It appears that October is a good month to start a business in Westford. At the very least, it was in 2013.
Both Craft Beer Cellar on Littleton Road and Rangoli Grill at Cornerstone Square celebrated their first anniversaries earlier this month, with the Rangoli Grill also using the month hold an event celebrating their new Indian beer offerings as well as an art contest.
According to Rangoli Grill owner Gulshan Kumar, his business launched in October last year in part due in part to Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, the equivalent of Christmas for much of India and a traditionally auspicious time for investment in Indian culture.
In a ceremony led by the Nashoba Valley and Middlesex West Chambers of Commerce, Kumar and his wife Rashmi “re-opened” the business with a ribbon cutting event that held praise from Westford Town Manager Jodi Ross and Indian Association of Greater Boston President Anil Saigal.
However, Kumar held praise in return for a variety of groups that have helped his business survive over the past year, as well as the support of customers throughout the area.
“It truly takes a community to help keep a small business going,” said Kumar.
Just a few days earlier, Kumar stopped by the first anniversary for the Craft Beer Cellar, one of many local business leaders and dignitaries that celebrated Craft Beer Cellar owner Walter Miska’s first year in business through raffles, free samples and donations toward the Merrimack Valley Food Bank.
A former operator of the Embroid-Me location at Ginger Ale Plaza in Chelmsford, Miska took his love of microbrews and became the first franchisee of what was once a niche beer haven just outside of Boston and now has become a multi-state chain celebrating unique offerings from lesser known brewers.
In addition to the honored guests on hand at Craft Beer Cellar event, there were also diehard fans such as Karen Creegan.
She had come with a receipt from the store’s first day pinned to her jacket.
“I knew they were going to make it, so I had this (receipt) taped to my computer terminal and I said I would bring it in on their birthday,” she said. “They help me find what I like and what I don’t like when it comes to beers. They just know me.”
More information on the Craft Beer Cellar in Westford is available at craftbeercellar.com/westford and more information on the Rangoli Grill is available at rangoligrill.com
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