PHOTO 1 CAPTION: Zume’s staff member Dory Dinoto prepares a black-and-white, upside-down latte with whipped cream, a drink that she invented to commemorate the first anniversary of the coffee house.

PHOTO 2 CAPTION: Sarah Arnold and her daughter Lily at Zume’s. Lily is wearing a hat emblazoned with the Zume’s logo.

PHOTO 3 CAPTION: Susan Frigoletto is seen outside Zume’s with her children Alden and McKay (at right).

One year after Zume’s Coffee House opened on Main Street, it has already become a popular destination for all segments of the community, which is exactly what its owners had in mind.
“We wanted to make sure this is some place where everyone is welcome,” said Zume’s co-manager Debra Ball. “We love seeing people come in to do their work, meet people or just have somewhere to have somewhere to hang out.”
On July 16 of last year, John Doherty, owner of Doherty’s Flower Shop, opened Zume’s in the space next door, with his longtime girlfriend Ball and fellow co-manager Eddie Otto. Ball admits they didn’t know what they were doing in the beginning but were fortunate enough to work with good vendors, including Danish Pastry House of Medford. As much as residents are drawn to Zume’s by its selection of gourmet coffees, teas, baked good, salads and sandwiches, the coffee shop’s inviting atmosphere is what has already made it such a welcome addition to Main Street.
“I think the coffee shop shows everything that’s great in Charlestown,” said Susan Frigoletto, Zume’s regular and Union Street Resident and mother of two. “It’s kid friendly, and everyone knows your name.”
Charlestown resident Sarah Arnold and her daughter Lily are also frequent visitors to Zume’s because of its inviting atmosphere.
“It’s a place that pulls us all in,” Arnold said. “It’s a great place for moms to catch up and kids to hang out. We love this new hub of activity that has breathed new life into Main Street.”
In fact, Zume’s is so popular with kids that Ball said toddlers often point out the coffee shop as they ride by in their strollers. “We’ve watched kids learn to walk here,” she said.
But Zume’s appeal isn’t limited to families, since many residents find the coffee shop to be an ideal spot for meetings or networking.
“The nice thing about Zume’s is not only can you come in for coffee or food, but it’s also a great place for a quick meeting or to make connections,” said Bob Cutler of Charlestown.
Zume’s has also captured the attention of elected officials including State Sen. Anthony Galluccio and City Councilor Sal LaMattina, who both hold regular office hours there.
"Zume's has been a great addition to the neighborhood, and I am pleased to see it doing well, “ Galluccio said. “It has new-age recipes with an old-fashioned neighborhood feel, and Zume's has been a great place to bring people together and to hold office hours.”
LaMattina said, “I’m a big supporter of Zume’s, and I think it’s a great thing for the business district. People are constantly coming and going. It’s a great place to relax.”
In addition to offering an inviting atmosphere, Zume’s also regularly sponsors art exhibits, lectures and other free events.
“I wish [the exhibits] were better attended by the community, but people are really responding to the art on the walls,” Ball said. “Each show is different, and we enjoy hearing people’s feedback.”
Despite the limited turnout so far, art exhibits are booked through next summer and will include a month-long show featuring the work of students from the Harvard-Kent School next June, Ball said..
Other recent events at Zume’s have include Story Time with Karen Fabian, a reading program is ideal for 4- to 6-year-olds, and Tea Talk with Mark Mooradian, a discussion on teas with a representative from coffee house’s tea supplier, MEM Tea Imports of Somerville.
Some residents point to the success of Zume’s as a promising sign for other business owners considering the move to Charlestown.
“It’s great that people take a considerable risk to open a business in an area that wasn’t guaranteed success,” said lifelong Charlestown resident and Zume’s regular Mike Charbonnier. “John and Deb have done a great job, and they’re obviously committed to the town. It seems like they’ve already been here forever.”
Ball is quick to point out, however, that Zume’s owes much of its good fortune to its professional, friendly staff.
“We worked hard at finding people who work well with the public and find out what people want,” Ball said. “We’re just grateful for our staff, and we couldn’t do it without them.”
As for the future, Ball said she hopes Zume’s would continue to build upon what it has accomplished over the past year by offering quality beverages and food in an inviting setting.
“We don’t necessarily want to get bigger, we just want to get better,” Ball said.
Zume’s Coffee House is located at 223 Main St. Its hours of operation are Mondays through Fridays 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call Zume’s at 617-242-0038.

CAPTION: The Marrakech Salon at Tangierino restaurant.

With a grand opening planned for next month, Tangierino restaurant and lounge is adding an additional 3,000 square feet of space next door to its current 73 Main St. location, according to executive chef and owner Samad Naamad.
The Koullshi, expansion, located at the former site of A Wild Flower at 83 Main St., will double the Moroccan restaurant’s current size and capacity. The interior of this new addition will highlight Moroccan architectural history, interior design and culinary art. It will share adjoining walls with the existing restaurant but have two separate entrances and feature two floors of entertainment.
The Moulay Bar— a truly unique bar fashioned into a tent and made solely of rich mahogany wood – is the ground floor expansion, which promises a romantic atmosphere for patrons.
Beneath the Moulay Bar, the original foundation was gutted to create a subterranean seating area with a walk-in humidor and lounge in the Sheikh’s private room. Alongside the humidor is the Moushrabia room, an exclusive champagne bar where guests can sample the finest world’s finest bubbly, smoke a crystal hookah and watch belly dancers in a lounge themed on a Moroccan palatial garden.
The former bar and Casbah Lounge, meanwhile, will be converted into opulent lounges with plush seating and private dining.
Where the former bar was located, the Sultan’s Tents will serve as the main dining room. Entirely designed with private tents complete with luxurious couches, tapestries, pillows, velvet drapes, twinkling lanterns and antique tables, the room will reflect the grandeur of a Sultan’s palace and offer Tangierino’s full menu.
The Marrakech Salon will replace the Casbah Lounge, with its fire-red walls showcasing authentic Moroccan and hand-carved furniture. This room features intimate dining and private functions for up to 70 guests, and Naamad will personally craft menus for private events.
For more information, visit www.tangierino.com or call 617-242-6009.

