|
|
Have you ever passed by a Hyde Park business and thought, "wow, that place looks great!"? We have, and our quarterly We Noticed! column recognizes those local businesses; the ones we noticed have made an extra effort to keep their storefronts and business properties looking good.
This quarter, We Noticed! Boston Acupuncture Project.
When you walk or drive along Fairmount Avenue or come from Pierce Street onto Fairmount, you probably notice the windows at Boston Acupuncture Project (BAP) at 74 Fairmount. Right now, there is a wave of bright yellow butterflies soaring around the corner of the building. Not long ago, the space was filled with snowflakes. Why decorate a medical office?
Director Oren "Ren" Pilinger said that it is partly to take advantage of the beautiful corner location of the Vertullo Building with its large expanse of windows. He always asks patients how they heard about BAP, and many said that they had noticed the shop when walking or driving by and liked the way it looked. Ren tries to change the window displays three or four times a year. He usually has help from friends and other volunteers, some of whom are artists. The Vertullo Building, a beautiful mansard built in 1868, is believed to be the oldest commercial structure still standing in Hyde Park. Historic Boston Incorporated acquired and restored the building and recently sold it to one of the other business owners in the building. Its historic features are now protected. Although the preservation guidelines generally only apply to the exterior, Ren has kept the beautiful original tin ceiling in the office.
Ren had been practicing in the Boston area for several years, with the goal of eventually opening a community acupuncture clinic in an area of the city with less access to acupuncture. Real estate broker and Hyde Park resident Jeff Similien introduced Ren to this spot in Hyde Park and it checked all the boxes. Most of BAP's clients are from the area - Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roslindale, etc. Some are now coming from Quincy where a South Shore community acupuncture practice closed during the pandemic. A business like his depends on having a large base of regular clients, so most are local. Convenient public transportation options are a help.
Boston Acupuncture Project is a non-profit community acupuncture clinic that treats in a group setting and charges on a voluntary sliding scale of $25-$55 per treatment. They are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity. While all community acupuncture practices allow more patients to be treated at once, making acupuncture more financially accessible, these clinics are not usually non-profits. In addition to the cost factor, patients feel comfortable together in a relaxing and healing setting, rather than being isolated in a closed treatment room.
When asked how Covid had affected BAP, Ren said that they initially closed for 3 months, and then opened with more social distancing and strict guidelines. By coincidence, the shop had previously been a nail salon, so it already had an excellent ventilation system. There were fewer clients, and he no longer permitted walk-ins. He is now thinking that he might be able to allow walk-ins if Covid numbers stay down.
For more information, visit their website, their Facebook page, Instagram @bostonacuproject, or call 617-506-3868.
Past We Noticed! Recipients:
January 2019: Rincon Caribeño Restaurant
April 2019: Parkway Cleansing Company
July 2019: Christie Dustman & Company
October 2019: Central Paint & True Value
January 2020: Grew Elementary School
April 2020: Cappy's Pizzeria
July 2020: Essence of Thyme & Cravings (ETC.)
October 2020: Antonio's Bacaro
January 2021: Boston Prep
April 2021: Coffee Break Cafe
October 2021: Dress With Confidence
January 2022: The Switch Co-op
This quarter, We Noticed! Boston Acupuncture Project.
When you walk or drive along Fairmount Avenue or come from Pierce Street onto Fairmount, you probably notice the windows at Boston Acupuncture Project (BAP) at 74 Fairmount. Right now, there is a wave of bright yellow butterflies soaring around the corner of the building. Not long ago, the space was filled with snowflakes. Why decorate a medical office?
Director Oren "Ren" Pilinger said that it is partly to take advantage of the beautiful corner location of the Vertullo Building with its large expanse of windows. He always asks patients how they heard about BAP, and many said that they had noticed the shop when walking or driving by and liked the way it looked. Ren tries to change the window displays three or four times a year. He usually has help from friends and other volunteers, some of whom are artists. The Vertullo Building, a beautiful mansard built in 1868, is believed to be the oldest commercial structure still standing in Hyde Park. Historic Boston Incorporated acquired and restored the building and recently sold it to one of the other business owners in the building. Its historic features are now protected. Although the preservation guidelines generally only apply to the exterior, Ren has kept the beautiful original tin ceiling in the office.
Ren had been practicing in the Boston area for several years, with the goal of eventually opening a community acupuncture clinic in an area of the city with less access to acupuncture. Real estate broker and Hyde Park resident Jeff Similien introduced Ren to this spot in Hyde Park and it checked all the boxes. Most of BAP's clients are from the area - Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roslindale, etc. Some are now coming from Quincy where a South Shore community acupuncture practice closed during the pandemic. A business like his depends on having a large base of regular clients, so most are local. Convenient public transportation options are a help.
Boston Acupuncture Project is a non-profit community acupuncture clinic that treats in a group setting and charges on a voluntary sliding scale of $25-$55 per treatment. They are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity. While all community acupuncture practices allow more patients to be treated at once, making acupuncture more financially accessible, these clinics are not usually non-profits. In addition to the cost factor, patients feel comfortable together in a relaxing and healing setting, rather than being isolated in a closed treatment room.
When asked how Covid had affected BAP, Ren said that they initially closed for 3 months, and then opened with more social distancing and strict guidelines. By coincidence, the shop had previously been a nail salon, so it already had an excellent ventilation system. There were fewer clients, and he no longer permitted walk-ins. He is now thinking that he might be able to allow walk-ins if Covid numbers stay down.
For more information, visit their website, their Facebook page, Instagram @bostonacuproject, or call 617-506-3868.
Past We Noticed! Recipients:
January 2019: Rincon Caribeño Restaurant
April 2019: Parkway Cleansing Company
July 2019: Christie Dustman & Company
October 2019: Central Paint & True Value
January 2020: Grew Elementary School
April 2020: Cappy's Pizzeria
July 2020: Essence of Thyme & Cravings (ETC.)
October 2020: Antonio's Bacaro
January 2021: Boston Prep
April 2021: Coffee Break Cafe
October 2021: Dress With Confidence
January 2022: The Switch Co-op