Back to Work, Back to School, and Back to the Cape

On today’s program, we speak with Jon Chesto business reporter of The Boston Globe about downtown and return to work. Don Seiffert managing editor of the Boston Business Journal shares this week headlines. Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts talks about back to school and the health of small businesses. And finally, Paul Niedzwiecki CEO Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce talks about the summer of 2025 and the replacement of the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the New England Business Report with Joe short
Sleeve and Kim Carrigan, a weekly roundup and discussion of
the top business news impacting our New England economy.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Good morning and welcome to the New England Business Report.
On this Sunday morning, September the seventh, Joe Shorts lived
here along with Kim Kerrigan and Kim good morning to you.
Of course, meteorological fall is underway. The NFL football season
is underway, and how are you taking all this?

Speaker 3 (00:26):
I am taking it all.

Speaker 4 (00:27):
Well.

Speaker 3 (00:28):
You know, I've decided, Joe, that you must embrace the fall.
I love the fall, and you can't fight mother nature.
So I'm embraced.

Speaker 4 (00:34):
What have you've done with Kim Carrigan? Where where is she?
Since when?

Speaker 3 (00:39):
I do want you to know that I never so
I will be celebrating a birthday this next week, and
I never have pumpkin spice until my birthday, so this
week I will be engaging in pumpkin spice as well, So.

Speaker 4 (00:50):
I thank you. There you go, you wait for that
pumpkin spie.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well all right, you know interesting as we talk about
the NFL football season being underway, and we can talk
about this a little bit more on the program, But.

Speaker 4 (01:02):
I don't know why.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
I sort of bowled over by this at NBC announced
already the super bowls sold out, now, okay, and then
you hear all these people talking about the economy, Oh,
the economy this, and the economy that, and.

Speaker 4 (01:18):
Just what the super Bowl has sold on? You can't
buy a spot.

Speaker 3 (01:22):
Well, you know, it used to be that baseball was
America's pastime. But the fact of the matter is football
is America's pastime. And I think it's a respite from
everything as football begins.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
So okay, So on the program today, we're gonna be
talking with John Chestow. Chesno means Business of the Boston Globe,
and this is a topic that is you know, we've
been talking about for years, ever since COVID hit in
terms of what happens to the health of downtown Boston
and Cesto's article headline in the Globe, a return to
office has settled. Is this as good as it gets

(01:54):
for downtown? And John goes through all the numbers in
terms of what it looks like downtown and interesting to
hear these business folks downtown talk about Fridays or what
do they think?

Speaker 4 (02:08):
The quote was it boring.

Speaker 3 (02:10):
I am telling you you could shoot a cannon through
the streets. You really can. It's amazing.

Speaker 4 (02:15):
Yeah, so still is. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
If this is as good as a cats, you wonder
what that means for other businesses. Also, we're gonna be
talking with a Don Seiffert. He is the managing editor
the Boston Business Journal, and he's going to be talking
about a number of stories, including the judge ruling of
the Cannabis chair Shannon O'Brien was wrongly fired and can
be reinstated, that that story goes on and on and on.

(02:39):
And what else is he going to be talking about.
He's going to be talking about, well, he's gonna be
talking about the health of downtown as well, and then
a new coffee shop in downtown coffee chain to take
over Allston's Twin Donuts. So a lot coming from a
Don Seifert and the BBJ.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
Yeah, absolutely. I think he's also going to be talking
about the on and on story of Market Basket, which
just games going on and on. Second half of the show,
we're gonna have a little chat with John Hurst. Of course,
he's the president and CEO of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts,
Joe and I were talking about. We said, oh, we
got to call John. We've got to see how back
to school has gone for his members. It's really an

(03:17):
important time of the year. I mean, you know, during
the summer, I think they all kind of coast waiting
for that back to school little bump that they get
and brushes them right, pushes them into the holiday season.
And you know, as we know now it's turned out,
you know, Halloween, and each one of these these holidays
that start to add up, they start to be really
important to these retailers. So we'll talk to him with

(03:40):
of course, the looming tariffs and what this all means.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, he penned an op ed last May and they
basically talked about six hundred and thirty five small businesses
across the Commonwealth say they're struggling. So that was May.
So where are we in September. It'll be interesting here
what John has to say.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
Yeah, hopefully we're buying pencils and paper from all of them.
Of course, we just talked about the fact that the
summer is in our rear view mirror and I'm getting
ready for pumpkin spice. But what kind of summer was it,
and most specifically, how did the Cape do? It was
certainly a great weather summer, that's for sure, and hopefully

(04:17):
that was translated into some big dollars for the businesses
down there. Paul Ned's WICKI he of course, he's the
president and CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber. He's going
to join us. We're going to talk about that twenty
twenty five season, how things all played out. You know,
fall is a great time down on the Cape as well.
It's maybe some more locals versus tourists, but this is

(04:38):
a good time to be on the Cape.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
Oh yeah, the Cape God Times calls it second summer,
and it's true.

Speaker 3 (04:44):
It's a local summer, you know what I mean. I
mean they get to have a little fun and enjoy
water warm.

Speaker 4 (04:50):
Yeah. Yeah, so scream shops many of them have closed,
but you know.

Speaker 3 (04:55):
Well maybe that's better for everyone.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, kivin ass promise. We want to welcome to the
program John Cesto, business reporter with the Boston Globe, regular
visitor to the program. John's been looking at an issue
that we've been talking about for years, ever since COVID hit,
and this is the whole return to office and you know,
are we ever going to get back to twenty nineteen
or twenty eighteen in terms of downtown vitality? John's headline

(05:22):
there on the globe, but return to office has settled?
Is this as good as it gets for Downtown? Well,
John tell us, is it?

