Worcester Business Journal

Varied senior housing options on the rise 9 Community-style settings have great appeal. WBJ >> To Subscribe Central Massachusetts' Source for Business News September 28, 2015 Volume 26 Number 21 www.wbjournal.com $2.00 FOCUS Manufacturing How Littleton's Mevion is funding growth in China 12 Q&A with Don Bates, President, D.C. Bates Equipment Co., Hopedale Shop Talk 8 Tempers flare over Hopkinton CVS O n the face of it, the arrival of a CVS store in a local town might not sound like a big deal. But in Hopkinton, the planned opening of a branch of the chain pharmacy has touched off a per- fect storm of worries about the fate of small busi- nesses and small-town life. Earlier this year, much-loved local grocery store Colella's Supermarket, located at the center of town, closed down. Waltham-based developer Crosspoint Associates Inc. bought the property, and, after failed attempts to entice another food store to the location, signed a 20-year lease with CVS. Opposition to the corporate newcomer has been intense, with dozens of locals speaking out against the project at public meetings and picketing the site with signs. According to the opposition group No CVS in Hopkinton, 2,800 people have signed a peti- tion opposing the store. "This is probably the largest change that's occurred in the center of town, literally, in decades," said Benjamin Palleiko, chairman of the Hopkinton Board of Selectmen. "It's very visible to people, and it's been Some worry about corporate presence in quaint downtown BY LIVIA GERSHON Special to the Worcester Business Journal Some residents would like to see another small grocer replace longtime local supermarket Colella's but the owner of the building says the influx of large grocery stores around Hopkinton has dampened prospects. G O O G L E M A P S Airbnb fills the hotel void in Worcester This has pushed business clients to towns surrounding Worcester during major events at the DCU Center that overload local hotels, according to DCU Center General Manager Sandy Dunn. As Airbnb and similar services expand their reach into the business community, these alternative loca- tions pose competition for hotels and options for business travelers that didn't exist five years ago. The Internet-based Airbnb allows people to rent out rooms, apartments or whole homes. While timeshares have done this for years in vacation destinations, Airbnb is credited with bringing the model to cities and allowing private rentals to compete against hotels in an urban environ- ment. The slick Internet interface O pen a map of Worcester on Airbnb, and a peppering of locations pops up throughout the city with a vast price range and style. Want a small room in an apartment in Main South? Dig $30 out of your pocket. Want a little more comfort and space for your stay? An entire condomini- um near UMass Memorial Medical Center will set you back $69 a night. These options are in addition to, and in competition with, the city's five hotels with their 745 rooms, a number far below that of other cities of a comparable size. BY SAM BONACCI Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer Airbnb locations are spread throughout Worcester and contrasted by the city 's hotel locations that are more centrally located. >> Continued on Page 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Holiday Inn Express 110 Summer St. Hilton Garden Inn 35 Major taylor Blvd. Courtyard Worcester 72 Grove St. Beechwood Hotel 365 Plantation St. Residence Inn Worcester 503 Planatation St. Suburban Extended Stay Hotel 50 Oriol Dr. Quality Inn & Suites 50 Oriol Dr. 4 6 5 7 1 2 3 >> Continued on Page 11 P H O T O / M A T T V O L P I N I

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