On the evening of Tuesday, July 15, Courageous Sailing Center hosted its 12th Annual Make-A-Mark Celebration on Pier 4 in the Charlestown Navy Yard to raise money for its free summer youth sailing programs. The event was generously sponsored by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, Massport, The Boston Company, Eastern Bank and Partners Health. Approximately 350 local residents, parents and other supporters enjoyed picture perfect weather, a youth regatta on Boston Harbor, live entertainment by The Chad Hollister Band, food donated by Gourmet Caterers and silent and live auctions. The goal of the event is to raise $100,000 to support Courageous' free summer youth sailing programs.

PHOTO 1 CAPTION: Guests enjoy the chocolate fountain.

PHOTO 2 CAPTION: Courageous supporters under the tent.

PHOTO 3 CAPTION: The Youth Regatta is seen in front of the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge.

PHOTO 4 CAPTION: Charlestown residents Jean Ann Peck and Wendy Spivak.

CAPTION: Mitch and Melissa Peters stand in front of the Jimmys On Top ice cream truck.

Kids who walk the Freedom Trail are often treated to an impromptu history lesson, courtesy of ice cream vendor Mitch Peters whose truck can be found parked at the foot of the Bunker Hill Monument nearly every day of the summer.
“What’s nice about it is people walk the Freedom Trail but don’t meet anyone from Boston,” Peters said. “They get really excited when they hear my accent.”
Peters, a 52-year-old Charlestown native and graduate of Charlestown High School’s Class of 1974, began working at Jimmys On Top ice cream truck in the ‘80s and bought the business from its previous owner three years ago. Today, his primary residence in Florida, but he returns to Charlestown every year to sell his frozen treats.
He often regales children by telling them of local legends, including Jackie O’Callahan, a former NHL player and member of the USA’s hockey team in the 1980 Winter Olympics, and NFL Hall of Famer and FOX-TV sportscaster Howie Long.
“I never thought Howie would make anything of his life,” Peters said. “It just goes to show that you can do anything if you work hard enough.”
Peters also likes to tell passersby who are crossing over that the North Washington Street Bridge how and he and his friends used to dive from the bridge on hot summer days.
Still, Peters is the first to admit that his imagination sometimes gets the better of him when he delivers his history lessons.
While gesturing towards the Battle of Bunker Hill Museum in Monument Square, former home of the Charlestown library, Peters said, “I tell them that I got a bill from there for $50,000 last week for overdue books.”
Another favorite tall tale Peters likes to tell is how the patriots lost the Battle of Bunker Hill to the British not because they ran out of ammunition, but instead because they stopped off to buy ice cream from his alleged colonial ancestor.
“There’s a million stories I tell kids,” Peters said. “Some of them are true, some of them are not.”

CAPTION: Abby and Richard Gray, proprietors of Olivia Browning, display the gift shop’s wares.

When Charlestown resident Abby Gray decided it was time for a career change after working in marketing for approximately 20 years, she looked close to home and decided to open Olivia Browning, a gift shop that will cater to the neighborhood.
“In this community, there’s nowhere to get a baby gift or a children’s gift for a birthday party,” Gray said, who plans to open the gift shop at 20 City Square nest month with her husband and business partner, Richard. “My thought is that the store will offer something for everyone between the $1 and $1,000 price points.”
Besides baby and children’s gifts, Olivia Browning will sell countless other items including handbags, jewelry, kitchenware and uniform shirts for students from local schools, as well as Red Sox- and Charlestown-themed items. The store will be a regional distributor of Vietri handcrafted Italian dinnerware, Mariposa handcrafted tableware, Sweat Pea stationary and Cape Cod Roasters coffee. Olivia Browning will also offer bridal registry both in-store and online.
“The concept is high-quality items that are fairly priced and with the best customer service,” Gray said.
Gray has taken her “three-pronged” approach with the business model for Olivia Browning: It is a gift shop on the Freedom Trail, it can reach the rest of the world via the Web, and it will offer custom gifts and event planning. Tracy Shea of Hammond Real Estate recently selected Olivia Browning to design custom gifts for her clients, Gray said.
Olivia Browning will also sponsor in-store events ranging from Men’s Shopping Night, at which male customers can select their desired Christmas gifts from the store’s stock, to Gourmet Nights, where local restaurateurs will be on hand to discuss food. Other plans include a children’s book club, featuring readings from authors, and historical lectures on Charlestown.
“We hope to offer informational, fun and social opportunities for the community,” Gray said.
Besides part-time employee Sarah Stevens, Gray has hired Susan Charbonnier as the store manger. Charbonnier previously was the proprietor of Patina, an upscale home and gift shop in Charlestown.
“We want to keep business in town, hopefully employ some people and give Charlestown the store it needs,” Charbonnier said.
Tim Doherty, assets manager of Norwood-based Cornerstone Developers LLC, the property manager of 20 City Square, also believes that Olivia Browning will be a welcome addition to Charlestown.
“It will be a neighborhood-friendly store that will attract more pedestrian customers into City Square,” Doherty said. “We try to prioritize tenancy with people who are from and understand the community.”
And while Gray hopes to see additional Olivia Browning stores open in New York City and London one day, her focus is on Charlestown for the time being.
“I want to stay true to the community, but of course, I want to grow,” Gray said.
For more information, e-mail Abby Gray at abby@oliviabrowning.com or visit www.oliviabrowning.com.