New Devens Caterer: More To Get In On The Act
The catering business that recently announced plans to build in Devens is a harbinger of more economic activity to come, according to Steve Catalano, owner of Dolce Brands, which specializes in serving the film industry.
Catalano said he’s in talks with other businesses interested in leasing space at the site of the former Hodges Theatre, which Catalano bought with the intention of razing it in the spring to rebuild a state-of-the-art catering facility adjacent to New England Studios. The four-stage studio facility opened this fall, and Hodges scooped up the theater -- which closed along with the former Fort Devens military base in the mid-1990s -- and its 3-acre parcel in anticipation of the start of filming next year.
A 'Consumption-Based Industry'
Once construction begins, Catalano expects the initial phase of the project to take about 12 months to complete. Depending on interest from other businesses, Catalano said he may build out the land to accommodate new development. He said he’s already in talks with several companies interested in coming to Deven. Though Catalano declined to provide details about those companies, he said a variety of businesses, from camera equipment vendors to transportation providers, see opportunity there.
“It’s a consumption-based industry, so they’re going to spend anywhere between $50 (million) and $200 million on a film,” Catalano said. “The only thing that they’re bringing is their actors and actresses.”
The owner of Dolce’s Wood Grill, a restaurant and catering business in Pepperell, Catalano was inspired to tailor his business to the film industry when he heard Chris Byers, director of marketing and studio operations at New England Studios, speak at a breakfast two years ago.
Catalano said he did some research, and ended up purchasing a fleet of catering trucks designed to feed film crews from a California business.
It’s a highly specialized business that requires the caterer to move quickly from location to location, and be able to feed a large number of people in a short period of time, Catalano said. Perhaps not surprisingly, Dolce has to tailor its menu to fit special diet requests. Catalano recalled having to order a special salad dressing from California for one actress.
HBO Miniseries Was First Film Client
Dolce wet its feet by providing catering services for the cast of the HBO miniseries “Olive Kitteridge” starring Bill Murray and Frances McDormand, which was shot on the North Shore this fall and will air next year. The company also served the crew of the upcoming ABC television series “Chasing Life,” which shot some scenes in the Boston area.
So far, Catalano said Dolce is the only catering company focused on the film industry in Massachusetts. But he’s sure many other industry vendors will be operating alongside him. “There’s a lot of interest. I’ll leave it at that,” he said.
Image source: freedigitalphotos.net
Read more
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments