In the heart of North Central Massachusetts, nestled in the picturesque landscape of Wachusett Mountain State Park, stands Mountainside Bakery & Café, a one-of-a-kind venue that has become a cherished destination for locals and visitors alike. Since its opening in January 2015, this charming, historic manor home has evolved into a hub for unique events, providing a perfect blend of exceptional food, beautiful surroundings, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Whether hosting a corporate retreat, a wedding, or an intimate gathering, Mountainside offers an experience that is unparalleled in the region.

According to owner/operator Katherine Huck, Mountainside Bakery & Café was born from a passion for hospitality and a desire to offer something truly special to the North Central Massachusetts community. The venue offers full catering and bar services for private events, catering, and corporate meetings, with a focus on providing a personalized experience for each guest. Located in a beautifully restored historic manor home, the space exudes charm and character, offering an elegant yet relaxed setting for a variety of gatherings.

As a family-oriented business, the team at Mountainside is committed to delivering high-quality service and food that exceeds expectations. From from-scratch baked goods to carefully crafted cocktails and expertly brewed coffee, every detail is thoughtfully curated. The emphasis on quality ingredients and impeccable preparation ensures that guests leave with not only fond memories but a genuine appreciation for the care that goes into each dish and drink.

What makes Mountainside stand out is the venue’s ability to tailor each event to the unique needs of the host and their guests. Whether it’s a corporate meeting that requires a professional, yet inviting environment, or a wedding celebration that demands beauty and elegance, Mountainside works closely with clients to design custom events that reflect their vision. The versatility of the venue, coupled with a team that is dedicated to providing a seamless and memorable experience, makes it an ideal location for any occasion.

While the food, drinks, and services are undoubtedly exceptional, the location of Mountainside is what truly sets it apart. Surrounded by the breathtaking natural beauty of Wachusett Mountain State Park, the venue offers an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, making it the perfect backdrop for events of all kinds. According to Ms. Huck, guests can take in the stunning views of the mountain, enjoy the serenity of the surrounding woods, and experience the restorative power of nature – all while savoring delicious food and drinks in an unforgettable setting.

In addition to its natural beauty, Mountainside’s historic location adds a unique layer of character to the venue. The restored manor home is rich with history, allowing guests to connect with the past while enjoying the comforts and conveniences of the present. The blend of history, nature, and hospitality creates an ambiance that is truly magical, allowing people to step away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and connect with one another in a meaningful way.

One of the cornerstones of Mountainside’s success is its deep commitment to supporting the local community. Katherine notes, “the word “community” is not just a part of the venue’s logo – it is at the very heart of the business. Mountainside plays an active role in supporting local organizations and businesses through donations, meeting space, and providing food for various community events. Whether it’s hosting a local charity event or offering space for a business meeting, Mountainside remains dedicated to strengthening the ties that bind the people of North Central Massachusetts.”

In a region known for its sense of camaraderie and a strong community spirit, Mountainside serves as a gathering place for locals to come together, share ideas, and celebrate milestones. This sense of connection is at the core of the venue’s philosophy, and it’s something that resonates with both employees and guests. Mountainside truly embodies the spirit of collaboration and togetherness, which is why it’s such a treasured part of the community.

The culture at Mountainside is another key element of its success. The team at Mountainside is made up of energetic, friendly, and supportive individuals who deeply care about what they offer to their guests. The company’s focus on creating a family-like atmosphere ensures that every employee is valued, respected, and encouraged to grow professionally. The venue looks for individuals who have integrity and a desire to learn, recognizing that a strong, dedicated team is essential to providing exceptional service and creating unforgettable experiences for guests.

This positive workplace culture also extends to the guests. Employees at Mountainside go out of their way to ensure that each visitor feels welcome and cared for, making it easy to see why so many people return time and time again. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a regular, you can always count on friendly service, a warm atmosphere, and food that exceeds expectations.

As Mountainside looks to the future, the team is excited about the continued growth and success of the business. There’s a renewed desire among people to connect in person, and Mountainside’s unique venue provides the perfect setting for such gatherings. The team is inspired by the work they do and the opportunity to offer people a place where they can celebrate life’s special moments in a timeless, magical setting.

As more people seek out experiences that are meaningful and personal, Mountainside is poised to meet this demand with its exceptional service, stunning location, and commitment to community. Whether hosting a small, intimate event or a large celebration, Mountainside continues to offer a one-of-a-kind experience that will leave guests with memories that last a lifetime.

Mountainside uses primarily social media platforms to promote. “On Youtube we have a full series of our renovation videos, a healthy following on Facebook, a growing following in Instagram and a regular contingent who receive our newsletter,” said Huck. “We stopped using print adverstising years ago, but know new online forms of advertising are essential for us.”

