MART is canceling our lease early. We’re asking the community to stand with Fuzzy’s Café. Add your name →
Fuzzy's Café — Oh So Good
Local, woman-owned, commuter-loved

Help Keep Fuzzy’s Café Alive Inside the MART Transit Center

Hours: Monday–Friday, 6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. • Pickup or delivery available

For years we’ve opened before sunrise to feed riders, drivers, and early-shift workers. Now MART is cancelling the rest of our lease over a technicality — after we pushed them to address unsafe, unsanitary conditions in the shared facility. We’re fighting it, and we need the community behind us.

✍️ Sign the Petition ❤️ Support the Survival Fund

Your name shows that riders deserve real food and a clean, dignified station. Your donation helps us survive if we’re forced out.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT
500+
Riders served weekly
Local
Woman-owned
Real Food
Not vending machine snacks

We’re here because everyone deserves something warm and good before work.

Fuzzy’s Café was built inside the MART transit center to take care of people who don’t always get taken care of — bus riders, train riders, first shift, third shift, folks who keep the city moving.

We serve breakfast sandwiches, fresh coffee, and hot meals made by an actual human, not a vending contract. For a lot of commuters, this is the only real food option in the building before most places are even awake.

That “actual human” is a 65-year-old grandmother who was born and raised in Fitchburg and has spent her whole life here and in Leominster. She’s in the building before sunrise, cooking, so the door can open at 6 a.m., and staying on her feet until 3 p.m. to make sure riders, MART staff, seniors, and students get something warm and decent instead of going hungry.

After we pushed for basic cleanliness and safer shared conditions in the station, we were told our lease would be ended early, even though time is still left. That’s why we’re asking for public support: to stay open for the people who rely on us, and to make sure this space is treated like people actually use it — because they do.

Add your name to protect Fuzzy’s →
Mary Jean, owner of Fuzzy’s Café at the Fitchburg MART station.

A Note from the Owner

“All I’ve ever wanted is to feed people, keep this terminal welcoming, and give riders a decent start to their day. I’m not asking for special treatment. I just don’t want to be pushed out quietly.”
— Mary Jean, Owner, Fuzzy’s Café
We have repeatedly asked MART to address the overall building cleanliness for the safety and dignity of riders. Instead, we were told our lease would be cancelled early over a paperwork technicality from last year.

What’s happening with MART and our lease

Last updated: November 3, 2025

In 30 seconds

  • What happened: MART told Fuzzy’s Café our 5-year lease will end early, even though time remains.
  • Their stated reason: Article III requires a written renewal notice within 90 days after each lease-year ends. They say no written notice was on file last year.
  • Our view: After repeatedly asking for clean, safe, and maintained shared rider areas, this strict enforcement now appears retaliatory. In prior years, MART accepted a verbal “yes, we’re staying,” and we gave the same verbal confirmation to a MART inspector in September 2025.
  • What we’re asking: Let us complete the remaining term and keep shared rider areas clean and safe for commuters and staff.

This reflects our direct experience and understanding as of the date below.

Last updated: November 3, 2025

MART’s Stated Reason
“Per Article III of the lease agreement, tenant must provide written notice within 90 days of the end of the lease year.”

Received: Oct 13, 2025 • Personal Info Redacted

In prior years, a verbal “yes, we’re staying” was accepted; we gave the same verbal confirmation to a MART inspector in September 2025.

Our response

We believe the early termination follows our repeated requests for consistent janitorial coverage so riders have clean, safe shared areas. We understand Article III calls for written renewal; however, prior practice was verbal acceptance, and we gave the same verbal confirmation to a MART inspector in September 2025.

We’re asking MART to honor the remaining lease term and maintain the station’s shared spaces. If written notice is the preferred standard going forward, we’re ready to provide it immediately.

To MART employees: we appreciate the people who keep buses running, answering the phones, and assisting MART Riders. Several MART workers have told us they support the café staying. Our concern is with the early-termination decision and building maintenance policy — not frontline staff.

