Laramerchi, at 537 Shawmut Ave, opened quietly in June. A fashion restoration center, they are ready to give your favorite clothes and accessories new life. Their professional cobblers, seamstresses, and cleaners are artists, with skills and knowledge to care for your stuff, from sneakers to sweaters. Because leather, rubber, nylon, etc can take decades to decompose, restoring the things you love reduces the burden on landfills. Jay Lara grew up here and is giving back. Please drop by! More at Laramerchi.com

The new Natural Life store at 585 Massachusetts Avenue will have their grand opening August 26, 10 am – 4 pm, with a DJ and food. They are part of a chain that retails” health and wellness products with a focus on lab-tested holistic plant-derived supplements, including hemp flower, CBD, D8-THC, extracts, oils, lotions, kava, kratom, and mushrooms.” Store manager Daren “expects to support and educate consumers, serving as a gathering place to share and learn”. More at http://www.shopnaturallife.com.