Third Generation Takes The Lead At Acton Farm Stand | Three sets of brothers keep Idylwilde in business, just like their dads did
When I was a kid growing up in Boxborough, there wasn’t a whole lot going on. Boxborough had no traffic lights and four liquor stores — not exactly a booming metropolis for an 11-year-old.
But just over the border in Acton there was a place called Idylwilde Farm, and it was within biking distance from my house and well worth the effort.
Even better, it was owned by my friend’s family and they lived right around the bend, so there was the extra added bonus of stopping at her house on the way home to say hello. And completing the trio of wonderfulness, my mother was more than likely to fund my trip so that I could grab her some fresh raspberries while I was there.
Wide Variety
Idylwilde Farm is still going strong, although the business that was born in the early 1930s as a simple farm stand has become an expansive food-shopping destination. Known for its fierce attention to quality, Idylwilde still carries the produce and dairy products on which its reputation was built, but the store has grown to include far, far more than that — from a cheese case that will make you swoon to farm-raised meats and gourmet pantry items.
And what makes the business special, aside from all of the obvious things you’ll notice as you walk through the doors of the open-air post-and-beam marketplace, is that the business is currently run by six cousins from the founding family’s third generation. Brothers Thomas, David and Richard Napoli have recently begun to take a backseat after a 50-year run at the helm. Their father Tom, a lifelong farmer, had started the business at a Lexington location, but upon his passing in the late 1960s, the three brothers relocated to Acton.
Each of the three original brothers now has two sons involved in the business, and each set of sons continues to oversee the responsibilities his father once held. For brothers Matt and Tom, there’s the dairy, bakery and deli to look after. For brothers Dave and Steve, there’s the matter of maintaining the produce department and specialty cheeses. And for twins Joe and Pat, there is the domain of greenhouse management.
“It’s not like other businesses,” Matt said. “We basically try to stay out of each other’s way and keep doing everything the way our fathers did.”
According to Matt, that is exactly the business plan: follow the framework that has proved to be so successful already. It’s that simple.
“None of us have any corporate experience,” he admits, although all six cousins hold degrees in business or agriculture. “Not a single one of us have ever been to a board meeting.”
But this generation of business owners has to pay close attention to the trends in the marketplace. According to Matt and Tom, people are dealing with more food allergies so the store caters to that group — offering everything from gluten-free to soy-free to dairy-free products. “We have an extremely loyal customer base, but it would be naïve to think we didn't have to keep a close eye on things,” Matt said.
Small Business Corner, send an e-mail to editorial@wbjournal.com explaining what unique story you have to tell. Please put "Small Business Corner" in the subject line.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments