If the company was around today, Tito Jackson would probably be a client.he just opened black peak All floors occupy about 10,000 square feet in a skinny seven-story building near Faneuil Hall. (Japanese restaurant Kamakura previously used most of the space.) Beginning this spring, he will use the top two floors as a bar and lounge; the roof floor features a retractable glass ceiling with views of the customs house. Meanwhile, cannabis sales take place on the first and second floors. The first sale takes place on Saturday with the February grand opening.
“It means the world to me to be the son of Herb Jackson and now own a business on State Street,” Jackson said.
This certainly didn’t happen overnight.After failing to run for mayor marty walsh In 2017, as recreational sales became legal in the state, Jackson put electoral politics behind him — and finally focused on the burgeoning marijuana business. He had trouble finding financing at first because few banks would take cannabis business. He started with the backing of a multistate operator, but that relationship fell apart.Now he uses Needham Bankafter that bank bought former Century Bank’s marijuana portfolio Bank of the East.
jackson gets investment Verdant Restoration (legal business name of Apex Noire) and messages from friends and family. About a year ago, he started a crowdfunding campaign but shelved it. He plans to restart it soon, taking investors for as little as $100 a piece. He eventually obtained a dispensary license and a manufacturing license from the state Marijuana Control Board, and was one of the few black business owners in Boston to receive a local liquor license on the open market.
Jackson has five employees and expects to hire a dozen more in the coming weeks. It’s not just about earning a living, but also providing employment opportunities for the disadvantaged. In some ways, Jackson sees his entrepreneurship as similar to his father’s activism.
“This shows that we can have a successful black business [in downtown]”We’re not just going to be financially successful here, we’re going to have an impact on this community, this city and the people who live here.” “
LEGO Ride MBTA
when Lego Last week it announced it was moving its North American headquarters from Connecticut to Boston, a testament to a city struggling with rising office vacancy rates in the wake of COVID-19.But the announcement is also a huge win mass economy, a nonprofit that quietly markets the state to various employers. Because MassEcon is not a public agency, it allows projects to move forward on QT, as opposed to state or city agencies that are subject to public records laws.
In this case, the executive director of MassEcon Pete Abel MassEcon was contacted by the Massachusetts Office of Business Development last year after consultants sought complete confidentiality on behalf of “Project Aquarius,” the codename for a relocation project that turned out to be Lego. From there, MassEcon processed until it could notify top state and city officials of the company’s identity earlier this month. The Danish company has not announced the address of its new office.
Abair said he was impressed that LEGO executives had prepared detailed demographic information on the workforce in the greater Boston area; something that MassEcon typically puts together.
Besides the talent supply here, LEGO’s other big advantages as its executives weigh the various competing locations are Logan Airport and the MBTA.
Yes, you heard that right: our accident-prone transportation system is still a selling point.
“Even though T was maligned, we owned it, it touched people, it touched a lot of people,” Abel said. “It’s a real asset that not every place has.”
Is “liquidity pricing” back on the agenda?
Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce CEO jim rooney Last summer, when the then-Governor charlie baker Changed the language in a way that caused the proposal to run into legislative trouble.
In his first “state of business” speech last week, Rooney vowed to take up the cause again this year, addressing Chamber members via livestream. The proposed commission would look at new ways to pay for the state’s aging transportation infrastructure — whether it’s congestion charges, new tolls or some other revenue stream. Looney is particularly concerned about the future of the gas tax, an important source of transportation funding that is likely to decline over time as electric vehicles replace gasoline-powered cars. He didn’t mention Baker by name, but he did say the idea was approved by the Legislature but not signed by the governor — twice.
“For decades, the state has transitioned from one transportation financial crisis to another and has always relied on quick, patchwork solutions,” Rooney said. “But a targeted mobility pricing commission could create a Long-term strategic plan for transportation financing.”
Maybe he’ll get a more receptive audience now that he’s governor Morahili took over.
Biogen’s new boss welcomes new governor
Speaking of Healy, she wasn’t the only one speaking at her new job.
new Biogen CEO Chris Weibach opening speech Related industries in Massachusetts events, heroes in Marriott Hotel in Newton last week.former Sanofi boss took over Michelle Vonassos November at Biogen in Cambridge.
In his first public speech as CEO of Biogen, Weibach said the state is the envy of the global life sciences industry.
He points out how investors, universities and research hospitals are close to each other here. “This field can attract talent from all over the world,” he said. “There is no place in the world [like it]”
When Healey, the event’s featured speaker, followed Viehbacher, she noticed they were in similar situations.
“I joked with him,” said Healy, who was sworn in as governor three weeks ago. “He’s been on the job for six weeks. He’s a veteran.”
Walsh gets support, makes some job requests
For some time, there have been rumors that U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh will take on another top job in the Biden administration: chief of staff.
Walsh asked about rumors new england legislature president Jim Bretta longtime friend also from Dorchester, announced several accomplishments during his town hall after the former Boston mayor addressed the committee on Friday.
Walsh said someone shared a New York Times article when he was on the plane earlier this month about how ron klein resigned as White House chief of staff. A short list of possible substitutions in the story includes Walsh.last week, the president biden end naming jeff zienz to work.
Walsh seems to have found some humor in this episode. He said Friday that his phone had blown up when his plane landed the day he read the New York Times report.
“I texted one or two people and walked away,” Walsh said. “When I landed, there were 68 texts: Someone congratulating me, and a couple of people looking for jobs. You gotta love Boston: …” I want to work in the White House. “Yes, we’ll put you in.”
Jon Chesto can be reached at jon.chesto@globe.com.follow him on twitter @jonchesto.