Winchendon Grows: A Return to Roots
Clyde is an oversized rocking horse that stands under a pavilion in the town of Winchendon, Massachusetts. He stands as a reminder of town’s 19th century heyday, when the factories that produced wooden toys and household items earned it the nickname “Toy Town.” Despite his old-fashioned veneer, however, Clyde is a modern sculpture, built of fiberglass to withstand the elements—unlike his two predecessors, which were made of less durable wood.
Like Clyde, Winchendon takes pride in its past as it moves toward the future, keeping the best of its traditions but looking toward more sustainable solutions.
Winchendon Grows LLC will usher in the next chapter for Winchendon, bringing renewed industrial growth with modern sustainability to this historic central Massachusetts community. That is the vision of founders Fred Massa and Steve Cefalo, who have worked with the Winchendon Town Manager, Planning Board, Winchendon Redevelopment Authority and other boards and commissions to design a facility that will be well integrated into the community, respectful of its history and beneficial to its people.
Winchendon has a population of about 10,000, according to the 2020 Census, spread out over 44 square miles on the border between New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Located 35 miles from Worcester and 60 miles from Boston, the town began as a small community of farmers who were granted a town charter by the British in 1764.
In the early 19th century, the town reinvented itself, shifting its center closer to the Millers River, which, true to its name, became a source of waterpower for the town. Entrepreneurs used this renewable resource to power factories that made a variety of wooden products and textiles. At its height, this industrial center of Winchendon employed over 1,000 workers, supporting over 4,000 families. As times changed, the factories moved away, and now, Winchendon is a quiet town that is ready to reinvent itself once more.
Winchendon Grows, LLC, will be a key part of that rebirth. Its mission, aligned with the potential of success for its investors, is to help Winchendon create a solid economic base by making it home to the largest, most modern, mechanized cannabis facility in Massachusetts.
Winchendon Grows will hire over 100 full time employees, and taking the best from the old traditions, it will give back to the community in many ways. As required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, it will distribute 3% of profits annually to the community. It will support local schools, veterans’ organizations, and other community-based activities.
This new enterprise will allow Winchendon to set a new course as a community with sustainable industry that provides good jobs for local people. With more jobs come new opportunities for entrepreneurs within the town, from coffee shops to small businesses, allowing Winchendon to reinvent itself for the 21st century.
This strategy will serve as a model of private-public partnership in Massachusetts, with a modern, sustainable industry that gives the town of Winchendon the economic foundation for revitalization. The town will have the opportunity to reinvent itself, as it did 200 years ago, to bring new prosperity and growth to its people and those in the surrounding communities. It is our hope that both the Town of Winchendon and Winchendon Grows will be recognized for their innovation and as an example of how an enlightened business can spark revitalization in the surrounding area.
Become a part of Winchendon Grows LLC and the community of Winchendon and share in its wellness and all the GROWTH that it can offer.