (1)  a Home Rule Petition to the state legislature that would permit the Town to pass a bylaw that would limit fossil fuel infrastructure in new buildings and significant renovations of existing buildings, and (2) a bylaw that would accomplish this.

The Clean Heat for Lexington alliance actually had its start a year ago,  well before the Attorney General’s decision, when climate groups in Lexington began discussing the possibility of introducing a bylaw similar to Brookline’s at Lexington’s 2020 special Town Meeting. Since that time, members of these groups, along with Lexington’s new Sustainability Director, Stella Carr, have been attending workshops by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI, a nonprofit organization) with representatives of town governments and climate organizations from fifteen other Massachusetts municipalities, to learn how best to replicate Brookline’s success in winning public support for its clean heat bylaw. After the Attorney General rejected Brookline’s bylaw, the focus of the RMI training shifted to the process of authorizing home rule petitions that would allow towns to establish building guidelines that match their climate goals. In 2020, both Brookline’s and Arlington‘s town meetings overwhelmingly passed articles for a Home Rule Petition and bylaw that are virtually identical to Lexington’s upcoming Clean Heat article.

Which Buildings and Renovations Would be Affected by this Bylaw?

The proposed bylaw would apply only to new construction and to major (gut) renovations of existing homes and businesses. It is also important to understand what the proposed bylaw would not do:

• It would not affect any existing building undergoing minor or moderate renovations, such as a new kitchen or an addition.
• It would not prevent a homeowner from replacing an existing oil burner with a new oil burner or with natural gas, if gas piping is already in place (although this would be a great time to switch to clean electric heat, which would likely be less expensive).
• It would exempt all cooking appliances, backup generators, outdoor cooking and heating, large central hot water heaters, life sciences laboratories and some medical offices, as well as repairs to correct unsafe conditions in existing gas lines.

In addition to these specific exemptions, the bylaw would allow for waivers to be provided in circumstances in which non-fossil fuel infrastructure is currently not feasible. More information about the bylaw and clean electric heat can be found on the alliance’s website, www.cleanheatlexington.org. There are approximately 100 newly constructed buildings and gut renovations in Lexington each year. “Given this small number, the proposed bylaw might appear to be a very small first step,” says Mary Hutton of MOF Lexington. “But as the British politician, Denis Healey, once famously advised, ‘If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging.’ We are in a hole. If we want to get to net zero in fourteen years, we need to stop digging now.”

“What the clean heat warrant article helps us do now,” says Sustainable Lexington Committee member and climate scientist, Dr. Archana Dayalu, “is to put best practice building standards in place so that we’re not locking in climate-changing greenhouse gas for another several decades. Let’s stop this unsustainable and costly trajectory before it stops us.” Beginning in January and continuing through March, the alliance will conduct individual meetings and public forums at which Lexington’s homeowners, business owners, builders, developers, realtors, architects, and Town Meeting members can learn about the process and benefits of heating with electricity, and get answers to any questions or concerns they may have. Be on the watch for announcements of upcoming forums — starting soon.

Why Heat Pumps Are Very Cool Heat pumps are a “two-fer:” one installation provides both heat and air conditioning. “It is absolutely feasible and economical to heat our homes, offices, and schools with electric heat pumps in New England’s climate,” says Select Board member Mark Sandeen. “Air source electric heat pumps are an affordable and effective clean heating and cooling alternative.

The cost of operating electric heat pumps is currently comparable to heating with natural gas and about half the cost of heating with propane. Because heat pumps provide both heating and cooling, heat pump installation costs for new construction can also be significantly lower than the cost of installing separate heating and cooling systems.”  An added benefit is a lower electric rate for homes heated principally by electricity.

For some buildings, ground source heat pumps may be an alternative. While the proposed bylaw applies only to new construction, retrofitting an existing building from fossil fuel to electric heating has also become an increasingly attractive, healthy, and economical option. Following its campaign for a home rule petition and the passage of the bylaw, the Lexington alliance will be rolling out a program to provide guidance to interested homeowners on whether and how they can supplement — or, ideally, entirely replace — their fossil fuel heating system with an electric heat pump. “Choosing electricity as a fuel source will result in a comfortable, healthy indoor environment all year long while reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” says Select Board member Joe Pato. “It’s a win for everyone, and a win for our planet.”