Speaker 5 (05:31):
I would argue it is. I think we're ninety five
percent there to the new normal in terms of office
commuting patterns. I think you'll see a few more companies
bring people back another day or two, or maybe a
few companies that weren't requiring it we'll start requiring. But
I mean I interviewed more than twenty people for the story,

(05:51):
and really I had a hard time finding anyone that
was ramping up their return to office requirements. Generally speaking,
most office lawyers are settling in around three days a
week in office, two days out of the office, and
it vary. Some say, you know, it's Tuesday through Thursday.
Some allow you to pick based on your teams or
just voluntarily, and that has a lot of ramifications for Downtown,

(06:14):
which is heavily reliant on office traffic, more so than
any other neighborhood in the city of Boston. And you know,
obviously versus the back Bay and Seaport, which have people
a lot of people living in them too, and more
so than most major cities. There's just very few apartments
or condos in the downtown proper to support those ground

(06:36):
floor businesses. So we still have a lot of vacancies
downtown on the on the retail level, and obviously in
the office level. We're looking at, you know, anywhere from
one out of four to one out of five offices
be still being vacant.

Speaker 3 (06:52):
So, John, I know that we actually rank in as
one of the lower major cities in the country when
it comes to bringing people back into the office. What
are the reasons? Why are these employers saying it's okay
for you to stay home?

Speaker 5 (07:05):
You know, I'd say we're probably in the middle at
this point. What's interesting is the New York and Boston
we're lagging for a long time because I think because
COVID restrictions in the Northeast were to some extent, we're
stronger here, are more heavy than in other parts of
the country. New York is back almost full force really

(07:27):
to pre pandemic levels in a lot of ways. What
I would say here in Boston is there's a real
concern among employers to want to maintain work life balance
that employees have found by having a hybrid work schedule.
They want the culture of bringing people into the office.
They they but they also understand that employees like having

(07:51):
you know, days that you know at home when they
can do errands or they don't have to pay for
the commute or drive in, and so they don't want
to lose those workers to other places that are more
generous with staying at home options. You know, it's really
been as we've gotten back to you know, post COVID,

(08:12):
there was a big ramp up, and now it's really
in terms of the progression to bringing more people back
and now it's really hit A status quo. Mass Business Roundtable,
which represents primarily office employers, surveyed their members in the
spring and like at least ninety percent said this is
the new normal, that they have no further changes expected

(08:35):
to the return to office plans.

Speaker 2 (08:36):
John Joso is our guest business reporter with the Boston Globe.
John and your story, you talk about the MBTA computer
rail numbers.

Speaker 4 (08:44):
What do they tell us about back to office?

Speaker 5 (08:47):
Well, it's interesting as you ask about that, because that's
how I started with this story. My editor said, well,
what proxy can we use to figure out, like to
kind of measure return to office And I said, one
thing is commuter rail numbers. So I started them month
after month in twenty twenty five, and I noticed they
were actually dropping from twenty twenty four, and they're down

(09:07):
seven percent from last year's numbers. I think this tea
says that people were using the tee more, we're using
the commuter rail more because of slow zones last year.
I think maybe that's a little bit true, But I
also think that there's probably fewer people using that. You
know that ten dollars a weekend pass which was which

(09:29):
they still have, but I think people who are going
to use it have used it, So I think there's
probably the weekend travels probably sloped off about. But I
think it says that commuter rail traffic is seven percent
down year over year is not huge. I think we're
essentially flatlined. We are not seeing another increase in office
workers in commuter rail use in twenty twenty five than

(09:52):
we were seeing in twenty twenty four, and that tells me,
you know, that this is what we should expect going
forward in terms of commuter rail traffic.

Speaker 3 (10:00):
John. You know, I would argue that maybe the commuter
rail is why people are not coming back into the office.
I mean, I can't imagine that the people in New
York are less sensitive to people's work life, you know, schedules.
It just seems to me that it's just really difficult
to get into this city, and that is, you know,

(10:21):
the reason that people are coming in.

Speaker 5 (10:24):
I mean, the commute is the number one reason. I,
as someone who's commutes, made a decision a long time
ago that I prefer to commute into Boston than New York.
I still think it's a better commute than commuting into
New York. There's a whole different attitude with New York
City and the acceptance of crazy commutes. But yes, I
think in Boston the commutes are a real headache and

(10:47):
heartache and driving. You know, you would think that the
pandemic never happened because so many people who used to
take public transit are driving in and so you know,
they kind of got.

Speaker 6 (10:59):
Used to it.

Speaker 5 (11:01):
Especially with the three day a week option. Then you
don't need to buy the monthly pass, and it's cheaper
to park like a la carte in the garages, so
that's why we've seen heavier driving on the highways and
why it feels like it's how could office work not
be back fully because because the highways are so packed,

(11:22):
it's just because more people are driving at work than
they were before before COVID. Everyone says that I've talked
to is the commutes to the number one impediment. And
commuter rail. You know, when there weren't a lot of
people taking it, the numbers were great, you know, in
terms of on time performance. You know, my own experience
is it's starting to fall back a little into the
old ways of showing up five to ten minutes late.

(11:45):
But it's not terrible. I just happen to live near
a stop, so I'm probably a little spoiled, But like
having to I wouldn't want to drive and then sit
on the train for an hour if you were further out.
It would also be more expensive. I mean, it can
be expensive for people who are like thirty forty miles
outside of the city, so that is also a deterrent.

(12:08):
You know, they haven't raised commuter railfairs in a while.
I think they'll be reluctant to. But they also do
face some fiscal issues at the MBKA, they're going to
need to deal.

Speaker 2 (12:17):
With John Just's our guests at the Boston Globe. So
the new normal would suggest that businesses, buildings are going
to have to reinvent themselves. Tell the Downtown Business Alliance,
what are they saying about how businesses are trying to
evolve here?

Speaker 5 (12:33):
Well, what I would say is that, yes, the new
normal is in order for downtown to thrive, you can't
be relying on office workers. That at least not the
reliance we saw a pre pandemic. So the Downtown Business Alliance,
which is a collection of property owners downtown, they're trying
to focus more on bringing tourists downtown, focusing on students

(12:56):
in the real key is how much housing can we
get built downtown on there's not a lot of housing.
Like I said, there are two programs to change that
in city Hall. One is a tax break program that
has had very few takers for the downtown. Earlier this
week the first apartment building opened that was office small
apartment building, fifteen units of apartments that on Franklin Street.

