Our Story & Mission
In 2020 restaurants in the North End, along with restaurants all over Boston were granted outdoor dining areas. These soon became a big hit among residents and individuals from all over. This gave a new, even more authentic Italian feel, to the North End. It helped small businesses recover from the pandemic, it allowed people to spend more time outside, and it contributed to beautifying Boston. Due to its success, the program continued the following year. This led to businesses and customers believing outdoor dining was here to stay.
However, in the years to come some changes were made. The businesses of the North End were to pay a $7500 fee if they wanted to take part in outdoor dining that spring/summer season. This came as a shock to the business owners of the North End, and what came as an even bigger surprise, was that only the North End was given this price tag. This portion of the city filled with entrepreneurs, and small family businesses were now singled out and told to pay up or be the only part of the city with no outdoor dining. So they did just that, those that could, payed the price and participated in yet another year of outdoor dining. Although their spots had been secured for that season it left lots of people wondering what would happen next year, and sure enough, that was the last time Little Italy would see the success and joy of outdoor dining.
In the following years, every other part of the city was given free outdoor dining. Businesses outside of the North End flourished and on those beautiful summer days the streets of the North End were missing their outdoor dining option and the customers wishing to sit outside went elsewhere, diminishing the amount of business being conducted in the North End.
When asked to participate, the people of the North End did so happily and did everything they could so that customers could enjoy this experience and that the streets of the North End were as beautiful of an environment as possible. When asked to pay a $7500 fee they did just that. Approaching the third year of the North End being excluded from outdoor dining now we land ourselves here. In the position to take to the federal court to plead our case of equality and to hopefully win the right to fairly compete with the rest of the businesses in Boston. By spreading the word, showing your support, or donating, you can help the businesses of the North End receive equal treatment amount the rest of the city of Boston.