Gas is Not the Clean Alternative We Thought it Was

For years, gas heat has been advertised to be clean, healthy, safe, and cheap. In reality, while it may be cheap, it is not clean, healthy or safe. Natural gas can be as bad for the environment as coal because it does more than emit CO2 during the combustion process. Unburnt natural gas is composed primarily of methane, a far more potent greenhouse gas. Methane leaks plague every point of the natural gas chain, from production through consumption in our buildings. Studies show that, over time, the climate damage of natural gas is on a par with the CO2 emissions from burning coal. Combustion from natural gas home appliances has been shown to severely affect air quality, emitting such pollutants as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter that lead to cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Unburnt natural gas releases toxic air pollutants, most notably benzene, a known carcinogen.

Gas leaks can lead to explosions. In 2018, excessive pressure in natural gas lines owned by Columbia Gas resulted in explosions and fires that destroyed as many as 40 homes in Andover, North Andover, and Lawrence. In the wake of that tragedy, a team of experts concluded that Massachusetts is “rolling the dice” with gas safety. Lexington had its own experience of a gas explosion in 2005, when a home on Hancock Avenue exploded into a ball of fire because of a gas leak.

As of 2019, there were more than 15,000 reported active gas leaks in Massachusetts, including 144 in Lexington. Gas leaks are generally repaired only if they pose explosive hazards, but as noted above, a gas leak does not have to be explosive to present unseen climate and air quality hazards. Check this map to see if there is a gas leak near you https://heetma.org/gas-leaks/gas-leak-maps/). Leaking gas also destroys trees. A 2020 study of the impacts of gas leaks on trees in Chelsea, MA found that dead or dying trees were 30 times more likely to have been exposed to methane leaking from gas pipelines, which displaced the oxygen in the soil, effectively suffocating plant life at the roots. Gas repairs are expensive to ratepayers. Gas companies pass the expense of repairing gas leaks onto consumers, costing Massachusetts ratepayers $11-60 million a year.

Further Clean Heat Initiatives The alliance’s Clean Heat for Lexington Home Rule and bylaw initiative is one component of a multi-part campaign to facilitate and support the Lexington community’s transition to a healthy, carbon-neutral future. Other components of the campaign include:

• LexEnergize, a new interactive online guide to the many everyday actions residents can take to reduce their carbon footprint. The website will launch soon and include tips on improving your home’s energy efficiency, reducing household waste, turning your yard into an ecological oasis, and more;
• A future outreach program to educate current homeowners about, and assist them in, retrofitting their homes for electric heat; and
• Support for a bylaw that would provide zoning incentives for sustainable commercial building in Hartwell Innovation Park, and other related regulatory changes. (Article 16, passed at the 2020 Fall Special Town Meeting, laid the foundation for this by including language that all buildings over six stories in the Hartwell Avenue commercial development district will be required to have all-electric HVAC.)

“History demonstrates that the societies that succeed are the ones that use crises as opportunities to adapt and transition proactively rather than reactively,“ says Dr. Dayalu. “In the face of climate change, it’s up to progressive cities and towns like Lexington to lead the transition to a future free from fossil fuels, starting with fundamental steps like passing the Clean Heat warrant article. Lexington was home to the American Revolution. Now we can be home to America’s next great revolution in climate and energy!”  

By Denise J. Dubé

Pictured in front of Crafty Yankee are three generations of owners. They are (L to R): Sandi Simon (store manager), Cooper Robbins (new co-owner), Kathy Fields (former owner), Carla Fortmann (former owner), and Maddie Robbins (new co-owner). (photo by Jim Shaw)

Change is inevitable but not always welcome. If you’ve walked or driven through Lexington Center, you already know that Kathy Fields is retiring and Crafty Yankee is closing by January’s end. Don’t panic. Kathy, an icon in the town’s business world, hand-picked the new owners – no, really, she did – and after a bit of paint and the installation of a new wood floor, Crafty Yankee reopens in late March.

