If there’s one person who took Central Massachusetts’ real estate world by storm this year, it’s Weidong Wang. In every new purchase, Wang surprises with an innovative and sometimes surprising business prospect.
Wang moved to the U.S. in 1995, only knowing a few basic English phrases. Since then, he has worked his way up through the restaurant industry and opened Baba Sushi, a national-award-winning Asian restaurant in Worcester, Sturbridge, and Bristol, R.I. In the last year, Wang has branched out further. He bought a $1-million restaurant in Bolton and is working with the previous owner on a unique Japanese-Greek-Italian fusion eatery.
Meanwhile, his purchase of a 360-acre farm in Hardwick is slated to become the next big player in the cannabis industry called Zen Acres Farm. His purchase of a vacant lot on Worcester’s Shrewsbury Street is sure to unfold as another creative business venture. Wang is clearly unafraid to expand his repertoire to new industries, building up a one-of-a-kind business network across Central Massachusetts.
What sets the Central Mass. business community apart? Worcester is different from where I grew up in China, partially because there are many more small robot factories, biotech, and artificial intelligence businesses in my hometown than there seem to be here in Central Mass. This community should diversify to bring more technological and medical advancement.
The greatest gift: I am still flexible enough to do the splits to the floor, which seems to always surprise my staff. Laughter is my favorite gift to give, and if I had a superpower, it would probably be helping people to feel happy.
