DAVID TABER
Gazette Photo by David Taber
DDS Furniture recently opened at 3154 Washington St.
EGLESTON SQ.–Despite the economic downturn, new businesses have been opening in Egleston Square at a steady clip in the last six months.
“Businesses are still moving into Egleston and holding their own here,” Egleston Square Main Streets di-rector Betsy Cowan said during a recent walk around the district with the Gazette.
They include DDS Furniture at 3154 Washington St.; the Gala Nail Salon at 3137 Washington St.; Debbie Dress Up, a women’s boutique at 1985 Washington St., and Lluvia’s Market, a Spanish grocer at 1985a Washing-ton St.
Jaydon’s Boutique, another clothing retailer for men and women, opened this year at 3093 Washington St.
And at least two established businesses, the Giro Xpress multi-service provider and Alberto’s Barber Shop, are moving into bigger spaces. They will be joining the Gala Salon in the new seven-storefront devel-opment at 3137 Washington.
Berkuy Tineo, who runs Giro Xpress, told the Gazette that the move will enable her to expand her serv-ices. Giro does check-cashing, money transfers and tax preparation, but also provides Internet access for customers and offers private telephone booths for customers who purchase international calling cards. The business mostly serves the local Dominican community, she said.
“I will have more computers for Internet service,” in the new location, Tineo said.
Serving the Dominican community was on new nail salon proprietor Tommy Doan’s mind as well.
Doan, who is Korean, said he is learning Spanish and is hoping to develop a loyal customer base for the Gala Salon—now open for just over a month.
He worked at two other salons in the neighborhood before opening Gala. “I am not afraid of the competi-tion,” he said, adding that there is “a little” rivalry between salons in the square.
Cowan said Doan is one of a few Korean business owners in the area who have undertaken learning Spanish.
In other Egleston Square news, Bill Minkle, who heads the local non-profit Ensuring Stability Through Action in our Community (ESAC), and sits on ESMS’s economic development committee, said the Peace Garden at the corner of Washington and School streets will soon get new lighting, including a spotlight to illuminate the “Peace Throughout History” mural there at night.
That project is being funded through a City of Boston Small Changes grant, he said.