Mountainside Bakery & Café is more than just a place to dine or host an event – it’s a destination where food, history, nature, and community come together to create an unforgettable experience. With a focus on exceptional service, quality ingredients, and a commitment to supporting the local community, Mountainside has become a beloved part of North Central Massachusetts. As the business continues to grow and evolve, one thing remains certain: Mountainside will always be a place where people can gather, connect, and create memories that will last for years to come.

For more information, email

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Explaining “Bitcoin” and “Crypto Currency” can be very confusing.  The new Leominster office of Bitcoin Ben Crypto Club Massachusetts is trying to help educate folks in the region what these topics are all about.

“We are educating people in the right direction of this revolutionary technology,” said business representative Edward Albert. After opening its first location in 2023, the Leominster office was the 3rd location when it opened in June of 2024.

“We want folks to join, share, learn and earn!” said Albert.  He noted that the Crypto Club really doesn’t have any competition and “is the first of its kind in the world!”  Albert added the most special part about doing business in North Central Massachusetts is “changing lives and providing opportunities for the community.”  The office has already gotten involved in the community as a premier sponsor of this year’s Johnny Appleseed Festival.  Albert considers the club an “economical hospital” and is looking for the chamber to expand its reach and assist more people. “We’re also a social club with ever changing events from music, open mic to poker..etc.,” said Albert.

The Club has its eye on growing and opening future clubs in most every state. According to it’s website, the Club was founded by “Bitcoin” Ben Semchee – a former truck driver and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, influencer, and entrepreneur who is bringing Bitcoin, Litecoin, and other cryptocurrencies into the  mainstream.

After creating daily Facebook videos in his truck, he attracted the attention of the  “average Jane and Joe” as well as other cryptocurrency organizations and  influencers with his ability to explain complex cryptocurrency-related  subjects while injecting humor and patriotism.  Ben currently produces several live videos a day and can be seen on X,  Youtube, Facebook, Rumble, NetFlix, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Roku, The X22  Report, WENG Radio, and more.

The Club located at the old Gariepy Furniture Building at 91 Central St. in Leominster offers day passes which provides access to video training, 15-minute one-on-one sessions with staff for general questions, use of the club library, a Bitcoin ATM and a Coffee Bar.  According to the website, the Club is at its core “a Bitcoin and cryptocurrency education and freedom club! In person and online training is available to all members, learn secure ways to buy, sell, and store Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies!”

People can meet and network with other Bitcoin and cryptocurrency enthusiasts who love freedom and love making new friends and helping others! Check the social calendar often for meetups and more! For details, visit https://bitcoinbencryptoclubmass.com/.

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Founded as Nmdesignz in 2011 and rebranded to Attollo Creative in 2024, this Fitchburg-based business is a marketing firm that specializes in Logo design, brand design, websites, signage, photography, videography and social media management, serving a wide range from industries from Non-Profit to Manufacturing.

Leader Nicole Murphy proudly notes “We are the most creative group you will ever work with. If you need something “out of the box” designed for your business, we are the people to call.” She adds “We are focused on quality, not quantity. Our company is small because we focus on providing a top-notch product as opposed to churning out work.”

Nicole loves doing business in North Central Massachusetts because “You get to see your designs in the field every day. If we lettered a truck, we see it drive by, if we designed a logo, we see it in an advertisement, its great seeing our designs help other businesses grow.” “I especially like doing business with local people,” she added when explaining why she likes being a member of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.

Attollo also proudly supports the community. “We are involved with Non-profits within the NCM area,” adds Nicole, “including the United Way of North Central MA, The Community Foundation of North Central MA and North Star Community Services.”

Attollo Creative shares an office space with one of its beloved clients in Fitchburg. Nicole feels “changing our name from Nmdesignz to Attollo Creative was their biggest professional achievement.” She feels the future is bright for Attollo. “We will continue to grow and provide quality pieces of work that clients love,” she said. “We will be known as the “go to” for any design work in the North Central Massachusetts area.”

Nicole credits her father as her strongest influence in business, “being a business owner himself for over 35 years!” “Also, many of my clients are a strong influence on me,” she adds, “I admire their dedication and passion to their business.”

As a marketing agency, Nicole doesn’t rely on traditional advertising to promote her business. She says the secret of their success is “Word of mouth and the dedication to providing the best possible product.”

Contact information: ; 978.430.1244

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As the current largest insurance broker in Massachusetts, Chamber member HUB International isn’t your average insurance brokerage company that you meet or Google online.

With a strong sense of community for every town or city they have an office in, being able to give back to the community is a high standard for HUB International. In 2022, HUB New England donated over $500,000 to over 185 local charities in the area, including a $500 scholarship to a graduating high school senior in each town they have a physical office in.

