An old-fashioned looking triangle of busy streets, Roslindale Village hums with restaurants, shops, clothing boutiques, bakeries, specialty grocery stores, and a small green park. Located south of downtown, beyond Jamaica Plain, Roslindale is off the beaten track and not easy to find without a degree in Boston driving. There’s a rail station but no subway stop, leading some to say that Rozy, as it’s affectionately called, is one of Boston’s lesser-known neighborhoods. However, residents and business owners prefer to think of it as Boston’s best-kept secret.
Finders, keepers
What a mixed bag: urban, hip, old, new, neighborly, and all in plain sight
“Roslindale is a hidden gem,’’ said Jane Connelly, owner of Village Books on South Street. “People don’t usually come out this far, but there are plenty of wonderful people here.’’
On a recent morning, the sun streamed through the windows where Connelly and her sister, Lorie Spencer, set up shop nine years ago. It’s tiny, as bookstores go, but they manage to offer new books of all genres for adults and children in about 900 square feet of space.
“We’re small but we pack a big punch,’’ said Connelly.
Across the street, Bob Khouzami opened Bob’s Pita Bakery in 1991 in a space that was formerly Droubi Brothers Bakery. The sign above the market lists both names, and walking inside feels like stepping back in time to 1970 when it first opened. It’s less a bakery than a Mediterranean-food specialty store with offerings such as pomegranate molasses, gulabi tea, tahini, brick-sized bags of sesame seeds, kefir, halloumi and Bulgarian sheep’s milk feta, fillo, honey, 16-inch rounds of pita bread, and wood crates piled high with affordably-priced fresh fruits and vegetables.
Nearby, Birch Street House and Garden is approaching its 10th anniversary. Elizabeth Swanson worked for years at this eclectic gift shop before taking over the business in 2008. A Roslindale resident, she admits to having “a great commute’’ and being a fan of the town.
“I love Roslindale,’’ said Swanson. “Everyone here is committed to shopping locally and eating locally.’’
Her shop is spacious, bright, and airy with oriental carpets scattered across the painted cement floor. It takes a while to fully peruse the walls, glass shelves, and wood tabletops stocked with candles, incense, pottery, kitchen towels, woven scarves, baskets, cards, toys, accent furniture, locally-made jewelry and paintings, and fair-trade objects from Africa, India, and Guatemala.
“The products are always changing,’’ said Swanson. “We try and make gift shopping very easy here.’’
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