Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | April 29, 2024 | Worcester Business Journal 35 F O O D , D R I N K & M A R I J U A N A P O W E R 1 0 0 Danielle Spring and Julie Toupin-Spring Owners Femme, in Worcester Employees: 19 Residence: Worcester College: Denison University (Spring) e lesbian bar of old may be something of a relic, but it's one worth resurrecting. Spring and Toupin-Spring opened Femme in Worcester's Canal District a year ago in March 2023. At the time, 21 lesbian bars were operating in the U.S., according to the Lesbian Bar Project, a short film and national fundraising effort. e couple had visited a lesbian bar in New York City that instantly felt like home, and they wanted to make it a reality in their home city of Worcester. Spring and Toupin-Spring's Femme is now one of about 30 lesbian bars in the U.S. and the only one in New England, according to the Lesbian Bar Project. "We took a major risk to open an inclusive space for people who are oen overlooked," they said. Although it is a lesbian bar, Femme is open to everyone and seeks to be a safe space at a time when the LGBTQ+ community is increasingly under fire locally and nationally. e couple only asks patrons to bring positive vibes. With so fluorescent pink lighting against moody, dark-paneled walls and serving signature cocktails such as Midnight Love and For the Girls, one could imagine women of any persuasion enjoying Femme, which is what Spring and Spring-Toupin envisioned. Being the premier lesbian bar in New England has earned Femme ink in national publications. In April, Femme won the Innovative Business Award from Safe Homes, a program from Worcester behavioral health nonprofit Open Sky Community Services designed to support LGBTQ+ youth. e duo keep Femme lively and welcoming with events almost every day of the week, including with live music, comedy shows, brunches for all ages, and Taylor Swi trivia. - E.M. Jason Reposa Founder & CEO Good Feels, in Medway Employees: 10 Residence: Medway College: Worcester Polytechnic Institute Aer spending 20+ years in the technology space, Reposa was desperate for some stress relief. Cannabis had been legalized in Massachusetts, but the stigma around the plant didn't magically go away overnight, so Reposa was seeking a product he could consume in a way that was more discreet than smoking. So he got to work in developing his own line of cannabis-infused seltzers, launching the Good Feels brand in 2022. Reposa's innovation stands out in the increasingly competitive and financially strained Massachusetts cannabis industry, where he is one of the few actively working to help other entrepreneurs succeed in the space. Good Feels wasn't the first cannabis-infused beverage to hit the market, but a combination of smart marketing, improvements in cannabis infusion technology, and the brand's distinctive stubby glass bottles helped make it an overnight suc- cess. Good Feel products are now available from Provincetown to Pittsfield and is one of the few widely available cannabis drink products in the state not owned by a large, multi-state cannabis company. e cannabis industry is a highly competitive space, which can encourage industry players to hold their cards close to their vest. Instead, Reposa has been a bit of an open book in regards to how he operates his business, using his large LinkedIn audience to share insights into his operations, warts and all. Despite his packed schedule, Reposa takes the time to provide advice and mentorship to bud- ding entrepreneurs in the space, serving as a beacon of positivity for the cannabis community. Since its launch, the company has expanded beyond its original signature line of infused seltzers. Good Feels' latest innovation is the company's Good Vibes tincture, a fast-acting, high-potency product able to turn any beverage into a cannabis-infused treat. - E.C. Vincent Hemmeter President & owner Ralph's Rock Diner and Vincent's Bar Employees: 32 Residence: Worcester Hemmeter is part of the vanguard of the informal movement to keep Worcester weird. As the owner of two of the more well-known and eccentric establishments in the city, Hemmeter plays a critical role in Worcester's cultural landscape, providing a venue for live music, comedy, drag shows, and whatever else local creatives can come up with. Both venues walls are lined with neon, murals, and other assorted oddities, offering an alternative to more-buttoned up, modern venues popping up in the city. Vincent's has been operating since 1997, offering locals the quintessential dive bar experience (and some tasty meatball sandwiches as well). e venue famously avoids unexpectedly closing for any reason, becoming a place of refuge during winter storms or whatever other calamities are happening. With musical acts playing on a nightly basis, it's one of the more reliable venues for entertainment in the city, featuring affordable brews and a crowd that is anything but boring. Before he opened Vincent's, Hemmeter was an employee at Ralph's Rock Diner. After owners Carol and Ralph Morberly left the business, he took it over, helping cement the venue as a premier and highly interesting destination venues for live entertainment. More than just a diner, the eccentric locale even served as a filming location for "We Don't Belong Here", a 2015 drama featuring "Saturday Night Live" alumnae Molly Shannon and Maya Rudolph. When asked what makes him one of Central Massachusetts' most influential professionals, Hemmeter kept it simple. "I suppose if you do the same thing for almost 40 years, people take notice," he said, "or maybe it's the meatballs." - E.C. Sam Hendler Co-founder & CEO Jack's Abby Craft Lagers, in Framingham Employees: 120 Residence: Framingham College: University of Vermont Hendler sees his influence in the Central Massachusetts business community as providing a critical component of any well-lived life: fun. At Jack's Abby, Hendler is at the helm of the largest cra brewery in Central Mass. e brewery produced 52,000 barrels of beer in 2022. at equates to 1.61 million gallons, enough to fill nearly two and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools. Jack's Abby produces more than 50 types of beers, ranging from familiar staples like Post Shi, a bavarian-style pilsner, to Citrus Got Real, a paloma- inspired lager and a Jack's Abby beer hall exclusive. e cra brewing industry is a tight-knit community, where successful brewers will help out up-and-comers who are just learning the cra and the business. Under Hendler, Jack's Abby employees have held leadership positions at the Mass. Brewers Guild, including Hendler himself, who has served as MBG president. In 2022, he won the F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award from the national Brewers Association, largely for his efforts on Beacon Hill to convince lawmakers to change the franchise law that le brewers at the mercy of distributors. Cra breweries were hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, and Jack's Abby was no exception, as the revenue from its beer hall played an important role in the business' financial picture. Realizing the business had to adapt to changing times, Hendler led the charge in expanding the brewery to contract brewing for other businesses, allowing Jack's Abby to maximize the use of the brewery and add an additional source of revenue to the business. e brewery has a collaboration with the Boston Celtics to create a basketball- influenced brew called Banner City, another key step in helping Jack's Abby rebound from the pandemic. - E.C.

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