Based off of the hub and spoke model, they continue to grow across the country, not just through acquisitions, but also through the local community.

“Growing organically through the community is something that is very important to us,” said Shawn McLaughlin, President and Chief Executive Officer of HUB International New England. “This is where organizations like the [North Central Massachusetts] Chamber of Commerce come in. We work with a lot of non-profits, and donate a lot of time to the communities we serve.”

Who is HUB International?

According to their website, HUB International’s company mission is “to protect and support the aspirations of individuals, families and businesses, to empower our employees to learn, grow and make a difference in their communities.”

Although HUB International has over 530 offices across North America and over 100,000 customers in New England alone, they provide the “small town feeling” when it comes to personalized, commercial, employee benefits or retirement and private wealth insurance, taking on the “one stop shop” mentality for insurance and risk management.

Because of the size, scope, and scale of HUB International, there isn’t a lot that they haven’t seen when it comes to protecting customers’ needs and assets.

“We focus on protecting the customer’s assets for themselves. A customer would have a local agent to contact, but also have a really strong resource network behind them. We’re able to take care of our client no matter the size or complexities that may be involved,” said McLaughlin. “The goal is to help people through difficult times, and protect them from risk.”

HUB International works with everyone, from the individual sole proprietor to the bigger, global companies, and all of the different divisions are designed to work with the customers that they service.

Truly being a part of the community

The mission of giving back is two-fold: to create awareness in communities and to give back to the local community.

Every year, HUB International supports and holds two annual golf charity outings, coordinated by Hub employee volunteers, where all of the proceeds go to charities as selected by HUB employees. HUB staff nominate and vote on at least three charities based on those nominations.

Additionally, HUB New England employees are serving on 43 boards in their community with local nonprofits, and 54 insurance boards supporting the industry. McLaughlin himself serves on the board of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF.org). This accounts for 121 HUB employees donating their time outside of work at an estimated 2,926 hours per year for local charities within their area.

Strengthening that bond between businesses, individuals, and the community, HUB International is honored to be a part of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.

“The [North Central Massachusetts] Chamber of Commerce is one of the more robust organizations that we work with,” McLaughlin said. “We like the ability to work with other businesses as well as direct to consumer. The chamber hits both of those areas, and it’s an easy way for us to tap into the community.

We’ve found that the [North Central Massachusetts] Chamber is a good connector for the local community and a really good way for us to stay in touch with other local businesses. It’s been an honor to be a part of the organization.”

Looking forward to a bright future

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the mindset and the way that HUB International does business. Currently, the insurance company has a hybrid environment, where employees will go into the office a few times a week, but are otherwise working from home.

With that being said, HUB has adopted the “first call resolution,” model in their personal lines department, meaning that the issue/situation should be resolved in one call, instead of the hassle of going back and forth with the customer.

“This first call resolution provides more laser focus to ensure our customers receive efficient and effective attention,” McLaughlin stated. “We are now looking at expanding that approach to some of our commercial divisions.”

HUB continues to see growth not only through acquisitions, but organically as well. HUB has a strong focus on niche specialties throughout the local areas, and most recently, the firm added retirement and private wealth management capabilities.

“Our world has gotten far more complicated, and our customers’ needs have shifted so they are much more specific to their business,” McLaughlin said. “As we evolve, instead of being a generalist, our firm developed industry specializations, while retaining our strong local presence.”

You can contact HUB International through their website at www.hubinternational.com to speak with an agent in your local area.

 

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Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce | HUB International New England | Insurance Broker in Massachusetts

With new growth comes new opportunities, and Joshua Allen Design (JAD) does exactly that with the recent launch of their kitchen cabinetry in 2022 and their mobile app, set to release to the public in Summer 2023.

Established 5 years ago by owner Joshua Allen Halterman, Joshua Allen Design is consistently reaching new heights. Originally a home-staging company, the business grew to the point where interior design started to take over, launching the business into a full-scale interior design firm. The current staff includes 3 full-time designers, a project manager, business manager, and marketing manager.

“I’m proud to say that over the course of five years, we’ve flipped the business on its head and turned it into an interior design-based business for all of central Massachusetts, but New England as well,” said Halterman. The business has designed in, but not limited to: Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

“We help bring people’s spaces to life,” he said. “That is our number one goal.”

Designing with the Client in Mind

According to their website, JAD handles everything from kitchen, bathroom, living spaces, remodels, and renovations, and more. Based in Sterling Massachusetts, the business combines transitional style with a modern twist and a unique New England flair. They believe that listening, understanding, and building strong relationships with their clients take priority.