(13:21):
There has not been another such project ope that has
started work in the city program another office Reziue conversion
as they're called has started without subsidies on is almost
done without subsidies on Bromfield Street. That's another fifty sixty units,
but that's small compared to what we need to create downtown.

(13:42):
So the mayor, Mayor Michelle Wou and her planning chief
kyro Schen are trying to rezone downtown to allow taller
residential towers to be built, and they face some pushback
from the residents who live downtown. But we'll see some
sort of completion of that zoning process pretty soon. They
had they came up with a new plan that the

(14:03):
residents still don't like, but it's a little bit of
a compromise, at least aimed to be a little bit
of a compromise, and it may go to the Boston
Planning Development of the Agency Board as soon as this month.

Speaker 2 (14:14):
All right, here's John Chesnow Chesno means Business of the
Boston Globe. Thanks very much for joining us on the
New England Business Report. Coming up, we're gonna be talking
with a managing editor of the Boston Business Journal.

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dot com and we'll get your business on the show.

Speaker 4 (17:09):
Too.

Speaker 3 (17:16):
Well some big headlines this past, week including mediation For Market.
Basket of, course that ongoing feud between THE ceo and their.
Board here to talk about that story and a whole
lot of other headlines this week is managing editor of
The Boston Business, Journal Don. Zeifert good to have you with.

Speaker 11 (17:31):
Us Don, hi great to be.

Speaker 3 (17:32):
Here, HEY i did want to just start With Market.
BASKET i know that at the time that we're chatting right,
now we still don't really have, resolution but mediation going
on this past. Week what do you think in the
end this mediation is going to do to the business?
Overall you, know this kind of publicity is not.

Speaker 11 (17:50):
Great, NO i, MEAN i mean there's no doubt that
that whatever whatever accusations the board has made about THE,
Ceo arthur Te, demolis he is incredibly popular with the
employees and and he's incredibly popular WITH uh with. CUSTOMERS
i think you, know everybody remembers and them rallying around

(18:12):
uh ten years ago eleven uh when that happened over the.
Summer so uh so, what you, know, whatever whatever they,
do it's you, KNOW i don't think that it's been
good attention that they've. HAD i think that the board has,
definitely you, know they've tried to manage it a lot
better this time than than they did eleven years. Ago

(18:34):
but it's still you, know it's it's not it's not
great for the. Company and AND i think you, know,
uh if THE ceo is in fact uh, gone then
then it's you, know it's gonna hurt the company in
the long term or hurt the. Perception.

Speaker 3 (18:53):
Absolutely.

Speaker 4 (18:54):
Yeah Don sipher's our. Guest uh he is the manager
of THE.

Speaker 2 (18:57):
Bbj, Okay, don we got a pile of headlines in
addition to the market basket one WHICH i know you followed.
Closely this other one came out of the came out this.
Week judge Rules cannabis Chair shannon O'Brien was wrongly fired
and can be. Reinstated it's one thing to be wrongly,
fired there's another thing to be. Reinstated of, course she

(19:18):
was a state Rap estate senator and she was in
the state.

Speaker 4 (19:21):
Treasurer what happened? Here what's going?

Speaker 11 (19:23):
On this was a big. SURPRISE i mean this CAP's
kind of a two year a two year FEUD i
guess Between shannon O'Brien and the current treasurer who appointed
her to that, Role Dead goldberg two years. Ago shannon,
o'brience she was appointed in twenty twenty. Two in twenty twenty,

(19:45):
three Dead goldbert suspended her saying that, she you, know
she had concerns about about you, know her, management and
later it came out she didn't exactly give too many
details at, first but it later came out that she
thinks That shannon o' brian made some racially insensitive. Comments
and then a year ago she had you, know this

(20:05):
is a year after she had been, suspended she was. Fired.
Uh And shannon O'Brien has always maintained that she's that you,
know that there are no grounds for her to be,
fired that you, know she can legally only be fired for,
what you, know what they call gross, misconduct and that
her actions didn't rise to that. Level and, here kind

(20:25):
of out of, blue judge, said, YEAH i agree With shannon.
O'Brien you know her her. Actions you, know she may
have been she may have been, insensitive she may you,
know basically have not been a pleasant boss at, times
but that nothing that she did rises to the level
of a gross you, know like a gross misconduct Dead

(20:46):
goldberg did say she's going to appeal, it so this
is not over completely, yet but this is definitely a
big win For shannon, O'Brien who's been trying to you,
know fighting get back her. REPUTATION i think as much as.

Speaker 3 (20:56):
Anything else right, right has she made any comments like
she would like to go back to the.

Speaker 11 (21:01):
Board she, HAS i, mean her her spokesperson has said
that she wants to go, back WHICH i. Can't, YEAH i,
mean it's it's kind of hard to imagine what kind
of he right after after she's been gone for two,
years after all of this controversy that's been out in the,
public of her actually going back to. IT i had
kind of privately thought that maybe she would just be,
reinstated she would get her back, pay and then she

(21:24):
would go off. Again but, no she's now saying that
she wants to she wants to actually go back and
be the. Chair so we will see if that really.

Speaker 4 (21:32):
Happened, YEAH i, mean With goldberg.

Speaker 2 (21:34):
APPEALING i, mean who knows how long a process that
could be and how old everybody will be when that
gets resolved. Exactly the other headline was also out of
The cannabis condision this. Week former cannabis executive wins three
hundred thousand dollars settlement from The. Commission what happened?

