NCMDC loans Groton cafe $206K to buy business location

Photo | Courtesy North Central Massachusetts Development Corp. Pictured (from left) are Steve Sugar, vice president of lending at the North Central Massachusetts Development Corp., and Linda Coleman and Josiah Coleman, co-owners of Salt & Light Café.

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By Timothy Doyle

The North Central Massachusetts Development Corp. in Fitchburg approved a $206,000 loan to help Salt and Life Café purchase its location at 159 Main St. in Groton.

The loan, issued in partnership with Main Street Bank of Marlborough, ensures employment of three full-time and three part-time jobs, according to a Tuesday press release from NCMDC.

The café was opened in 2015 by owners Josiah and Linda Coleman, who also operate Coleman Catering. Josiah serves as executive chef, and Linda oversees the operations for both the catering company and the café.

“When we opened Salt and Light, we wanted to create an environment where customers feel welcomed as our friends,” said Josiah Coleman.

The couple purchased the location in 2020 for $500,000 through their company JLFA Properties LLC, according to the Middlesex South registry of Deeds.

The NCMDC, the lending arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, ranked third among U.S. Small Business Administration microlenders in Massachusetts in 2022, approving 10 loans totaling $247,000 in the fiscal year.

The organization can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000, as part of its relationship with the U.S. Small Business Administration.