Making Framingham home: Brazilian community key to downtown’s economic revival

Alain Puma / THE GATEPOST

By Alain Puma Staff Writer On a typical Saturday afternoon, downtown Framingham is bustling with activity. Businesses such as restaurants, auto repair shops, cafés, pharmacies, and Latin grocery stores are all within walking distance of one another. People enter and exit the many shops and businesses that line the city streets. Smells from the local bakeries and coffee shops fill the air. According to the City of Framingham, over 70,000 people make the city their home, including a diverse population of immigrants. The city’s website estimates that about 85% of the businesses in downtown Framingham are owned by immigrants. One such business owner is Daniel Quezada, who owns Auto Aasy Repair on 9 Blandin Ave. According to Quezada, who is originally from Guatemala, the diversity of the Framingham community has been integral to the longevity of his business. “I’ve been in business here for about 22 years now. I believe that the diversity of our community has helped fuel our success,” he said. “I have American clients, Haitian clients, Brazilian clients, Guatemalan clients, Puerto Rican clients. People here just want someone they can trust with their car so that they can get back on the road,” he added. Quezada also said he believes that the development projects over the past few years have contributed to all of the success his business has seen. “All of the new apartment buildings going up have also brought us a lot of new business, since so many people here need a car to commute to their jobs or to just get around in our city,” he said. Another business in the area is the coffee shop and restaurant Fresscafe, located on 82 Concord St. On a typical day, Fresscafe is a reflection of the community it is nestled in - a busy environment attracting a vast array of people. The sound of chatter, along with the running of coffee makers and espresso machines, complements the shop’s cozy atmosphere. The inviting aroma of coffee beans, pancakes, and eggs greets customers as they enter. Julia Sartori-De Boni, who is the manager at Fresscafe, said she believes the Brazilian community’s welcoming nature helps bolster the communal bonds within the downtown Framingham area. Sartori-De Boni also said she believes the Brazilian-owned businesses in downtown Framingham serve as a manifestation of how hard-working the Brazilian population is. “Brazilians are taught from a very young age to be hard workers and to not shy away from their responsibilities. The Brazilian businesses in downtown Framingham really showcase that Brazilians can use this work ethic to be business owners - to make something of their own - and to really thrive at it,” she said. Sartori-De Boni added that she thinks the downtown Framingham area has a lot to offer Framingham State students, should they choose to visit. “There are many library events, resource fairs, business events, and ribbon-cutting parties - which are all great places for students to get exposure to the real world, make connections and network, and get access to resources that can be helpful to them,” she said. Sartori-De Boni suggested that people come down and try their French toast. She identified it as her favorite menu item. “If I had to choose one, I would go with the Belgian passion - it’s our famous challah French toast - stacked and served with fresh strawberries, a homemade white chocolate passion fruit dip, and a Belgian dark chocolate dip,” she said. “It is to die for,” she added. Sartori-De Boni also recommended coffee lovers try their house signature hot guava latte - which features their homemade guava syrup as well as their white mocha latte, which is made using authentic chocolate. Olympus Gym, located on 701 Waverly St., is a few short blocks from the heart of downtown Framingham. The gym opened in 2020 and is a family business owned and operated by Alan Araújo, who emigrated from Brazil in 2010 - and his wife Melissa. Araújo credits the Brazilian community with reinvigorating downtown Framingham. “By the time I came to America in 2010, there was already a community of Brazilians established here. People who have been here longer than I have, have told me that before then, there was nothing in Framingham and that downtown was dead. Store windows were boarded up and places were empty,” he said. “So I definitely think the Brazilian community brings a lot to the city, a lot of which they did not have all those years ago,” he added. Araújo also believes the city itself played a key role in the revitalization. “I’ve seen that they [the city] have renovated parts of the city, and it is also very clean now. Before, it was kind of dirty. It looks so nice now,” he said. According to Araújo, the process of obtaining business licenses and permits from the city was relatively straightforward. “I didn’t have any issues with the city when I was in the process of opening here. They have always been good to me,” he said. “It wasn’t easy because it was my first time opening a business, but I didn’t have any problems. Everything went smoothly,” he added. Araújo said other cities can make it difficult for new businesses to open, citing the example of a friend who is attempting to open a barbershop in a nearby city but has been waiting three months for permission to open. “Framingham is a great city to be in business in,” he said. Araújo