Speaker 11 (21:51):
Here, YEAH i mean it's a former, Spokesperson Cedric, sinclair
who who had filed claims AGAINST ccc saying that he
was discriminated on the basis of rest race sex and
association of disabled. Persons he didn't exactly give too many
details when when we spoke to him about what his accusations,

(22:11):
are but he he felt that he was discriminated, against
and THE ccc basically, said, well we, disagree but in order,
to you, know make this further controversy on top of
all the other controversies go. Away you, know they're willing
to pay the three hundred thousand.

Speaker 3 (22:25):
Dollars so that's the whole issue. Done they got, problems don't.

Speaker 11 (22:29):
They, Yeah, No, yeah that's exactly WHAT i was going to.
SAY i, mean to, me this is just kind of
another you, know another straw on the camel's. BACK i,
MEAN i don't. Know the camel's back may at this
point have been broken several. Times but you, know this
is just kind of more chaos that THE ccc has
been trying to get out, of you, know get out
from under now for months and and maybe this is

(22:51):
finally you, know the kind of the other shoe dropping
and they can get back to doing what they're supposed
to be. Doing but who.

Speaker 3 (22:57):
Knows all, right, well we will continue to follow. That
that is an. Interest that was my question About shannon.
O'Brien do you really want to go back there after
all that we're.

Speaker 11 (23:06):
WATCHING i know it is hard to believe that she
could function as chairperson, now but.

Speaker 3 (23:12):
Absolutely tell us about the first conversion of you, know
a building in the city that's finally going to house some.

Speaker 6 (23:18):
Folks, YEAH i thought it was kind of interesting in
that The city Of Boston MAYOR wu had created this
program a couple of years ago that would incentivize the
conversion of office to residential and the very first one
of those has.

Speaker 11 (23:34):
Finally been completed and people have actually moved, in and you,
know this is at the two hundred and eighty four
unit place at to eighty One Franklin. Street there are
there are NOW i think seventeen different projects that basically
What MAYOR wu does is she offers tax incentives in
order to landlords who agree to convert an office into

(23:57):
Residential you, know no secret that how thing is cost
too much around, here and that's the idea is that
the more housing that's created hopefully will bring down some
of those. Costs so this is an effort to make that.
Happen you, know this tax incentive has convinced some. Developers,
ANYWAYS i think there are seventeen of these projects now

(24:17):
in the works that you know that that that it'll
it'll be more financially feasible to make these work with
the tax. Incentives SO i thought it was it was
a good strong landmark that now the first one of
those is actually done and people are moving.

Speaker 2 (24:31):
In Super Don, seifertzarcas he's the managing editor there at
The Boston Business. Journal going through the headlines of the
week right, now this is another headline, that of course
we continue to pay attention. To Many boston employers will
crack down on return to office this. Fall, now there
are many trains of thought on. This some are suggesting,

(24:52):
that you, know what we, are where we, are and
things aren't going.

Speaker 4 (24:54):
To change that.

Speaker 2 (24:55):
Much but you're saying, that, well this story suggests that, no, no, no, no,
no there's more changes.

Speaker 11 (25:00):
COMING i think it is it is a little bit
of a, nuanced uh nuanced. THING i, mean what what
this is based on is is our reporter called around
to more than a dozen different, companies. UH Jp morgan
was one of, THEM k AND. L gates law, firms accounting,
firms and all of them said they expect more employees
to be in this uh this. Fall uh we. Did

(25:24):
that does not mean that they are definitely upping the
number of days that their hybrid workers have to be
in the. OFFICE i think what what's happening is that
in a lot of, cases companies have had, mandates you
know that that employees have to be in, one, two
three days a, week but they haven't really been enforcing.
It AND i think that in the, fall a lot
more companies are are going to kind of crack down

(25:46):
and enforce the, uh you, know the mandates that are already.
Existing you, know we did not hear too, many you,
know too many civic examples of companies saying, like, yes
we're going to mandate more days in the. Office, uh
you know we There there are a couple of, big
high profile. ONES i Mean amazon a year ago said
that they're bringing their employees back five days a. WEEK
Jp Morgan chase says that they're bringing theirs five days a.

(26:07):
Week BUT i think in a lot of cases it
is just enforcing the rules that have already been already
been you, know email to.

Speaker 5 (26:14):
Employees.

Speaker 11 (26:15):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (26:15):
Absolutely, finally there was one other headline and it's related
to a coffee. Chain tell us about that.

Speaker 11 (26:20):
Time, Yeah Twin. Donuts this IS i, mean maybe the
word iconic is overused, nowadays but this is an iconic
coffee shop In, austin known mostly because of Its it's
a big sign that says Twin. Donuts it's going to
be you, know it closed In, march and you know
it had been open for seventy. Years you know that

(26:41):
if you've seen the, sign it looks like something from
like the fifties or. Sixties it has closed In, march
and it's been somewhat of a. Mystery what's going to
happen with? It? Now we have a private equity Bask
back coffee Chain Blank Street coffee is going to take it.
Over they are going to keep the, sign so that's
a good good thing to. Know but they're, gonna you,
know they're going to open it up this, fall and

(27:03):
they haven't given a whole lot of, details but at
least you Know Twin donuts will live on in some.

Speaker 3 (27:06):
Form and we love our, history that's for. Sure don
thanks so much for being a part of the show this. Morning,
Okay so come in your way and look ahead to
the all important fall and holiday season for retailers in
the state and how will they fare with these looming.
Tariffs we'll be Talking John, Hurst.

Speaker 1 (27:31):
Kim And. Joe we'll explore more business news that impacts
Our New england economy when they.

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Com are you a brother or a sister of one
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getting ready to hang up your tools after thirty five
years of working your? Tailoff, congratulations you worked hard to
build your retirement nest. Egg but now? What let me
help you break through the nonsense and financial speak so
we can get to the questions that are important to.
You as you, know nothing gets built without a set of,

(28:57):
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Is Mike, Marshall president AND ceo Of Marshall Wealth management
and creator of The Marshall, plan a, comprehensive customized plan
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Speaker 3 (29:36):
Affiliated welcome back everybody to The New England Business. Report
So i'm good to have you on This sunday morning with.
Us just want to let you, know stay with us
Because John hurst from The Retailers association Of massachusetts coming
up next And i'm very anxious to talk To john
about how back to school has. Gone you, know it's

(29:57):
an important time for retailers here in the. State and
then of course that just sort of leads right into the.
Holidays you're seeing all The halloween stuff.

