vision & plans

Home.stead bakery & cafe occupies the corner storefront in Fields Corner’s historic Lenane Building at 1448 Dorchester Ave. We aim to provide a comfortable and inviting space for the Dorchester community to gather and to grow. Have a look at photos from our early days, fundraising party, and our opening week, taken by our wonderfully talented friend, photographer Janice Checchio.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Home.stead bakery & cafe is located steps from the Fields Corner T station, a bustling hub of activity. Fields Corner is an ethnically and social-economically diverse neighborhood of more than 18,000 households, nearly 53,000 residents, and home to over 130 store-fronts and a large multi-service health center.

With an abundance of seating and a welcoming, casual environment, home.stead customers feel comfortable and compelled to sit and stay, eating alongside their neighbors. Priority is placed on customer service with high expectations on staff to maintain a friendly and positive culture in addition to high quality beverage service and baked goods.

Home.stead plans to host regular social gatherings with displays of local art and performances by local musicians. Home.stead will be a true social destination for neighbors of all ages.

Economically, home.stead seeks to fill a small portion of the unmet demand for “Limited-Service Eating Places” in the area. According to a study commissioned by Fields Corner Main Street, a local non-profit funded by the City to promote neighborhood and business development, there is an unmet demand of approximately $17.49 million for this category.

In addition to providing high quality products and services, home.stead is committed to the following:

  • Hiring locally and providing an equitable wage rate.
  • Engaging neighbors to celebrate cultural diversity through food (baked goods, seasonal offerings, pop up dinners.)
  • Making space available to host activities and events that benefit the community.
  • Using a portion of the net income to engage and train interested local youth for café business operations.