Women business-owners in Newton are joining together ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8 — and throughout Women’s History Month — to showcase their shops while supporting each other and the community.
“We’re trying to make people aware of the various women-owned businesses in Newton,” said Linda de Valpine, owner of Greentail Table in Nonantum. “Women like to support women. By giving the public the opportunity to discover, meet, and engage with women-owned businesses, this helps raise awareness and support for them and for their contributions to the local economy through creating jobs, community involvement and much more.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2022 (the latest year for which information is available) in Newton, there were 621 women-owned firms, compared to 1,464 businesses owned by men.
To draw in more visitors, Newton businesswomen are helping to organize two local efforts linked to IWD, which “honors the achievements of women across all aspects of life — social, economic, cultural, and political — while also advocating for gender equality,” according to InternationalWomensDay.org.
A group of five Newton Centre women-owned businesses will hold an event to kickoff IWD on March 7, and a group of 28 women-owned businesses throughout the city (including the five from Newton Centre) will be participating in a month-long effort to highlight their services.
March 7 event in Newton Centre
The March 7 event – called Empower & Elevate: A Celebration of Women’s Wellness & Style – will be held 5:30-7:30PM at Dr. Renée Moran Medical Aesthetics (97 Union Street, Newton Centre) and will also include 11:11 Juice Bar, Dear Duchess, Reve Salon, and Figurella.
After Dear Duchess owner Rachel Sciaba was contacted by Dr. Moran’s staff about the idea, she said, “I was really excited when I heard about it. …It’s always nice to get together …and collaborate.”
For small-business owners in their own space most of the time, the gathering is a good change of pace for owners to be able “to collaborate with others. … We all complement each other really well.”
During the event, Dear Duchess will hold a trunk show; 11:11 Juice Bar will offer smoothie samples; Reve Salon will offer Oribe samples, hair consultations and hair styling tips; Figurella will provide nutrition and wellness strategies; and Dr. Moran will provide skin consultations and skincare recommendations.
The event is free, and Sciaba said the organizers would like attendees to register online to get an accurate headcount.
Passport to DiscovHER for the rest of March
Starting on March 8, shoppers and clients can learn more about Newton’s women-owned businesses through the end of the month.
Inspired by the Hudson Women’s Day Showcase, another IWD event, de Valpine reached out to women-owned companies in Newton to create the almost month-long promotion.
“I was delighted” to quickly find so many businesswomen who wanted to participate, she said.
Lucinda Chrislip, owner of Newton Centre’s Derby Farm Flowers & Gardens, suggested creating a passport to encourage shoppers to visit the 28 participating Newton businesses, and Passport to DiscovHER was born.
Starting on March 8, people can pick up a passport at any of the 28 participating businesses and start collecting stamps, which do not require any purchases. The point of the promotion is to familiarize the public with the diverse range of women-owned organizations in the city.
As people collect stamps during the promotion, they earn entries for a drawing for one of five gift baskets. Collecting ten stamps earns one entry; 15 stamps earns two; 20 stamps earns three; 25 stamps earns four; and collecting all 28 stamps earns five entries. Stamps must be turned in by March 31. The drawing will take place on April 1, said de Valpine.
“Hopefully this is something we can do annually,” she said.
Women-owned businesses participating in DiscovHER
See the Passport to DiscovHER webpage for offers and locations for these businesses:
Food / Restaurant
- 11:11 Health Bar (Newton Centre)
- Pon de Joy (Newton Centre)
- Bettina’s Bakery (Newton Upper Falls)
- Dunn Gaherin’s Food & Spirits (Newton Upper Falls)
- Sweet Tomatoes (West Newton)
Retail
- Carla Shaw (Newton Centre)
- CERI (Newton Centre)
- Dear Duchess (Newton Centre)
- Derby Farm (Newton Centre)
- Newtonville Books (Newton Centre)
- Talori Jewelry (Newton Centre)
- Covet & Lou (Newton Highlands)
- Indulge! (Newton Highlands)
- Lara B. Designs (Newton Upper Falls)
- Nina Rachele Decor (Newton Upper Falls)
- Fulfilled Goods (Newtonville)
- Dion’s Wine (Nonantum)
- Greentail Table (Nonantum)
Services
- Christine’s Day Spa (Newton Centre)
- Comm Ave Dentistry and Implants (Newton Centre)
- Figurella (Newton Centre)
- Hustle Stop (Newton Centre)
- Renee Moran Medspa (Newton Centre)
- Reve Salon (Newton Centre)
- Unique Boutique Your Day of Beauty (Newton Centre)
- Whole Beauty Salon & Spa (Newton Centre)
- Newton Medical Aesthetics (Newton Upper Falls)
- Bee Happy Dentistry (Nonantum)