Over the past year, many people fled expensive urban areas and flocked to quieter and sometimes more affordable ones like Plymouth across Massachusetts, according to a WBUR analysis of change of address forms filed with the U.S. Postal Service.
Higher wages, bonuses and retirement benefits are some examples of new incentives at restaurants and other businesses hoping to lure workers back.
As travelers and seasonal residents arrive, WBUR’S Magdiela Matta reports businesses are having a hard time hiring staff to serve them.
Workers across Massachusetts have both hopes and concerns about the decision to lift most restrictions on businesses on May 29.
The report found entrepreneurs of color in the state already had an unmet financial need of roughly half a billion dollars a year. And even some of the most successful entrepreneurs of color have faced persistent funding challenges.
The Worcester Red Sox — nicknamed the WooSox — christened their new stadium Tuesday after the city lured the team from Pawtucket, R.I. with millions of dollars in aid building a new stadium.
For a closer look at the market, WBUR's Deborah Becker was joined by Steve Medeiros, president of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors.
To learn more about how Massachusetts pubs and restaurants are faring one year into the pandemic, WBUR's Morning Edition host Bob Oakes spoke with Seana Gaherin, co-owner of Dunn-Gaherin Food & Spirits in Newton.
Nearly a year since the state issued pandemic restrictions on businesses, many of the major attractions in the hard-hit tourism industry remain closed or are struggling to draw patrons.
Boston's Chinatown -- like other Chinatowns across the country --- has been racked by a constellation of economic slowdown and ramped up racism and xenophobia. And for the first time anyone can remember, no one’s expecting to see parading troupes of dancing dragons and lions ringing in the new year.
New small business entrepreneurs in Fitchburg say they are positioning themselves to capitalize on the return to normalcy after the pandemic.
"Everybody talks about the light at the end of the tunnel, but we don't know when the light is going to click on — or if it's ever going to click on," says Jayme Valdez, co-owner of The Kitchen Cafe, one of thousands of Massachusetts restaurants that have closed during the pandemic.
President of the Federal Reserve of Boston Eric Rosengren joined WBUR's Morning Edition host Bob Oakes to talk about the economic outlook.
The new year raises the Massachusetts minimum wage by 75 cents to $13.50 an hour. This is the third consecutive year the wage floor has increased on its way to $15 an hour. And with the pandemic raging on, the stakes are higher than usual for both workers and employers.
A former Boston hotel worker laid off back in March when the government began to shut businesses down struggles as bills pile up and any relief from the federal government remains uncertain.
The approved service cuts are not as drastic as what was originally proposed in November and are part of the MBTA's efforts to close an estimated budget gap of up to $584 million for fiscal year 2022, which starts July 1, 2021.
Vacancy rates are rising in many retail spaces and office buildings. If that continues, some economists warn the effects could ripple through the economy.
During a busy week for travel and a worsening coronavirus outbreak, Mario Seide of Everett says, "I have no choice but to work."
Many Cape Cod businesses have taken a hit during the pandemic, as travel and tourism have declined. Some are finding creative ways to stay open.
"This is the most competitive I’ve seen the market during my time in the industry," says the head of the state realtors' association.