Press release from the Zullo Gallery –
Signed, sealed, delivered:
Zullo Secures Main St. Home
After decades of “some day” hoping to purchase the 454-456A Main St. building, that day finally
arrived. On June 24, the Zullo Gallery-Center for the Arts officially secured its permanent home
for the arts in downtown Medfield with the sale closing, and Zullo Executive Director Bill Pope
proudly receiving the deed.
Pope noted the entire journey to purchase the building was complicated, challenging, and even
tense at times, but that made it all the more gratifying when everything fell into place at the
closing.
“First and foremost, we couldn’t have done this without Tom and Lisa Nightingale giving us the
opportunity in February to purchase the building from them, and continue our work at the Zullo,”
said Pope. “From there, our biggest tasks included raising more than $600,000, forming two
different legal entities, and getting bank approval for financing.”
Pope noted that in addition to the Nightingales, more than 35 individuals stepped up with
donations or other types of funding that helped to make the building purchase possible.
Needham Bank also played a critical role in providing financing, with many questions posed and
documents required in the final hours before the sale, but with all details falling into place by
June 24.
In addition to the Zullo Gallery on the second floor of the building, Zullo Gallery Realty LLC now
owns the first-floor space rented by Casabella Pizza, Medfield Barbershop and Absi Jewelers.
The second legal entity created as part of the building purchase governs investor financing.
After the dust settles, Pope plans to pick a date for a celebration of this new chapter of the Zullo
Gallery. In the meantime, a new nine-person board is in the process of being confirmed (with a
few seats still available), and the Zullo team is working with a consultant on a strategic visioning
project funded by a $10,000 Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund grant. Community members
interested in learning more about Zullo board opportunities are encouraged to contact Pope at
wpope1@mac.com. Pope notes that having board members with legal and/or property
management expertise would be especially helpful.
For nearly four decades, the Zullo Gallery has fulfilled its mission to advance and support the
arts through exhibitions, art education, live music and community events. Donations will be
critical for supporting future programming, and can be made online at zullogallery.org/make-adonation/ or mailed to/dropped off at Zullo Gallery, 456A Main St., Medfield, MA 02052.
“In addition to the Town House, library and Historical Society, there is now – as there should be —
a permanent home for the arts in the heart of downtown Medfield. We can’t thank the
community enough for helping to make this Zullo Gallery dream a reality,” said Pope
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