Worcester Business Journal

24 Worcester Business Journal | Janurary 10, 2022 | wbjournal.com B E S T O F B U S I N E S S F O O D , D R I N K & M A R I J U A N A B ud's Goods & Provisions cannabis dispensary, based in Worcester, has in the last 15 months expanded from one employee to 60, said Founder and CEO Alex Mazin. He's hoping to have more than 100 people on the team by the end of next Bud's Goods seeks to win homecourt advantage BY MONICA BENEVIDES WBJ Senior Staff Writer year. "Finding good people is the No. 1 job," Mazin said. "It's the hardest but most important." is is part and parcel to Mazin's vision for the company, which has since expanded to include a location in Abington, with another on the way for Watertown, slated to open in the first half of 2022. Unlike many of its competitors, Bud's is locally owned and founded, and eschews much of the typical green- and-white or green-and-black branding on display at other dispensaries across Massachusetts, opting instead for what Mazin describes as an Americana feel. "Green was not allowed as a color palette," Mazin said. Instead, the red, white, and blue- decked-out shops aim to breathe a fresh, New England-oriented vibe into the state's still-young cannabis market, one which oen defines itself against its longer-running West Coast counterpart. At Bud's, that manifests in a few differ- ent ways, including the flagship store's location, stationed in what Mazin calls a commercial community environment. BEST MARIJUANA COMPANY Bud's Goods & Provisions Worcester https://budsgoods.com Additional locations: Abington & Watertown, opening in February Top executive: Founder & CEO Alex Mazin Founded: 2018 Employees: 57 Notable runners-up: Cultivate, Campfire Cannabis, Diem Cannabis Instead of tucked away in an industrial district as many other cannabis shops are, Bud's reaps the benefits of being near a pocketful of other every-day businesses, like a drugstore, a bank, and a coffee shop. He finds customers in Worcester stop by while in their normal routines, like aer filling up their gas tank or running into a corner store. is kind of community embedding is something Mazin strives for at Bud's. And it's not a goal that just fell from the sky, either. Having grown up with Worcester and graduated from Doherty Memorial High School in the city, he's intrinsically familiar with both his customer base and what it's like to live in the city, itself. is innate understanding is a driving force behind Mazin's business decisions. "If I can't win at home court advan- tage, then I'm not good enough," Mazin said. With his eyes set on opening the Watertown location and plans to expand wholesale operations, Mazin wants his business to be something his community can be proud of, and that's what he strives for: residents of the city of Worcester to be grateful they have a Bud's in town. BEST COFFEE SERVICE Good As Gold Coffee* Worcester, www.goodasgoldcoffeeservice.com Founded: 1969 The family-owned coffee company offers a variety of services for companies to bring coffee in their offices and breakrooms: by-the-pot brewing, single-cup pods, and nitro cold brew, among others. The com- pany operates custom-built air roasters to produce the most evenly and consistently roasted coffee beans. Notable runner-up: Acoustic Java n BEST LOCALLY OWNED PLACE TO MEET FOR COFFEE In House Coffee Worcester www.inhousecoffee.com Top executives: Owner John Aldarawcheh, General Manager Yulia Aldarawcheh, Manager Ashleigh Whitney, Manager Alessandra Campos Founded: 2008 In House prides itself on unwavering high standards for the top quality and freshness of its products, to ensure the best possible experience for every guest, matching each personal taste and desire. In 2019, In House Coffee opened a second location in Northborough, but it closed in Octo- ber 2021 due to staffing shortages, so In House could make the Worcester location its sole priority. Notable runners-up: Lost Shoe Brewing and Roasting Co., Bean Counter Bakery Cafe, BirchTree Bread Co. n BEST RESTAURANT FOR BUSINESS DINNER One Eleven Chop House* Worcester www.111chophouse.com Top executives: Founders Robb and Madeleine Ahlquist, President Caitlyn Carolan, Beverage Director Keith Carolan, and General Manager Aaron Francisco Founded: 1999 Employees: 77 One Eleven Chop House has long sought to be an independent family- owned restaurant rivaling the best steakhouses in the country, doing so by exceeding customers' expectations. In 2021, the restaurant's parent company, In House Coffee

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