Athol Trading Post Wins Grand Prize at Small Business Showcase
And the winners are….
The Athol Trading Post and MacMannis Florist & Greenhouses! Congratulations to the Athol Trading Post, MacMannis and all those who participated in Athol’s inaugural Small Business Showcase at Athol Town Hall on Thursday, Nov. 5.
The Athol Trading Post was selected by the panel of judges as having the best business plan and will receive $10,000 toward renovating the façade of their historic storefront at 501 Main St., in Athol. MacMannis Florist & Greenhouses took home the $5,000 People’s Choice Award for their plans to renovate a storage area into additional workshop space.
The event was organized by the Remaking Main Group, a community partnership in Athol, which includes members of the Polus Center for Social & Economic Development, NewVue Communities, and Athol Credit Union.
“Athol’s first Small Business Showcase was a big success with almost 200 attendees, and we look forward to doing it again next year,’’ said Sarah Tavitian, NewVues’ Small Business Senior Manager. “This is just the beginning for Athol’s Main Street revitalization, and NewVue Communities is thrilled to be a part of it.’’
The showcase was a celebration of 11 entrepreneurs representing 10 businesses who recently completed a seven-week training program hosted by the Remaking Main Group. The training sessions were led by Tavitian, Eric Bullock from Athol Credit Union, Michael Lundquist from the Polus Center. Guest speakers included many successful Athol businesses and community leaders. NewVue’s James DaRosa was also instrumental in the sessions.
Training leaders selected five businesses to present their plans at the Small Business Showcase in front of audience members and judges. They also answered questions from the judges, who had read and reviewed the plans prior to the showcase. The judges were: Luis Cisneros, President and Chief Executive Officer of Athol Credit Union; Ray Belanger, Small Business Consultant for NewVue; and Theresa Kane, Executive Director of the Polus Center.
At stake were two grants — a $5,000 People’s Choice award, selected by showcase attendees, and a $10,000 award for the best business plan as selected by judges using a comprehensive rubric.
The five participants were:
Athol Trading Post (501 Main St., Athol), a family-run business owned by Arlene and Dale Belliveau. The Trading Post features fresh flowers, plants, herbs, teas, locally made goods, gifts and natural personal care products. Athol Trading Company plans to develop a café within its historic building over the next three years. The business aims to attract new visitors, create local jobs and contribute to downtown Athol’s revitalization.
Sweet P’s Creative Cakes, owned by Paula King, an artisanal bakery specializing in custom-designed cakes. Paula is expanding her business through commercial kitchen production and hopes to purchase a vintage-inspired mobile dessert trailer.
Fringe + Stone (468 Main St., Athol) is a boutique owned by Rebecca Cacioppo. It features handcrafted allergy-conscious home, body, gift and lifestyle products. Fringe + Stone plans to expand its product offerings, have online sales, wholesale partnerships and community collaborations.
MacMannis Florist & Greenhouses (2108 Main St., Athol) has been in business since 1947. Now owned by Beth Jaillet, who purchased the business in 2024, MacMannis plans to expand its creative workshops featuring floral arranging, succulent gardens, and seasonal planters by renovating existing storage space.
Slow Craft, owned by Cynthia McMullen, operates a mobile pop-up studio delivering hands-on, screen-free craft experiences across local communities such as book bedazzling, botanical printing and block printing. Slow Craft hopes to move from a pop-up to a storefront location in downtown Athol.
Slow Craft, owned by Cynthia McMullen, operates a mobile pop-up studio delivering hands-on, screen-free craft experiences across local communities such as book bedazzling, botanical printing and block printing. Slow Craft hopes to move from a pop-up to a storefront location in downtown Athol.
In all, 10 businesses participated in this year’s inaugural training program. The other participants were:
- Nora Regan, Junie, a bakery café.
- Nataly Colon, Sparkly Bubbles, a mobile laundry and dry cleaning service.
- Pamela Lord, Lord Designs, a custom drapery and soft home furnishings workroom.
- Anthony Stallworth, Jurassic Slide Ops, a proposed all-indoor recreation center.
- Emily Hope, Emily Hope Creative Studios, a photography and creative services business.
For more information about NewVue’s Small Business Program and how we can help you get started, visit https://www.newvuecommunities.org/our-programs/small-business/.
