Business Matters: Central Mass. by the Numbers
544
The planned location for the Shaking Crab, a Newton-based restaurant chain, is facing issues with installing ventilation that have delayed construction on the site. The chain is considering a restaurant at 544 Main St. If completed, the storefront would be across Main Street from The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. The Shaking Crab bills itself as a Cajun seafood restaurant, its trademark being sauces, spices and fish mixed in a bag before serving. The chain has about 24 locations. The building where the chain wants to host its Worcester location is owned by the Menkiti Group.
11
Christmas Tree Shops, with a store in Shrewsbury among its 83 locations, is reportedly preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The retailer has hired the Boston law fire Murphy & King to prepare for a filing, according to the Wall Street Journal. The company is headquartered in Middleborough. In 2003, Bed Bath & Beyond, which itself filed for bankruptcy protection on April 23, bought Christmas Tree Shops for $200 million and expanded the regional retailer. Bed Bath & Beyond then sold Christmas Tree Shops to Handhil Holdings LLC, a private company, in November 2020.
622
Two customers at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen location at 622 Park Ave. became agitated and vandalized the inside of the restaurant recently because the restaurant was out of an item they ordered. Witnesses told police that the men were in line at the drive-thru and were told a food item they asked for was not available. The men responded by threatening the clerk and entering the restaurant. Witnesses said the men became angry over missing jalapeños in their order. The men began throwing food at the employees and began damaging equipment including a computer, register, a TV and a printer. The incident is still under investigation.
116
A one-year extension was granted on zoning variances for a project to demolish the current Blaire House nursing home at 116 Houghton St. in order to build a new nursing facility with 87 beds. The project encompasses Blaire House as well as several single-family homes at 112, 114, 120 and 120 ½ Houghton St. and a three-family dwelling at 1 Nuttall Lane. Attorney Donald O'Neill, who represented the applicants the extension is needed because there is a necessary approval process for the budgeting of the project that needs to be approved by the state Department of Public Health, which restricts construction.
290
Gather Provisions in Northborough is a new casual café and catering business by Erin Anderson, a local chef whose menus focus on artisanal and seasonal food. Anderson took over space formerly occupied by Paired, Poured & Plated, 290 West Main St., owned and operated by Jean F. Killeen and husband David A. Tiberii since 2017. She grew up in Northborough, daughter of Tom and Kathy Forrest, and previously was a personal chef who ran a Lancaster business that catered special occasion dinner parties and featured ready-to-go picnic boxes. Anderson and her husband, Chris, live in Lancaster.