“It’s been fun,” Kathy said. “It’s a store that belongs to the people, whoever they are wherever they live.” Some of those people live far from Lexington, and she still hears from them. The new owners probably will too. Kathy bequeathed the store to the Robbins family, but she will still have a vital role moving forward.

Kathy chose the new owners, the Robbins family, wisely, keeping the store and the town in mind. Melissa Robbins owns and represents a manufacturing company. The two have worked together for more than 20 years. Melissa is the mom of 22-year-old twins Madison (Maddie) and Cooper, and their younger brother, Griffin, 21. The three adult children will run the store with oversight from Mom and Dad (Bob), and of course, Kathy.

Maddie, also a representative of the same company, has worked with Kathy and Crafty Yankee for about five years. She jumped feet first into Crafty Yankee, and you can find her there a few days a week. She’ll be joined by Cooper as soon as he finishes his degree. Griffin, a software guru who works on business websites, will take over the website ― www.CraftyYankee.com. Griffin will have his hands full. “The website has exploded,” Kathy said. “People have not wanted to leave home.” The store was closed for three months because of COVID, but that didn’t stop Kathy – or sales. She started including more and more of her merchandise online, and the selling never stopped. “It kept me alive,” Kathy said. “The next owners are getting a robust store and a website that’s equally robust.”

They’ll also inherit Kathy’s annual philanthropic holiday effort, The Holiday Giving Tree. Every November for the last 26 years, Kathy has filled the branches of a tree with cards, each containing the need or wants of someone affiliated with Bedford’s Minuteman Senior Services. It’s so popular the cards are gone three weeks after Kathy puts up the tree.

The landmark shop was originally the brainchild of Carla Fortmann and Kate Baty and started in 1975 with a few craft shows outside Carla’s home. “We dreamed of having a shop,” Carla said. At the time, Kate made candles and Carla ceramics. They learned through a friend in 1980 that space on Muzzey Street was available. They dove in and rented the two-rooms upstairs. Anticipating locally handmade items, they aptly named it the Crafty Yankee. One room held classes; the other was a consignment store. “We had baskets, lampshades, gingerbread houses, herbal wreaths, cake decorating, a ton of classes,” Carla said of the lessons and items she and Kate offered.

Carla Fortmann (left) and Dottie Simpson (right) welcome new Crafty Yankee owner Kathy Fields in 1994.

In 1985 Dottie Simpson joined Carla and Kate. Eventually, they moved to Massachusetts Avenue and still held classes downstairs, which later became Kathy’s office. By 1995 their time was over. The women sold Crafty Yankee to Kathy, a like-minded woman who came with extensive business savvy and a community-minded attitude.

Kathy was a New York marketing and merchandising executive who worked at Dillard’s and later Federated Department Stores, now known as Macy’s. She was more than willing to take the mantle and expand their dream. She still buys local but has grown her inventory to include American made and fair-trade products. Anything sourced outside the country’s borders has a story that is connected to America or Lexington.

“I don’t sell anything people need; I sell things that people would love to have or give to someone else,” Kathy said. Her shelves are filled with handmade jewelry by local silver and goldsmiths, exotic candles, artisan glass, ornaments, scarves, ceramics, and so much more. (Everything through December is 20 percent off. In January, Kathy expects to have further sales.) “My whole mantra for the store was that it would be called the community giving store,” Kathy said of her belief in the three C’s: customer, community, and craftspeople. Before she brings in something new, she asks herself: “How is the community going to appreciate this.” One popular item started with Carla. Shirley Lane’s made hand-knit owl sweaters were popular. Kathy kept those in the store until Shirley’s recent death.

With Kathy’s expertise, the store grew and became even more popular. A consultant suggested hiring someone to run the store. She found Sandi Simon, who, Kathy said, was and is warm, welcoming, and engaging. That was 17 years ago. Sandi fell in love with the store, and the two are good friends. “She remembers customers, what they bought, and their kids,” Kathy said. “Sandi gave me my life back. She comes in at 9 a.m. and doesn’t leave until the last customer walks out. She is the face of the store.”