“Our goal is to make the interior design process as easy and as comfortable as possible for our clients, as well as attainable. This is something that I believe in firmly,” Halterman said. “Interior design should be as important as selecting a contractor, or plumber, whenever you are doing something to your home. Everyone should know an interior designer just like everyone knows a plumber or electrician.”

If a client is new to the interior design process, the design team will help to build you a roadmap and be a part of every step of the design process. The process begins with a design consultation, so that they can better understand what the client is looking for, and what their needs and goals are.

“Our goal is to ensure that our clients’ spaces are as unique and as personal as they are. We help them decorate, space plan, build out new rooms and go over architectural layouts and drawings, finishes and tiles, and much, much more,” he said.

The design process is unique to every potential client that JAD encounters, ensuring the full experience and customization that is unique as each individual looking to design their space.

COVID just could not stop JAD

When COVID-19 first arrived in the states, many small business owners were unsure of what to do. There were a lot of questions unanswered for many, and for some businesses, it was detrimental to their success.

“We were still relatively new at the time that COVID came around and were really impacted because our business is client-facing and in the clients’ homes,” Halterman said. And while Joshua Allen Design certainly felt that at the business’ core during a two-month furlough, the interior design firm came back stronger than ever. In fact, they were able to add to the team to provide the highest quality interior design services for their clients.

“We noticed this insane uptick of business out of nowhere. Clients would come to us in need of design because they need to redo their kitchen and have been putting it off for 10 years, and now that they’re staring at it every day, they need to have it done. There was a need for a client to have a comfortable living and working space because they were now stuck in the house all the time,” he said.

Additionally Halterman noted that the JAD team learned a valuable lesson with the importance of mental health as it relates to the design of a space. Having a messy, cluttered space or home that is outdated or worse can impact a person’s clarity of mind.

Most of the interior design firm’s clients are those that are looking to “rehab, refresh, or renovate” – those that just bought a home and are looking to add or update it, or those who have lived in their homes for a handful of years and looking to renovate. And for those clients who are looking to build their own home, JAD eliminates the extra step of coordinating with the contractor and eases the design process to ensure that progress is made the way you want it to be.

While the pandemic was scary for every small business owner, not only in Massachusetts but across the world, Joshua Allen Design benefited from it in the end as clients really wanted to connect with their spaces and make it their own.

New Opportunities Arise for Joshua Allen Design

In 2022, JAD started offering kitchen cabinetry from brand names Starmark Cabinetry and Mantra Cabinets, in addition to their interior design process. You can view the product information on their website here.

“We are proud to be able to offer kitchen design on top of interior design because we are truly a full-service interior design business. A lot of times, kitchen designers will only focus on cabinetry. So, what we do is we marry the two together, and we are thinking about how the bathroom relates to the living room as it relates to the kitchen, and how the flooring goes throughout. That’s a really rare business model to have,” said Halterman.

Additionally, Joshua Allen Design will be releasing their own branded mobile app in Summer 2023. This application will be free to everyone, and is an opportunity to not only grow the business, but also be in touch with clients and potential clients directly.

“What we are trying to do is bring exclusive content to the general masses about interior design – what are the best colors of the month, best pieces of the month, or best deals of the month?” stated Halterman. “Our clients are going to have a better user experience because our designs are presented to them in a client portal designed by us. The client portal will be at their fingertips instead of having to always be on their laptop.”

Rooted in the Local Community

A vital aspect of the Joshua Allen Design values is being rooted in the local community. A portion of all proceeds are donated to the Rise Above Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that responds to the growing need to give youth in foster care opportunities that will give them a sense of normalcy, provide comfort and build self-esteem. By funding individual wishes for requests like prom expenses, soccer registration, and clarinet lessons, Rise Above provides positive experiences for children in foster care.

Halterman himself sits on the Board of Directors for the Rise Above Foundation, and according to their website, JAD donates 100% of their time and expertise multiple times as year to install design projects for youth transitioning from foster homes to their own as they start college and enter adulthood. Last but certainly not least, JAD releases a candle every year in honor of the Rise Above Foundation.

You can learn more about the Rise Above Foundation on their website by clicking here.

Halterman added that they have the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce to thank for being a part of the business’ growth.

“The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce has been a great resource because whenever you’re starting a business, it can be really hard to know who to talk to and who to connect with. The marketing opportunities have also been really great because we’ve been featured on their podcast, networking events, and it’s nice to get to know the community. The chamber is really business-oriented and we love that about them.”

If you are looking to refresh or design your space and home, look no further than the Joshua Allen Design team. You can contact JAD on their website, www.joshuaallendesign.com, or by giving them a call 508-901-9919 or emailing them at.

 

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