Worcester Business Journal

B R I E F S Holy Cross took smart approach The College of the Holy Cross Board of Trustees voted on Feb. 3 to keep the school's Crusader name after almost a year of discussion, but the school's newspaper decided to change its name to "The Spire." When polled online, the majority of WBJ readers said their business would take a methodical approach like Holy Cross if confronted with a similar situation. F L A S H P O L L Century-old mills coming down in Worcester Two mill buildings more than a cen- tury old are being demolished on Southbridge Street in Worcester to help make way for new development. Demolition began in February of 1023 Southbridge St., a two-story, 15,000-square-foot building at the cor- ner of Hope Avenue. Next slated for demolition is adjacent 1025 Southbridge St., a larger nearly 50,000-square-foot, three-story building. John Marshall, the founder and manager of the property owner, Partners LLC of Virginia, said his firm looked at all options for the site before determining that reusing the existing buildings would not be feasible. Sentinel & Enterprise's firm wins $12M Herald auction Digital First Media, the Denver-based owners of the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise, won the auction for owner- ship of the Boston Herald with an $11.9-million bid in a lengthy bankrupt- cy proceeding on Feb. 13. The company outbid two other bid- ders, Revolution Capital and GateHouse Media, the latter of which owns the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and MetroWest Daily News. Digital First's winning bid comes shortly after it laid off a longtime Sentinel & Enterprise edi- tor and closed that paper's Fitchburg offices. The paper is now overseen by its sister paper, the Lowell Sun, and the newsroom staff works remotely. WinnCompanies begins $11.2M Worcester rehab Boston residential developer WinnCompanies has started the $11.2-million renovation of the Wellington Community, a historic 180- unit housing development for elderly and low-income residents in Worcester. The project includes upgrading the interior and exterior of 11 buildings, 10 of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. LakePharma buys $4.5M Hopkinton facility The California bioscience company once considered to be the anchor of a Worcester biomanufacturing campus is planning to open a new facility in a 69,000-square-foot Hopkinton building. The property, at 35 South St., will be a microbiomanufacturing center, where the company will conduct phase 1 clini- cal trials. The firm purchased it from Michigan property managers Midway Corp. for just over $4.5 million. Noodle bar opens in Worcester's Grid District The latest restaurant opened Feb. 12 at Worcester's Grid District. Stix Noodle Bar joins Brew on the Grid in the Grid District development on the south edge of Worcester Common. An indoor and outdoor beer hall called Brew Garden is set to open this spring next door to Stix, at the for- mer Paris Cinema site. Just across Portland Street, Revolution Pie + Pint and Craft Table & Bar are expected to open this spring as part of a comedy club called Woohaha. Techni Mediterranean Grill, on Portland Street, closed last month but is slated to reopen soon as The Missing Link. Biostage's first human throat implant successful Biostage, a Holliston-based biotech specializing in regenerative medicine to treat throat diseases, announced Feb. 13 its first esophageal implant resulted in a regenerated esophageal tube. The patient, a 75-year-old man, died due to a stroke, but the company's implant was proven to be effective. The man's stroke was unrelated to the implant, according to Biostage, citing the man's surgeon. Worcester claims pot club misled city officials Worcester officials say they were not aware a private club that opened on Feb. 9 on Water Street would allow the smoking of cannabis within its doors. In a statement City Manager Edward Augustus said the operators of the Summit Lounge did not disclose its true intent to allow members to consume cannabis products. General Manager Kyle Moon said the club told the city that anything legal to smoke in Massachusetts would be smoked in the club. "We're open to field any concerns that the city or community would have," he said. Would your company consider changing its name or brand if it had a connection to an undesirable event or ideology? COMMENTS: Stix Noodle Bar in Downtown Worcester W T H E T I C K E R 370% First-quarter profit increase of Marlborough medical device maker Hologic, largely due to Republican- backed federal tax law changes Source: Hologic Solar panels on the roof of the Hyde Industrial Blade Solutions building in Southbridge after a second installation of 784 solar panels 1,646 Source: Hyde Industrial Blade Solutions $34 million Source: Protonex Revenues for Southborough power management device maker Protonex from sales of its Squad Power Manager Special Operations Kits to the U.S. Military Sale amount of a Westborough building housing a Not Your Average Joe's Restaurant and Indian restaurant Dharani. $3.1 million Source: Kelleher & Sadowsky 10% Yes. Businesses have to be mindful of the changing times. Our profit margins are already razor thin and we would be forced to lay off employees. 38% We would take our time and do our due diligence to decide if a change is necessary, like Holy Cross did. 52% "For corporations and businesses, name recognition and branding is vital. There are many events that could happen that may affect it." "Anti-Muslim and anti- immigrant sentiments are so widespread that we should take care to be respectful and charitable." "Very tired of the perpetually offended. Get a grip folks." wbjournal.com | February 19, 2018 | Worcester Business Journal 5

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