The MBTA gave the go-ahead this summer for construction to begin on the Ashmont Station renovations. T officials will give an update to the community on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 6:30 PM, at All Saints Church Hall, 209 Ashmont Street, in Peabody Square. There are sure to be many questions, and this is your chance to get your answers from the source.

For more information, please call the SMAMS office at 617-825-3846.

"Business" and "busy" are closely related words. Running a small business keeps the owner busy all the time, and it's hard to focus on things that do not directly benefit the business. Joining SMAMS does benefit local busineses in many ways, such as:

Storefront Renovations - From the extremely made-over Ashmont Grill to the beautiful hand-carved signs at the ODWIN learning Center, many businesses in the SMAMS district show the results of the Boston Main Streets Storefront Improvement Program. SMAMS can help interested businesspeople and building owners to apply for financial and design assistance for renovating the exteriors of their buildings.

Web Site Development - Through a partnership with Boston Main Streets and Tech Boston, SMAMS can help businesses develop web sites that range from the simple to the super-deluxe, at prices as low as $30!

Savings at Staples - SMAMS offers the StaplesLink account, which allows businesses to order on-line from Staples, receive quick delivery, and save money over the in-store prices.

Business Advice - SMAMS can refer businesses to a number of organizations that specialize in providing advice and assistance to small businesses on issues such as marketing, finances, planning, cost control, and more.

Business Seminars - SMAMS is planning to bring consultants to our neighborhood to give advice on the topics that most interest our businesspeople. We will announce these meetings in future issues of the Connection. In the meantime, please contact Dan Larner in the SMAMS office (617-825-3846) if you would like to suggest an idea for a seminar.

Recruiting Businesses for Vacant Spaces - SMAMS' Economic Restructuring Committee focuses on recruiting businesses that meet the neighborhood' needs. We work with both the building owners and the prospective tenants, and we do not charge a fee for our services.

E-Mail Marketing - "Constant Contact," which powers the e-newsletter you're reading, allows you to send your messages to your entire e-mail list at the press of a button. SMAMS members receive a 20% discount on a six-month subscription and 25% discount on a one-year subscription.

The price of SMAMS memebrship, which includes all these benefits, is low - only $25 per year! To join, you can go to our web site, http://smam s.org/join_smams.php, or call us at 617-825- 3846.

Thank you to all who supported SMAMS at the Ashmont Grill Grand Opening Celebration/SMAMS benefit on September 15. More than 200 people joined the festivities and sampled the Grill?s fare while listening to the live jazz of the T-Bone band. Rep. Marty Walsh also entertained as he auctioned off dinner with himself for four at the Grill, a tour of the White House with Congressman Steve Lynch, a walk with Mayor Menino, and a print of a Ted Kennedy painting.

Since SMAMS? inception in 1999, neighborhood residents had consistently expressed support for recruiting a high-quality, yet comfortable, restaurant. The Ashmont Grill meets both these expectations: the food is the best, and the Grill has already become a favorite neighborhood gathering place.

The rebirth of the Ashmont Grill marks a turning point in the economic life of the SMAMS district. With reconstruction due to begin shortly on the nearby Ashmont MBTA station, and with a major commercial/residential building planned for the front of the station, the face of Peabody Square will improve dramatically in the next few years. Thanks to Chris Douglass for being one of the first to recognize, and invest in, our neighborhood?s future.

Thanks also to Chris for being the main sponsor of this SMAMS fundraisers. And thank you to our other donors: Mayor Tom Menino; Senator Ted Kennedy; Congressman Steve Lynch; Rep. Marty Walsh; Burke Oil Co.; Celtic Monument Co.; The Computer Warehouse; Countrywide Home Loans; Designer Draperies; The Dorchester Reporter & Boston Irish Reporter; Icarus Restaurant; Oakwood Boston; Jeanne Osborne; Supreme Liquors; and Trinity Financial.

email: office@smams.org

phone: 617-825-3846

web: http://www.smams.org