offered advice to business owners who are starting out. “I would tell new business owners to always try to improve some aspect of themselves and their business. I grew my business beginning with improving the equipment we had here at the gym. I always seek to improve something here. Another example is that I had a bigger office but I divided it in half and had a posing room built for our clients to take pictures in after [their workout],” he said. “If you keep improving and making your clients happy, the success will come because they will be loyal to you. At least 80% of our members have been here since we opened,” he added. With the success he has enjoyed in Framingham, Araújo said he has plans to expand his business and open another location in either nearby Ashland or Milford. At Padaria Brasil Bakery, the smell of freshly baked bread and pastries welcomes a large group of customers walking in. A display window showcasing the bakery’s treats draws the attention of some, while others wait in line to place their orders. A mix of Portuguese and English chatter fills the air as employees hustle to serve their customers. Located on 165 Concord St. - right across from City Hall - the bakery sits at the heart of downtown Framingham and has been in business since 1997. Owner and business manager Marcelo Soares, who emigrated from Brazil, purchased the bakery in 2019. Soares said he believes the fortunes of the Brazilian community and Framingham are intertwined. “After the [Dennison] factory closed, there were very few businesses in downtown Framingham. Downtown Framingham was dead before Brazilian people came and built businesses here,” he said. “They established themselves here and helped breathe new life into downtown Framingham,” he added. Soares also underscored what he believes is the communal spirit of the Brazilian people. “We as Brazilian people take pride in taking care of the community we are in. We love serving this community and being able to employ people from here,” he said. “It’s also great that here at the bakery, we serve both Americans and Brazilians. Both nationalities are our customers,” he added. Soares highlighted some of the menu items that are customer favorites. “One of the more popular food items we sell is French-style bread. It is made fresh daily and there are no chemicals or preservatives in it, unlike some of the bread people will find at supermarkets,” he said. “Our burgers are also very popular. Customers [who order them] are getting 8 ounces of fresh ground beef. And nothing is frozen. Just great food with a fresh, vibrant flavor,” he added. Soares said his American customers really enjoy pão de queijo [cheese bread] that the bakery makes multiple times daily, as well as their lattes, cappuccinos, alcohol-free piña coladas, and freshly squeezed juices. Soares invited members of the FSU community to give his bakery - and Brazilian food in general - a try. “Brazilian food is very diverse. There are so many options, and there is something for everybody. So, if the students and staff there are looking for good food that is fresh, they should come to downtown and check out our bakery,” he said. Soares also emphasized what he said is the convenience and value the bakery strives to offer its customers. “We have all-day delivery. People can order directly from the website - padariabrasil.com,” he said. “And we don’t charge the crazy delivery fees that you would see on DoorDash or UberEats. We try our best to give our customers the most convenience and the fairest prices,” he added. Soares said he believes the city has been very attentive with regard to helping small businesses, but that he would like to see it expand its efforts to help the businesses that are a bit bigger. Soares said the more businesses the city is able to help, the more prosperous the future of downtown Framingham will be. Rick McKenna, economic development corporation and business outreach manager for the City of Framingham, believes the diverse population in the community has been integral to the success Framingham has enjoyed. “We have a lot of diversity here. We have a large Brazilian population, Portuguese speakers, Spanish speakers. We have people from all over the world. With all of that comes 2,200 businesses, 45,000 jobs, and $3.1 billion in payroll - all here in the City of Framingham,” he said. “Framingham has a lot to offer to both businesses and people. We have hundreds of acres of land that businesses can start building on here. We have great educational institutions here. And, thanks to our diverse population, we have a lot of different restaurants and types of food to try here,” he added. According to McKenna, the city is working on multiple improvement initiatives, such as adding more affordable housing opportunities for residents and assisting business owners in the downtown Framingham area with block grants the city hopes will help local businesses grow. Nate Doyen-Charon, community development coordinator for the City of Framingham, highlighted the important role that non-profit organizations play in the implementation of the city’s improvement initiatives. “We work with a non-profit called Downtown Framingham Inc. Rick [McKenna] and their director work closely with one another,” he said. “We also work with the MetroWest Housing Coalition, which is a group of service providers, community leaders - public, private, and non-profits - that get together to discuss how we can consolidate our resources to essentially make it easier for people in the community to get housing,” he added. According to Doyen-Charon, the city also coordinates with the federal government to ensure that business owners and residents are able to receive the services they need. “We receive about $450,000 annually from HUD [US Department of Housing and Urban Development] through their block grant program. We get these funds for a wide variety of programs we can run - business grants, public service grants, public facility grants. Just last year, the Framingham Public Library needed work done so they were able to use this funding for repairs,” he said. Doyen-Charon also said private homeowners in the Framingham community have benefited from these grant funds as well. “We have done housing rehab programs for low-income homeowners in the community. If they needed some work done on their house, they could apply for a grant. We also run a rental assistance program to help low-income people with security deposits, first month’s rent and - in certain select cases that are referred to us from one of the non-profits in Framingham - we can even help a few families each year with a full year’s worth of rent payments,” he said. “Those are the types of ways we are able to use that federal funding for the local community,” he added. Charon-Doyen said the city of Framingham itself also funds and distributes grants to non-profit organizations that serve the community. “Part of our community development block grant goes toward public services, which are non-profit organizations. Our Community Development Committee makes recommendations to the mayor as to which organizations get funding and how much. We are capped at about $70,000 that we can award to these non-profits,” he said. “They all do so much great work and I’m happy to be able to help these organizations on behalf of the city - because at the end of the day, they do a lot of good,” he added. Doyen-Charon reported the change in presidential administration has not impacted the grants, but that he is monitoring the situation. “As of this moment, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and the Home Investment Partnership grant from HUD have not been affected by what is going on in Washington,” he said. “I am keeping a close eye on it to see if anything will change, but as of now, we are proceeding as normal,” he added. According to Doyen-Charon, the business owners and residents of the Framingham community are the driving force behind why he, McKenna, and all the community non-profit organizations do the work they do. However, Doyen-Charon credits the community members he and his colleagues serve with saving Framingham. “Framingham business owners - so many of whom are immigrants - have been fundamental to the revitalization of downtown Framingham. They bring culture to the area,” he said. Doyen-Charon also highlighted what he believes to be the cultural impact the Brazilian community in particular has had on Framingham. “Part of what makes Framingham ‘Framingham’ is the Brazilian community. I grew up on the Cape. One of my best friends is Brazilian and he knows about the culture here in Framingham. I think that that ultimately adds to the healthy economic growth of the community,” he said. Steve Guseynov is the director of a Framingham adult day program called Dia Feliz, which translates to “happy day” in Spanish and Portuguese. Dia Feliz serves members of the Framingham community who have cognitive, physical, or behavioral health issues by providing support services, nursing care, supervision, and daily activities, which include field trips, holiday parties, arts and crafts, games, yoga, and exercise. “We’ve been here for six years and really enjoy the work we do helping the Framingham community,” he said. Guseynov said he sees the Framingham community and city itself as a place with much to offer. “Framingham has a strong sense of community, a diverse population, and an array of recreational, cultural and even historical opportunities for people to take advantage of. It’s really a multicultural and multi-national area,” he said. “It’s also very close to Boston,” he added. Guseynov also said the city’s economy itself is diverse and credits the city government with what he believes are improvements that help bolster economic activity. “The city has been focused on economic development initiatives to help the city attract and retain businesses. This includes offering incentives such as tax breaks, grants, and low-interest loans to businesses that locate to or expand within Framingham,” he said. BRACE (Brazilian-American Center) is a Framingham non-profit organization located on Waverly Street. It was created in 2012 with the aim of assisting immigrants in the area by providing services such as legal advice, education, health, job placement, and housing, in addition to helping them with integrating into and adapting to American culture and society. According to BRACE’s website, the organization seeks to “welcome and empower all immigrants regardless of nationality, race, age, sex, or religion, while preserving the values and cultural identity of each.” Liliane Costa has served as BRACE’s executive director since 2014. Costa credits the Brazilian community, particularly business owners, with the resurgence that downtown Framingham has enjoyed over the years. “The