Sturbridge

A $5-million unrestricted bequest to Old Sturbridge Village is officially the largest single gift in the museum’s history, the Sturbridge organization announced Wednesday.

The Sturbridge JCPenney, located at 194 Main St., will close in spring 2021, the retailer announced in a recent, undated announcement.

In Central Mass., the restaurant industry is more developed in places like Worcester, Sturbridge and Marlborough, which have eschewed the state liquor license cap law in favor of having unlimited bars and eateries in their communities.

Sturbridge custom injection molder G&F Precising Molding has acquired Maine’s Form Tech Tool & Mold, headquartered in Biddeford, the company announced on Monday.

When a would-be restaurateur approaches Worcester city officials with a plan to open a new eatery, not so much stands in the way procedurally – at least compared to most Massachusetts cities and towns.

Unlike many others in the hospitality industry impacted by the pandemic, the living history museum Old Sturbridge Village was put into a unique situation because of the highly skilled and specialized nature of its employees, which are hard to replace.

B.T.’s Smokehouse in Sturbridge has officially opened its second location, B.T.'s Fried Chicken & BBQ in Worcester, for business, opting for a soft opening this week before having a more public grand opening in the coming weeks.

Area restaurateurs and longtime friends Son Vo and Tam Le have officially opened Chashu Ramen + Izakaya at 38 Franklin St. in Worcester.

Old Sturbridge Village will reduce its hours and close its lodging facilities, as well as temporarily stop taking reservations for weddings and other events, museum president and CEO Jim Donahue announced in a Sept. 2 statement.

Rapscallion Brewery, which has rented an old barn building on a farm in Sturbridge since 2013, has completed its long search for a permanent space where it can begin canning and distributing its beer. Rapscallion is due to move to Spencer by the end of the year.