Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | July 27, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 11 provides free, one-on-one technical assistance to entrepreneurs, guiding them through writing a business plan, securing financing, and filing paper- work with city hall. Replicating Fitchburg's efforts in Athol Fitchburg's downtown revival is not happening by accident, and Tavitian believes it can be replicated. "We're really confident that we can recreate that same revitalization in Athol," she said. e secret sauce in Fitchburg is a collaboration between organizations like NewVue, the City of Fitchburg, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, and Fitch- burg State University, said Tavitian. e goal is to build that same web of support in Athol, a smaller communi- ty with its own challenges, including layoffs tied to the public equity take- over of longtime Athol tool manufac- turer L. S. Starrett Co., said Michael Lundquist, executive director of the Polus Center for Social & Economic Development in Athol. NewVue's vehicle for revitalization in Athol is a program called Remak- ing Main Street, a collaboration with Athol Credit Union and Polus. e cornerstone of the effort is a sev- en-week small business development class, at the end of which participants present their completed business plans at a small business showcase, said Sa- mantha Beauvais, HR and marketing coordinator at Athol Credit Union. "People will come out with a busi- ness plan, and then this business plan will be presented at our small business showcase in November," she said. "Lo- cal judges will pick out the best pre- sentation, and they'll win some capital to help get their business going." Lundquist said Polus plans to apply lessons from its international commu- nity development work in Athol. "e biggest detriment to enhancing local development is lack of imagina- tion," Lundquist said. "Everyone says, 'Well, there's not enough money for this, not enough money for that.' ey haven't used their creative thinking to really think about what makes sense here." e coalition has raised $15,000 from private-sector partners for the showcase prize fund. "I grew up here in Athol," Lundquist said. "ursdays and Friday nights, you could barely walk down the street. ere were so many people, and it was a very vibrant community. We have that as a historical perspective that we can strive for." Powering the next generation of entrepreneurs. Member FDIC | Member DIF Leading financial solutions. Local experts. Explore Commercial & Business Banking with Webster Five. $12 $14 $16 $18 $20 $22 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Worcester Fitchburg/Leominster Lower retail rents in North Central The average retail rent per square foot in the Fitchburg/Leominster submarket is about 77% of that in Worcester in 2026. Source: CoStar W

• Cover