Meet Your Neighbor: John Smolak

Meet Your Neighbor is a series that introduces you to North Andover community members. 

Today's featured community members is John Smolak. 

Patch: What's your occupation?

John: I am an attorney with the law firm of Smolak & Vaughan LLP based in North Andover. Both my partner, Brian Vaughan (another North Andover native), and I, formerly practiced law in Boston for a number of years before forming the law firm in 2004.  

Patch: How long have you lived in North Andover? 

John: I am a lifelong resident of North Andover, except for brief stints away during college, grad school and law school. I had practiced law in Boston for 15 years before establishing a practice in North Andover. I do not miss that Boston commute!  

Patch: What is your favorite part about living in North Andover? 

John: Both living and working in North Andover has allowed me to stay connected with many of my friends, a number of which I’ve known since attending . Although the Town has really grown over the years, it still has a small Town feel.  

Patch: What is your favorite location in North Andover? 

John: I’m a little partial to , but other than the farm, one of my favorite locations is the Town Common. What a great job the Town has done in restoring the Old Center Common over the past several years, and what a great vision that several families, including the French, Coolidge, Kittredge, Stevens, Rogers, and Osgood families had in revitalizing and expanding the Town Common starting in the late 1800's and beyond to allow it to become the scenic area it has become today.  

Most people don’t know that houses, a fire station (the Cochickewick Fire House which was moved and is now a part of the Cochickewick Freemasons Lodge next to the Brick Store Building) and even a gas station were located on the land that is currently the Old Center Common area, with the last house being moved off the Town Common in the 1950's.  

Patch: What is your favorite memory that took place in North Andover? 

John: There are many, but I always enjoyed the 4th of July events around the Old Center when I was a kid, including the carnivals at Drummond Field, the Old Center barbecue on the Common, and of course, the annual 4th of July Road Race. I wish they’d bring back the barbecue and the road race.

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Would you or someone you know like to be Patch's featured neighbor? If so, contact jay@jayoza.org.