Five family-run shops shaping Main Street's next chapter
How a new generation of owners is keeping storefronts full across the Wachusett region.
Downtown districts across the Wachusett region are being reshaped by a wave of second- and third-generation owners who grew up in the same storefronts they now run.
From bakeries to hardware stores, these businesses are investing in updated spaces, online ordering and community events while holding onto the personal service that brought customers in the first place.
Local officials point to full storefronts as one of the clearest signals of a healthy downtown — and to the small businesses inside them as the reason foot traffic keeps returning.