Timeline at a glance

  1. Prior years
    Verbal renewal (“we’re staying”) accepted by MART.
  2. Sept 2025
    Verbal confirmation given again to a MART inspector.
  3. Oct 2025
    Notice to end lease early citing Article III (90-day written notice).
  4. Nov 2025
    Community petition & survival fund launched.
Add your name to support us → Help our relocation fund → See station photos →

Documents & Evidence

We’re publishing PDFs so supporters, press, and officials can review the record. These open inline—no leaving the site.

Please treat these documents responsibly. Do not harass individuals mentioned. Use official channels only.

Emails Unredacted

Email correspondence with MART (Sept–Nov 2025)

Updated: Dec 11, 2025 • PDF

Thread excerpts including cleanliness requests, follow-ups, and the Article III notice discussion.

Download
Press release For media

Updated press release — Fuzzy’s Café asks to complete lease term

Dated: Dec 11, 2025 • PDF

One-page statement summarizing timeline, MART’s stated reason (Article III), and our requested remedy. Includes media contact.

Download

Media: originals/verification available on request via our Press page. Please quote responsibly; do not list personal phone numbers or emails.

Conditions Riders Are Seeing

We’ve repeatedly asked MART to maintain the shared station areas where riders wait, sit, and eat. These images were taken inside the Fitchburg MART transit center and show what commuters, seniors, students, and MART staff are dealing with early in the morning.

These photos come directly from the café owner and regular riders. Quality varies — most are quick phone shots taken before sunrise while opening at 6 a.m.

The purpose of sharing this is simple: riders deserve clean, safe public space.

Last updated: November 2, 2025

Our position is simple: commuters, seniors, students, MART workers, and anyone grabbing food at 6 a.m. deserve a station that’s safe and cared for. Asking for that should not cost someone their livelihood.

Sign the Petition to Keep Fuzzy’s Café

New petition — launched this week

Tell MART and local leadership that riders deserve real food, dignity, and a clean transit center — not an empty space.

We’re asking MART to reverse its plan to cancel our lease early and to work with us, not against us, after we raised concerns about unsanitary shared conditions in the facility.

Help us reach 100 signatures
Be a founding signer — your name matters most at the start.
✍️ Add Your Name on Change.org

The petition is hosted on Change.org for transparency and safety. You’ll be able to add your name publicly in under 30 seconds.

We do not control Change.org emails or fundraising popups. You can opt out after you sign.

Why your name matters
This café is the only real food option for early bus and train riders. It opens before sunrise and serves people who are on their way to work, school, medical appointments, and night shifts.
MART has told us they plan to cancel our lease early over a technicality — after we raised repeated concerns about unsanitary shared conditions in the transit center. We believe riders deserve better, not less.
Commuters
People waiting for buses, trains, or even a taxi with no other hot food.
MART Staff
Drivers and workers who eat here before/after shifts.
Local Small Business
A woman-run, independent café — not a chain.
Adding your name tells MART and local leadership this café matters to real people, not just numbers on paper. That pressure matters.

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Press / Media Information

Fuzzy’s Café is a small, woman-run breakfast and coffee counter inside the MART transit center in Fitchburg, MA. The café is operated by a 65-year-old grandmother who was born and raised in Fitchburg and has lived her entire life in Fitchburg and Leominster. She wakes up at 4 a.m. to open by 6 a.m. every weekday and serves bus riders, train riders, MART employees, seniors, students, and night-shift workers until 3 p.m.

After repeated requests for cleaner and safer shared conditions in the station, the café was told its lease would be ended early — even though time is still left on that lease. If forced out, commuters lose their only real early-morning hot food option in the building, and the owner loses her only income.

What we’re asking for
  • Allow Fuzzy’s Café to continue operating for the remaining term of the lease.
  • Maintain clean, safe shared areas in the transit center for riders, seniors, and MART staff.
Key Facts
  • Open inside the MART station in Fitchburg, MA, 6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Monday–Friday.
  • Run by a 65-year-old grandmother; no staff, no franchise backing.
  • Only real early-morning hot food / coffee option for many riders and MART workers.
  • Owner asked MART to address unsanitary shared areas for public safety and dignity.
  • Was then told the lease would end early, despite years remaining.
  • Community petition and relocation/survival fund are now active.
Media / press contact
Mary Jean (Owner)
Images available for publication on request.

The information on this page reflects our direct experience and understanding as of the most recent update.

View Petition → Support the Survival Fund →