Sandi also gave Kathy more time to improve the shop and work with the community. Her New York background focused on women’s accessories, including jewelry, scarves, handbags, and personal indulgences. Her experience was put to good use – not just in her store, but in other Lexington shops. Because Kathy’s a merchant and a marketer, she could see the voids along Massachusetts Avenue. “It was a center where people would come,” she said.

She reached and still reaches out to help others start businesses or just to help them grow. Kathy, on the Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors – for the second term – is also one of the founding members of the Lexington Retailers Association. Kathy, Carla said, is an unsung hero and her concerns go beyond Crafty Yankee. “She appreciates the larger picture that Lexington sits in.” Maddie, who has only been there since November, has noticed the same. “She’s always willing to share any information she has to make others successful. She is one of the most professional people I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with.”

Nannette Cole, the manager of Fancy Flea, located across the street from Crafty Yankee and Eric Michel- son from Michelson’s shoes, situated a bit further down Massachusetts Avenue, are sad to see Kathy retire and appreciate the help she has given them and other local businesses. “I adore her,” Nannette said. “She’s given her heart and soul to the community and will help anyone.”

“We’re going to miss her,” Eric said and spoke of her efforts with Discovery Day, the Halloween Walk, and holiday events. “She’s one of those rare community-oriented business owners,” Eric said. “She’s always been out there working for our businesses and community events. She has gone above and beyond to help people and the center,” Eric said. “That’s a rare thing to find in a local small business owner.

More importantly, she’s not afraid of competition. She even encourages it. “One of the really unique things about Kathy is she’s never been afraid to have other stores similar to hers come into town,” Eric said. “She always sees it as a plus, mainly for the town. Not all business owners feel it’s their responsibility to reach out and work with other businesses to make Lexington center attractive to shoppers.”

No worries. Kathy isn’t going far.

She’s still on the Chamber of Commerce’s board and part of the Lexington Retailers Association. And, she’ll be assisting with the Crafty Yankee transition.

Carla is thrilled that Crafty Yankee lives on in a third iteration, and Nannette is happy she’s going to have some free time ― maybe.

Congratulations to Kathy and Sandi on a well-deserved retirement, and welcome to Maddie, Cooper, Griffin, Melissa, and Bob.

Crafty Yankee is located at 1838 Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington Center. You can also visit them online at www.CraftyYankee.com.

John Marchese, Jr. of Kitchens by Lombco.

By Devin Shaw

“It was six years after the work we did on this building that we ended up opening a showroom here,” John Marchese, Jr recently told me in Kitchens by Lombco’s new showroom location at 311 Marrett Road in Lexington. Six years prior to their July opening, they had done construction work in the back of the building.  At the time, they never thought they would call this home. While they wanted to eventually expand closer to the city, there seemed to be other plans for the location.  John told me, “We kind of just dropped the idea and then never really thought about it again. And then last year, I was thinking, ‘now is a good time to expand down closer to the city.’ I was looking at spaces in Burlington and my father reminded me, ‘what about the space in Lexington? They never did anything with it.’ Now we are lucky to call it home.”

John grew up surrounded by the remodeling industry. His father, and now business partner, John Marchese Sr, had owned a company called Positive Improvements. John told me, “My father has been in the remodeling business my entire life. So, during summer vacation when other kids were working in a grocery store, or other typical summer jobs, I was working as a carpenter. So, I’ve been a carpenter, on-and-off, the last 20 years. So that is how it started for me.”

John had an incredibly interesting journey to his new Lexington location. He explained, “I spent my 20s just traveling all over the world. After college, I didn’t know what to do. I graduated during the 2008 recession when there weren’t many job opportunities. So, I bought a one-way ticket to Spain and spent a year traveling through Europe. After that, I got the travel bug. I then spent the next decade traveling the world. I was volunteering a lot, and doing lots of backpacking—it was the best time of my life!” He continued, “I would occasionally come back to the US, and every time I came home, I would work for my father’s company. Luckily I didn’t have to get rehired every time. I would just show on up on Monday morning. I would save money, then do more traveling.”