Speaker 2 (30:04):
Right, YEAH i love, it love, it love.

Speaker 4 (30:08):
It you, know the kid's back to, school they are going, back.

Speaker 11 (30:13):
All.

Speaker 3 (30:13):
Right so this is the time when we take a
look at some of the headlines that maybe you miss this.
Week the first ONE i wanted to just mention is
That Dever, first who is somebody who joins us from
The Boston globe on a regular. Basis this last, week
she did a story about the fact that the Longtime
number Nine, park that restaurant In. Boston of, course it

(30:34):
was owned By Barbara. Lynch it was such a great
restaurant and we all loved, it and Then barbara got
into some issues and had to close down all of her.
Restaurants AND i sort of, Wondered, joe because of the
location and the neatness of that, restaurant if it would
ever open again as a, Restaurant and lo and, behold
it has now as Nine, park Not number, nine and

(30:58):
it's been, opened and she says that it really is
sort of a reflection of What Barbara lynch had there
with the white table, cloth is in a really great,
feel and what's really cool about it is they have
a gin, bar so they serve all of these exotic gin.

Speaker 4 (31:16):
Drinks, yeah SO i don't Think i've ever had. ONE
i don't Think i've Ever are you a gin?

Speaker 3 (31:21):
Drinker i'm really. Not i'm, not BUT i might be
willing to go and. Try you, know if it goes
along with some really great, food right Then i'd be
willing to do. It But i'm glad to hear that
that location has opened up again and that it's going
to be nice because it.

Speaker 2 (31:35):
Speaks to the whole thing we've been talking about on
this program for many months, now and that that's the
health of. DOWNTOWN i, mean people wonder are people coming back,
downtown and that speaks well, that of course a restaurant
is a re emerging something THAT i think we talked
about too off the top of the, show but really
caught my, attention and it has to do with the
football season which is underway AND nbc, RIGHT nfl seasons

(32:00):
underway and get, THIS nbc announcing yesterday two things that
really hit. Me company said it is sold out of
ad spots for the Upcoming Super bowl.

Speaker 4 (32:10):
Sixty are you kidding? ME i saw that basically sold.

Speaker 2 (32:13):
Out In, AUGUST i, think but, right they're just announcing it.
NOW i mean that speaks, to you, know the power
OF nfl. Football they also said that Their sunday night
football games are ninety percent sold.

Speaker 3 (32:26):
Out, yeah, So, JOE i don't know if you've. Noticed you,
know there's going to be a lot of streaming this
season on all different. Platforms and if you look at
the prices of those streaming, services especially during football, season
it's like ninety dollars a month for, one just one
of the streaming. Services it's. Ridiculous, again speaks to the

(32:48):
volume and the popularity of THE, nfl you, know the
whole the whole, thing because people will pay, that you,
know and they'll get two or three of these services
that they don't have for ninety bucks apiece to watch
all the games.

Speaker 2 (33:00):
Live sports is where it's. At and that's the other
STORY i saw here has to do with J crew
and we wonder, about you, know everybody shopping. Online, well you,
know they've opened up a back bay retail spot there
right there On Newberry. Street it, says this is A
globe story written By Dana.

Speaker 4 (33:17):
Gerber Apparel.

Speaker 2 (33:18):
Juggernaut Jay crew debuted its newest retail store last, week
roughly seventy four hundred square. Feet previously occupied By Brooks.

Speaker 3 (33:26):
Brothers we all know that stepped in there last, week
did you to The, YES i.

Speaker 12 (33:31):
Did, yeah it's VERY i actually didn't you know WHAT
i stepped in BECAUSE i just knew it was new
AND i wanted to see it very. Large, Doc, Well,
joe we've been talking about, this you, know the all
important back to school retail.

Speaker 3 (33:47):
Season it is upon, us that is for. Sure we
wanted to find out how this has. Gone and then
of course it just starts to roll right into the
holiday season for retailers and this becomes a very important
time for. Them who better to turn to, then of
Course John. Hurst he is THE ceo and president of
The Retailers association Of. Massachusetts And, john it's great to have.

Speaker 11 (34:09):
You thank, You kim And joe always great to join.

Speaker 3 (34:12):
You you bet we're trusting that it was a good
summer and now here we find, ourselves as we, said
right in the heart of back to school. Seasons so
what are you hearing from some of your, Members.

Speaker 11 (34:24):
Well you, know it's it's a bit of a of
good and. BAD i THINK i think the good is
that they're expecting sales to be, up you.

Speaker 13 (34:37):
Know the bad is that.

Speaker 11 (34:40):
You, know it's not going to be up significantly over
twenty twenty, four you, know for the back to school
and fall selling, seasons it's going to be you, know
a single. Digit there seems to be a couple of
shifts that are going on here that is important to.
Realize it seems like the consumer you, know is getting

(35:02):
you know a little more, less a little more anxious
about the. Future and and and therefore they're they're really
shifting from discretionary type of purchases to essential purchases were
back to school and and just generally for their. Families
AND i think that's a totally reflection of the fact,
that you, know costs are going, up yet their wages

(35:26):
are not going. Up their family incomes are not going
up the same amount as what we saw just a
couple of years, ago you. Know and and and that's primarily,
uh you, know wages are are you going up maybe you,
know two percent on average for for awful lot of.
Families Uh and and part of that is that employers

(35:49):
are really strapped themselves with with other costs such as health.

Speaker 2 (35:52):
Insurance john give us an example of essential versus discretion
area as it relates to some of your small.

