Athol floral shop employee purchases business with $150K NCMDC loan
Photo I Courtesy of North Central Massachusetts Development Corp.
(From left) Beth Jaillet, MacMannis Florist & Greenhouse owner; Sara Jaillet, daughter of the owner; and Norm Vigeant, vice president of lending, North Central Massachusetts Development Corp
A veteran employee of the former Brooks-MacMannis Florist and Greenhouse in Athol has purchased her long-time employer.
The North Central Massachusetts Development Corp. has loaned Beth Jaillet $150,000 to purchase the Athol floral shop located at 2108 Main St. in Athoil.
Jailet has dropped the first part of the brand’s name, renaming the 60-year old shop to MacMannis Florist & Greenhouse. The business was established in the 1940s under the name Hamilton Florist.
Jaillet has been an employee of the company for two decades. She purchased the shop from previous owner Robin Brooks.
“I am honored to continue the legacy of the floral shop and greenhouse,” Jailet said in a Friday press release from the NCMDC. “We have a rich history of being a trusted partner in our customer’s important life moments and celebrations.”
Jailet holds a degree in soil management.
Jailet’s funding comes after NCMDC granted a similar financing deal in May. For that loan, NCMDV loaned Mark Lafrennie $150,000 loan to purchase the lawn care business portion of the landscaping enterprise J. Martin Landscaping in Westminster, where he was a long-time employee.
The NCMDC is the economic development branch of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce in Fitchburg, certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
The nonprofit provides micro loans up to $250,000 to small businesses for needs including working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory, and expansion. Since 1996, the organization has awarded more than $26 million in loans to the likes of local banks, credit unions, chambers of commerce, and nonprofits, according to the release.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
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