Worcester Business Journal

6 Worcester Business Journal | November 12, 2018 | wbjournal.com Worcester foreign-born population Immigrants today don't make up as large of a segment of Worcester's population as they did a century ago, but the share has rebounded sharply since 1990. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Webster • Dudley • Oxford • Auburn • Worcester • Shrewsbury Learning the story behind each business and business owner he works with so he can help them achieve their financial goals. At Webster Five, your success is important to us. Whether you're a small start-up or a large corporation, we offer all the financial tools, resources and progressive services you need to succeed. Make an appointment and tell Rob what's important to you. Visit web5.com/Rob or call 508.438.4711. What's important to Rob? Rob Totaro, Business Lending Officer KHJ23479_WEB-374_BuisLender_4.3x5.5_Rob_Mech2.indd 1 3/31/17 11:38 AM have a restaurant?" Omar Sherzai re- called being asked. Although taking three decades to open a business is a little unusual, Worcester foreign-born residents typi- cally take their time when starting a new enterprise. WRRB surveyed 24 immi- grant-owned businesses and found half founded their businesses between four and 10 years aer arriving in America while most of the remainder took longer. Aer initially coming from Ireland, Culbert quickly got a job as a waitress while her husband, Robert – raised in Dublin, like her, and trained as a butcher – found jobs in Worcester at Fairway Beef and Shaw's. She was amazed at how easy it was to find not only one job but work was so plentiful that she could quickly have more than one. When Shaw's began laying off some meat-cutters, the couple knew it was time to make another leap. Next March will mark 15 years since they opened Emerald Meats. "We would have worked 24 hours a day if we had to," Culbert said. "It was not an option to fail." Of the restaurants and other food-service businesses in Worcester, 71 percent are run by foreign-born residents, according to WRRB. In the administrative and support services industry, immigrant business owners make up 78 percent of all landscaping firms. Natives of the Dominican Republic, Rosy and Marcos Reynoso have oper- ated Rosy's Beauty Salon for 20 years in the Main South neighborhood. ey opened the hair salon three years aer arriving in Worcester, choosing a small storefront in a stretch including a large Dominican population. Early last year, 0 50 100 150 200 Population numbers (In thousands) 48,492 51,047 33,786 17,258 15,072 35,304 39,921 145,926 195,311 203,486 176,617 169,759 181,810 185,677 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 2010 2017 Number of immigrants Total population they opened a second business, Rosy's Grocery on Lincoln Street, to add anoth- er source of revenue. "You always have to put yourself out there to get your goals," said Marcos Reynoso, speaking through a Spanish translator. Immigrant advantage Despite being 22 percent of the popu- lation, foreign-born residents account for 26 percent of the the $3.7 billion in earn- ings citywide, according to Seven Hills. "ey are the ones who take the risks," said Ramon Borges-Mendez, an associate professor of community development and planning at Clark University, who has studied immigration and the economy for nearly two decades. "ey're the ones who bring their fam- ilies and build these businesses through their own capital and their own sweat." Foreign-born and native-born Worcester residents have nearly identical median household incomes at $45,000 per year, according to the WRRB, but immigrants make up a higher share of total earnings because they have a higher labor-force participa- tion rate, which is as high as 88 percent for African immigrants and is 77 percent for Latin American immigrants. For native-born residents, the rate is 64 percent, according to Seven Hills. "Immigrants are a fundamental piece of reviving the cities," said Borges-Men- dez, especially in the state's older manu- facturing hubs like Worcester known as Gateway Cities. Having both foreign-born and native residents earn the same median house- "You always have to put yourself out there to get to your goals." Marcos Reynoso, co-owner of Rosy's Beauty Salon and Rosy's Grocery PHOTO/EDD COTE Robert and Joan Culbert both grew up in Dublin but didn't foresee much economic opportunity there. Continued from previous page

• Cover