Speaker 11 (35:59):
Businesses, YEAH i, think, uh you, know as the families
are out there doing back back to school, Shopping, joe you,
KNOW i think you, know they're they're buying the, essentials
which would be you, know what you need for. School you,
know they depends on paper and and and and the
backpacks and and things of that. Nature and of course

(36:20):
clothing and footwear are all essential for for the back
to school you, know when you start talking about the,
discretionary you, know where you're getting into some of the, electronics,
uh you, know and and maybe some higher cost type
of clothing and. Footwear. Uh those are the types of
purchases that are you, know we're doing very, well uh

(36:43):
just a year and two two, ago but now it's
shifting back to the you, know the actual lower cost
plus absolutely necessary type of.

Speaker 3 (36:54):
Purchases you, Know, john AS i look ahead to the holiday,
season you, know we all want to think that that's
down the road, yet but a lot of your members
they're they're in the thick of the holiday season because
they have got to get these orders, In they've got
to get this merchandise into their. Stores and we have
these tariffs hanging over everyone's. Heads what is that going

(37:17):
to do to the holiday.

Speaker 11 (37:18):
Season, well that's a great, Question. Kim you, know because
of the tariffs over their, heads a lot of stores
small and large have you, know they did their inventory purchases,
early you, know trying to beat the, tariffs trying to
make sure that the products would be, available you, Know

(37:41):
and and that's a bit of a risk when when
you're buying, early you don't know, exactly you, know what
the consumer confidence will, be what the consumer demand will
be in the fourth quarter of this, year you. Know
so you're you're you you you, know are your inventory
levels going to be? Enough are they going to be?
Excessive you, know that remains a. Question but, yeah here

(38:06):
are certainly on the mind of the, seller and they're
also on the mind of the. Consumer and you, know
it's just another one of those costs that are adding
up to higher prices for consumers as well as as
higher costs for the small business employer as they're trying
to stay in the.

Speaker 2 (38:25):
Black John hurst AND i, guess of, course the president
of The Retailers association Of, massachusetts you.

Speaker 11 (38:30):
Know.

Speaker 2 (38:31):
John back in The may you pend an op ed
and the headline on The globe was of small businesses
In massachusetts are entering the danger. ZONE a recent survey
of six hundred and thirty five small businesses across The
commonwealth businesses support they're struggling to make ends meet under
a sea of rising. Costs are things better since? Mayor?

Speaker 4 (38:51):
Or is this headline still?

Speaker 11 (38:52):
Pertinent it's Still it's still. Reality, JOE i get more
and more concerned over really two. Issues Number, one sales
are sales? Growing and where are those sales going? To you,
know sales are, growing but you know the growth is,

(39:15):
slowing and that's number. One but number, two increasingly the
sales are going to the. Internet you know this. Dynamic,
look The internet's been around for a couple of, decades
but the acceleration that we've, seen you, know certainly started IN.
Covid it is still. Continuing and you, know the holiday

(39:37):
season last, year about about thirty percent of all sales were.
Online there are some that are projecting that we could
be over forty percent back to school and for the
holiday season this. Year and you, know the Problem joe
And kim is that small businesses are doing the right
thing and getting, online but they have somewhat of the

(40:01):
they're not having the growth on the online sales that you,
know a handful of big marketplaces are are are going
to see the key for these small businesses is to
get on those biggest. Marketplaces those of course would Be
amazon And walmart and try it has some visibility and
expand your. Sales but you, know the consumer purchasing habits

(40:25):
are really continuing to shift to the. Smartphone and then
at the same, time these small businesses are seeing their
costs continue to go up health insurance AND ui and
and rents and energy and so. Forth that is a
recipe for a disaster and more dark storefronts going. Forward
i'm very concerned about.

Speaker 3 (40:46):
That, yeah you just mentioned some of those, costs AND
i was going to ask you about, that especially the healthcare.
Issue we've talked about that. Before has there been any
kind of you, know movement towards trying to help some
of these small businesses when it comes to their.

Speaker 14 (40:58):
Healthcare, WELL i you, know we have we have certainly
uh done a lot of servying of our members and
of the, voters by the, way and healthcare costs are
our top of our top concern both for, consumers you,
know as well as for small business and. Employers and you,

(41:20):
know we continue to.

Speaker 11 (41:22):
Depress it is a tough political issue because of the
power of the political, power the strength of the healthcare
industry In. Massachusetts and you, know at some, point, uh you,
know we've got to decide who is more. Important you,
know are some of these small businesses who are by
the way taxpayers right more important or at least as

(41:45):
important as some of these large healthcare providers who buy
and large a non taxpayers because the public policy would
indicate that the small businesses are not the. Priority, so you,
know more and more we're, screaming we've got to do
something to help particularly small businesses because they have less

(42:07):
leverage in the. Marketplace you, know we're seeing what has
happened at The division Of insurance this summer thirteen percent average.
Increases that was on top of eight percent a year.
Ago yet these small businesses have flat sales and higher.
Costs that is is not the way for them to

(42:28):
be competitive, employers to attract a, workforce to retain a,
workforce they have to have, viable affordable health. Insurance and
the public policy is not it's not advantageous for that.

Speaker 2 (42:43):
Objective, john we don't have a lot of time, left
but is there a good news. Category is there good
news on your?

Speaker 11 (42:49):
Desk, WELL i think the good news is, that you,
know you, know there are issues in the, economy but you,
KNOW i remain just just totally surprised that the consumer
continues to to in good times and bad continues to
keep the economy moving, forward you, Know and you, know

(43:14):
the key question, is well they keep that up and
also is there a way for us to direct their
their spending to places that you, know to to the
sellers that really help our local. Economy that's that's that
is a key objective for us moving forward for the holiday,
season but for years to.

Speaker 3 (43:32):
Come, Well john, listen thanks so much for being a
part of the. Show AND i think the takeaway here
is always by. Local if you possibly, can we appreciate
you being. Here all, right still coming your. Way it
was a beautiful. Summer so did that translate into beautiful
business For Cape. Con we're going to find.

Speaker 1 (43:50):
Out you are listening to The New England Business report
on The voice of buston w R ko six. Eighty
joe And, Kim we'll be right.

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Speaker 9 (45:01):
Com are you a brother or sister of one Of
Greater boston's local trade unions and finally thinking about getting
ready to hang up your tools after thirty five years
of working your? Tailoff, congratulations you worked hard to build
your retirement nest. Egg but now what let me help
you break through the nonsense and financial speak so we
can get to the questions that are important to. You
as you, know nothing gets built without a set of,

(45:23):
plans and neither will you a financial. Future my name
Is Mike, Marshall president AND ceo Of Marshall Wealth management
and creator of The Marshall, plan a comprehensive customized plan
that'll help you answer important questions in all seven key.
Areas you don't have to do it. Alone there is
no cost or. Obligation call us at eight five seven
three four two ten. Thirty that's eight five seven three

(45:46):
four two ten.

Speaker 1 (45:47):
Thirty.

Speaker 9 (45:47):
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Speaker 3 (46:02):
Affiliated hi, Everybody I'm Kim kerrigan.

Speaker 4 (46:08):
And I'm Joe.

Speaker 2 (46:09):
Shortsley if you want to be part of The New
England Business, Report sponsorships are still.

Speaker 3 (46:14):
Available you can email us at Any Business radio at
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Com that's any business radio all one word at gmail
dot com and we'll get your business on the show.

Speaker 1 (46:27):
Too The New England Business report ON wrko is brought
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Of New england dot.

Speaker 2 (46:40):
Com and welcome back to The New England Business repport
on This sunday, Morning september the. Seventh, yes meteorological fall is.
Underway that means things are getting a little quiet On Cape.
Cod but we wanted to find out how was the.

(47:02):
Season you, know The Cape Cod times calls it second
summer is. Underway we wanted to find out how first summer.
Went let's bring In Paul Ned's. Wicki he's THE ceo
and president of The Cape Cod chamber Of. Commerce, paul
welcome to the. Program so how'd we do this? Summer good?

Speaker 13 (47:21):
Morning we? Did we did really. WELL i think we
go back to the spring and we think about at
the uncertainty predictions for international travelers not coming and to
drop in in sort of occupancy generally that really didn't.
Materialize you, know it was a little bit of a different,
summer but it was a really strong. Summer we saw
a lot more day trippers this, year so occupancy may

(47:41):
be down a little, bit but it's not the ten
or fifteen percent drop that was. Predicted so we had
a very strong. Summer it was stronger in the Mid
cape and The Upper, cape a little bit slower on
The Utter, cape but all in, all it was we
were just really.

Speaker 3 (47:57):
Busy So, paul talk about the international. TREND i am
curious about that because we did a few stories here
on the show early on about The canadians not coming,
down And i've seen reports that they sort of followed
through and they did not. Come so talk about you
know how that affected maybe a.

Speaker 13 (48:14):
Business, yeah, NO i think that is that is, accurate
but you, know and The canadians are our number one
segment of our international visitors on an annual. Basis but
it's not the same across all The. Cape if we
look At, provincetown for, example sees a much higher percentage
Of canadian visitors than the other fourteen. Towns Do canadians

(48:35):
like to, camp so we see a lot Of canadian
reservations at places Like Nicholson State forest And State park
and some of the other campgrounds around. There and we
did see cancellations. There we also see a lot Of
canadians on some of the bus tours that will start
to happen this, fall but it wasn't a uniform thing

(48:56):
across The cape that we. Saw in The cape also
has you, know sort of limited capacity cities and very high.
Demand SO i think we saw a lot of The
canadians that didn't. Come we're backfilled by other people that.

Speaker 2 (49:09):
Did, Okay so where Does Paul nedswiki and his team
work this winter this? Fall what are the things that
you need to get done as you move forward there
with the?

Speaker 13 (49:20):
Chamber, well, yeah for, us it is second. Summer i've
talked to locals down. Here they'll tell You september And
october or really the best months on The. Cape but
it is still. Good water is still pretty, warm but
there are as many folks. Here but we will really
start to. Retool we'll do a lot of meetings with
the hospitality, industry with hotels and. Motels we'll review the
data from the summer so that we can retool our

(49:43):
marketing plan on our reach plans for next. Year so
we'll spend a lot of the next few months doing.
That but we're still going to see a lot of.
Visitors september has become the prime month for weddings on The,
cape and then we'll roll into the holiday. Season a
lot of the holiday, stroll we'll take up a bunch
of our time as.

Speaker 3 (50:00):
Well you, Know, paul let me back up for just
a second and ask you about something that has kind
of plugged The cape and the islands for the last
couple of, years and that's the work. Staff how do
we do this summer with? That and where business is
able to keep open the entire time because they had enough.

Speaker 13 (50:19):
Help, Yeah, NOW i think the labor supply issue this
summer was.

Speaker 4 (50:23):
Good it was.

Speaker 13 (50:23):
Solid we rely a lot on foreign born, workers people
that are here as culture exchange students under THE j
one visa program and under The department Of LABOUR'S htwov visa.
Program none of those programs were impacted by any change
in federal policy this. Year remains to be seen how
that will shake out next, year because there have been

(50:44):
some changes in the vetting, process for, instance at foreign
embassies for people who want to come on A j
one visa. Permit but this year labor supply was, solid
and we also have these businesses that have been through
sort of the pandemic and the real so the labor
supply by struggle around, there so they've they've been able
to adapt how they do. Business but the labor supply

(51:06):
this summer was it was. There it's pretty, strong Good.

Speaker 2 (51:09):
Paul as last, spring there are a lot of questions
about one of the famous famous restaurants On Cape cod
and The hyenas, area of, course The. Baxters there are
questions about what was going to happen to them moving.
Forward is there any sort of update on that.

Speaker 4 (51:23):
SITUATION i don't have any.

