0:00 – In the spring of 2005, the idea of The Wayland Town Center was proposed to the town. Construction began in early 2012 and the grand opening of some of the stores was towards the end of 2012 and into 2013. Throughout the years, there have been many businesses that have come and gone but new stores are still opening. Earthwise Pet Store is one of the newest businesses to join the town center.

0:19 – Earthwise pet store owner Mauricio Umana: “So first retail store that we have been in business for about a month already we just opened.”

0:25 – Since opening, the owners of Earthwise Pet, Mauricio and Carolina Umana, have found the Wayland community, including nearby businesses, to be welcoming and have received a lot of support.

0:38 –  Umana: “Word of mouth has been excellent media, social media. Everyone has been so nice they come in to themselves or you can just go to the other businesses. So it’s really great to have the support in what the town has, especially this town center had different businesses and we saw the opportunity to work across the street with a veterinarian so that it was a good opportunity for business and then the only pet store or pet supply store in Wayland, so I thought as a good opportunity. I support them and they support us.”

1:11 – Many businesses within the town center, including Earthwise Pet and Chocolate Therapy, try to support one other. The town center currently has multiple vacancies and when there are more businesses and stores, it benefits everyone.

1:22 – Elements Massage’s Ciara D’Agostino: “The only concern I had because I’m most familiar with the town center is that there’s not a lot of retail here. So, you know, we’re hoping that it will continue to fill in with other businesses because that helps everyone, but the location seems good, right on offer 20 and we’re sandwiched between good towns. We were we downsize from our own location and there were several spots open, which there’s still several spots open, but this one sort of fit our needs. So, lots smaller.”

1:54 – Some businesses who have been in the town center for years, such as Elements Massage, have noticed the changing of stores and how it impacts the town center overall. Elements Massage opened in 2013, and has been part of the town center since stores began opening.

2:06 –  Chocolate Therapy owner Pamela Griffin: “It kind of goes in and out in this particular Plaza. The rent is really high here. But we’ve been seeing more opening recently, so I’ve only been here for six years. So I’ve seen only that time window but we’ve seen a lot go out and then now just recently we’re getting a little bit more back in so there was always like community events, but I feel like recently there’s been a little bit more in the center and that’s been awesome, like during the summer. I think Christmas they do one too but I feel like they always did that. And I’m not sure but so that’s been awesome. We used to have Panera, we don’t anymore. I will say thats probably less foot traffic because we that was like a big anchor to have people like they would walk around the plaza after. There’s not like a lot of other like attractions that you would come here and then just want to like hang out after.”

2:58 – One aspect of the town center is the regular customers that it attracts. These customers can provide stability to the businesses and an overall higher sense of community. Junior Paul Lang visits the town center on a regular basis and feels that it has been generally successful.

3:10 – Lang: “I think it’s pretty successful but it seems like there’s a lot of empty stores so they could be doing better reporting okay.”

3:15 – Reporting for WSPN, this is Annika Martins, Tasha Janoff and Jenny Shine.