John had one last detour before starting his business with his father. After settling in Lowell for a few years and working in the insurance industry he met his wife. She was getting her Master’s degree at UMass/Lowell and John had remained active on a website he used while traveling—it introduces hosts to travelers in need of a place to stay while visiting their city. John had become a host and a friend for people visiting the Boston area and he told me, “She reached out to me and was just looking to meet new people outside of the University. And, when she reached out we met up and hit it off.”

For John, that meant one last trip! He said, “My wife is from Malaysia, so when she finished her degree we went to Malaysia for a year and a half. Being from New England, I have pretty thick blood, and it was just such a hot place. After about a year and a half, we decided to come back to the states.”

A beautiful renovation in Chelmsford is bright and full of roomy, accessible storage.

Perfect timing. John told me, “When [John Sr] bought this business, I was telling him I was thinking about coming home. And he suggested, ‘if you want to start and run this business with me, you’re more than welcome to come back in.’ So, he purchased the Kitchens by Lombco name and opened the first showroom in Tewksbury with all the brands of cabinets and countertops that we sell. We both knew a lot about installation and remodeling. But we both had to figure out the cabinet end of things together. So that’s what we’ve been doing for the last six years. We do most of our projects up in the Tewksbury, Lowell, and Andover area because the residents know the name Kitchens by Lombco; it has been a staple in that area for 30 years. But, my father also did a lot of work in Lexington and that is what drew us here.”

The father and son team have done a lot of work in Lexington. The amount of projects is too long to list! They vary in size and scope and include both residential and commercial. Their jobs are not always kitchens either. John explains, “We do more than kitchen remodeling. We do lots of kitchens and bathrooms every day, but we do a number of additions. We do a lot of basement remodels—we do bars and media rooms. So basically, we remodel a lot of residential homes but we also have commercial projects as well.”  Just last year, Kitchens by Lombco completed an brand new build-out for Drs. Coppe and Sears, who are well respected dentists here in Lexington.

A warm and inviting renovation in Billerica.

John tells me, “There are three parts of the business. We supply cabinets to other contractors, we supply cabinets to people that have their own contractors that just need cabinets from us, and we offer full kitchen remodeling. So if somebody finds us—they kind of hit the jackpot. It’s like a one-stop-shop, and they’re working with one company. They don’t have to go and juggle multiple people and spend lots of time searching for cabinets and other materials. We can handle it all. With a full kitchen remodel, we offer or source all the products that go into the kitchen including cabinets and appliances, and we do the labor and all the coordinating. Plus, we do more than kitchens. We can do bathrooms, game rooms, and just about anything you need ”

Kitchens by Lombco provides beautiful cabinetry and state-of-the-art products from locally-sourced vendors.  They will also work with your preferred vendors. Their Lexington showroom offers a stunning glimpse of what your new kitchen could be! Give them a call and arrange a time to drop by and see for yourself.

In the end, after all of John Marchese Jr’s traveling, he is happy to have a new home in Lexington. He exclaims, “We are just so excited to be here. We want to become part of the community. I’d love the opportunity to work with anyone in the town. We provide free estimates and have a brick and mortar showroom right here in Lexington. So you know you’re not just hiring a contractor—you’re hiring a neighbor who is committed to providing high-quality service with the best prices, and a history of working in and around Lexington.”  John concluded, “We take great pride in our craftsmanship and stand by our work. It’s always very fulfilling to see the expressions of joy on the faces of our clients when a job is completed. To us, you’re family, and we treat our customers the way that we’d like to be treated.”

For more information, or to get local references and/or arrange a time to visit their Lexington showroom, call them or visit them on the web at KitchensByLombco.com.  Their local showroom is located at 311 Marrett Road in Lexington, and their phone number is 978-858-0700.

https://kitchensbylombco.com