Speaker 13 (51:25):
Sort of form, update BUT i do know that they
were in discussions with the town Of barnsabok about helping
the town purchase the property because it's it's so uniquely
located in High As, harbor right, Right.

Speaker 2 (51:38):
Okay all, right, well let's move on to The Cape
cod bridges that we. Could there's a lot of stuff
going on there AND i don't know how much of
it you describe as. Good so bring us up to
speed on the replacement for The sagamore and The Boorn, well.

Speaker 13 (51:51):
The replacement for The Sagamore. Bridge that project continues to roll.
Forward so the state has completed their draft environmental, statement
and actually THE feds that have actually asked them to
sort of push that up and accelerate that. Somewhat so
that should save us a couple of. Months so that
draft is, ready it should be final in the. Spring

(52:11):
once it is, finalized they can hire a contractor and
someone to do the. Project that process should probably take a,
year and then we're looking at potentially a shovel in the,
ground whether it's acamore, replacement towards the end of twenty twenty,
seven more likely the first six months of twenty twenty.

Speaker 3 (52:28):
Eight all, right we'll keep our fingers crossed about. That
how was the traffic situation all?

Speaker 13 (52:32):
Summer traffic is pretty? BAD i mean it.

Speaker 3 (52:35):
WAS i appreciate it so.

Speaker 2 (52:40):
TRUE i mean the think about the traffic is it's
not just it wasn't Just. Sundays it Was monday night
all the. Time it Was monday mid, day it Was tuesday.

Speaker 13 (52:47):
Morning, yeah the remote, schedule you, know changes that have
happened that have kind of changed the traffic pattern. Somewhat
but this year really started with The genet, holiday which
is on It, Thursday so a lot of people took
That friday off and came. Down and then the fourth
Of july was on A. Friday the weather was nice
after this spring full of rainy. Saturdays so we have
a lot of the day trippers that came down and

(53:08):
that's really what starts to gum up the. Works that
relates as it relates to, traffic because it's kind of an.
Impulse people are just, saying, well let's go to The
cape for the day because the weather's nice and we
don't have to. Work uh and and the traffic can
get pretty extreme yet.

Speaker 2 (53:25):
Times you, Know Paul Dad's WICKI'S i GUESS. Ceo i'm
president of The Cape Cod chamber Of. Commerce of COURSE
i use The Cape Cod. TUNNEL i have that sticker
on my. Car so the traffic is. Bad back to the,
bridges what, okay what's the deal With?

Speaker 13 (53:39):
Born, yeah they're They're The Born bridge replacement is part
of The Environmental Impact, statement so so it's part of
the work that The commonwealth in The Army corps doing
right now to permit the replace in the both. Bridges
the problem with The Born bridge is there's no funding
for it, currently so we have to the state put
in another application for federal. Funding over the, summer and

(54:02):
so we'll wait to hear back on, that BUT i
think we have to be realistic about the prospects for
additional federal, funding especially funding in the large buckets that
we saw For. Sagamore so that's that's still needs to
be dealt. With you, know we've got to find money
to replace The Born, bridge because we can't just replace.

Speaker 4 (54:22):
One of Them Wow. BRIDGE i, mean.

Speaker 13 (54:27):
If they don't Place Born, bridge they're gonna have to rehabilitate.
It and rehabilitation means closing it for at least six
months complete, closure and it's a three year process that
revolves single lane, restrictions and it would have a devastating
impact on The cape.

Speaker 4 (54:41):
Economy and when does that shine the? Money, okay well
when does that shoe? Drop? When when do? You when
do we know the answer to that?

Speaker 13 (54:48):
Question you, KNOW i think we probably have two to
four years to figure it out before the situation on
The Born bridge itself is extreme enough to trigger the
debilitation project by The Army.

Speaker 3 (55:01):
Corps, Hey, paul we're about out of time, here but really,
QUICKLY i want to ask you you guys have any
input on the issues related to some of these wind
farms in the funding.

Speaker 13 (55:12):
Going, away we don't have any. Input we definitely have
an interest, THOUGH i mean it's certainly. Important it's important
to The cape. Economy it can be an important part
of it in a couple of. Ways one is sort,
of you, know a skilled labor force that's necessary to
sort of deal.

Speaker 6 (55:28):
With some of the.

Speaker 13 (55:28):
Wind but, also you, know The cape pays some of
the highest electric rates in the forty eight contiguous, states
and the excuse has always been that we're at the
end of the. Pipeline but with offshore wind, energy we're
at the beginning of the. Pipeline SO i think a
lot of the people that pay electric bills on The
cape could see a benefit by the development of alternative energy,
resources but it's not moving forward right. Now so our

(55:51):
focus is really on making sure that the grid is
ready to accept alternative energy from offshore wind when it does.
Happen and how do you do, That, Paul, well we're
working with the utilities right now on sort of make
sure that we've got the right substation. Upgrades also work
with the state too to discuss their sort of permitting

(56:15):
and regulatory reforms related to offshore, wind so that we
don't run into these controversial cable landing issues that have
slowed and soured some people on the concept of offshore.

Speaker 2 (56:28):
Wind all, right He's Paul. Edswickie he's THE ceo And
president of The Cape Cod chamber Of commerce and we
do appreciate you taking time in joining. Us so This
sunday morning on The New England.

Speaker 4 (56:35):
Business, report.

Speaker 3 (56:40):
That's going to do it for this week's edition of
The New England Business. Report be sure you join us
Each sunday right here ON. Wrko coming up Next, sunday
a chat with THE ceo of The Boston chamber Of,
Commerce Jim. Rooney we're going to hear from him his
predictions for the fourth. Quarter we're going to talk about
the health of Downtown, boston and we're giving to talk
to him a little bit about the mayoral race that's coming.

(57:02):
Up so that is coming up at eight o'clock Next,
sunday right here on The New England Business report on
The voice Of boston w R K O A m
six eighty

Speaker 11 (58:00):
M m