Brazilian community revitalized downtown Framingham. They started to open businesses in downtown Framingham around 30 years ago. It started with the first income tax preparation business, bakery, convenience store, butcher shop, and restaurant. Then it just grew from there. Today, the Brazilian community owns 90% of downtown Framingham businesses,” she said. According to Costa, BRACE works in conjunction with the city government to serve the community. “The city of Framingham works with us on some projects. We began applying for grants in 2015. We have received grants for things such as ESL classes, youth programs, vaccination clinics, and to fund the renovations of buildings in the city,” she said. Apart from funding, Costa also credits the city government with beginning to help bridge the cultural gap between the community and the city. “One of the most important improvements the city has made to help Brazilian business owners is having a Brazilian person who works at City Hall. Her name is Patricia Rodrigues Costa de Sá, and she works directly with Brazilian business owners,” she said. “They could always use more people who can speak Portuguese there,” she said. Rodrigues Costa de Sá is a former economic development specialist and planner for the City of Framingham. She moved on from the position in April. According to Costa de Sá, her job entailed carrying out economic research for the city, writing reports, and community and business outreach. Costa de Sá said that the relationship between the city and business owners has evolved for the better since she first started her role with the city. “When I started, [the communication] was primarily from me to them. I would go to them and they would tell me what they expected from the city. But then, as they got to know me, they began to seek me out to assist them and guide them in business-related matters. For instance, if they had plans to expand their business, they began contacting me for guidance,” she said. “They also asked me about the permitting process. Many business owners in the downtown area are not fluent in English so they have difficulty navigating the process,” she added. Costa de Sá said her relationship with business owners in downtown Framingham went beyond simply assisting them with the permitting process and answering any questions they may have had about city policy. “When I talk to business owners, I also try to advise them on finding their core business - their niche, and identifying what they can do to help their business stand out. It’s a characteristic of downtown to have a lot of stores, grocery stores, and markets that do a little bit of everything. They sell cosmetics from other countries and food. They’re also a butcher shop, a bakery, a restaurant. They make pizza, they make sandwiches. And as a result, they end up without an identity,” she said. Costa de Sá also said she believes that downtown businesses finding their own identity with regard to what products or services they offer will help them attract a broader clientele, “So that when people who are not from downtown Framingham come, they will know exactly what that store specializes in. So that people can say, ‘This is where I can go for Guatemalan food.’ ‘This is where I can go to buy clothing.’ ‘This is a market where I can go get some fruit,’ “It is important that each business has an identity because downtown will have a more organized array of stores and businesses, which will make it easier and more attractive for people to come and enjoy what the area has to offer,” she added. Costa de Sá said the city working with and assisting business owners is mutually beneficial. “It opens up opportunities for the business owners, but it is also important to the city because what the city does impacts them, and what they do impacts us. We have to work together so that we can grow together,” she said. “We cannot carry out policies without input from the business owners. We have to align our plans,” she added. Costa de Sá credits the Brazilian community with the renewed prosperity the downtown Framingham area has experienced. “They were so key to the revitalization of downtown Framingham during the mid-to-late-1990s when Dennison and General Motors left. This was so impactful because when they left, the economic activities that revolved around these two main employers lost their market share,” she said. Costa de Sá also said Framingham’s unique location presented a great opportunity for the Brazilian community during that time. “The price of rent went down and properties got devalued because the area was virtually empty. The Brazilian community, which had already settled in Massachusetts, saw opportunity in Framingham - not only because of the cheaper rent, but because of the strategic location of the city, with Framingham being located between Boston and Worcester,” she said. “This was all so vital to the prosperity of the city at the time. The stores were empty, and there was no strong economic activity in the area. Downtown was a real blight before they came in and settled here,” she added. Costa de Sá said the downtown Framingham area has much to offer people, especially those who are not familiar with it. “You will learn a lot from coming downtown. You’ll taste different types of food from many other countries. You’ll experience music from other countries. “There is a rich diversity in downtown Framingham,” she said.