SHELBURNE FALLS – After more than 40 years, the ownership of the historic Oddfellow’s Hall — home to McCusker’s Market, offices and a co-working space — has traded hands.
“I’ve been so blessed,” said Michael McCusker, who sold the building this week to brothers Ted and Tory Hanna. “I would be remiss if I didn’t say that. They say it takes a village to raise a child; it takes a village-plus to bring about success for a business like McCusker’s Market.”
McCusker purchased the building in 1977, when it was occupied by Halberg’s Market and Franklin Auto Parts, he said. Boswell’s Books also got its start in the building.
When he was ready to sell the building two years ago, McCusker was upfront with his real estate agent about his desire to support a local family’s venture over a commercial development company.
“When we bought the building from the Halbergs, the Halbergs were very generous,” he said. “We wanted to support a local family in the same way.”
Indeed, the Hannas are no strangers to Shelburne Falls, having grown up on the Buckland side of the bridge.
In fact, the two brothers remember frequenting McCusker’s Market as children for its healthier food options.
“I remember going up to the counter, with Mike McCusker in his green apron … smiling and ringing us out,” Tory Hanna recalled.
Years later, after graduating from University of Massachusetts Amherst, he returned to his hometown in search of job opportunities.
“We were just kind of poking around — is anything available? Could we start our own company?” Tory Hanna recounted. “If you’re talking about economic development, you run into a guy named Mike McCusker. That’s who he is.”
McCusker told Tory Hanna and his friend Caleb Dean about the third floor of the historic building that he had not yet found a use for.
So in 2006, Tory Hanna and Dean launched the co-working space and business incubator, now known as the Bridge of Flowers CoWorking Business Center, that continues to operate out of the third floor.
A few years later, when they took different jobs and moved out of the area, McCusker took over the management of the co-working space.
And now, the Hannas are ready to take the reins from McCusker.
“We are both born and raised in Shelburne Falls,” said Ted Hanna. “There’s a lot of places we could make an investment … but we wanted to invest in our town and in our community.”
The brothers credited McCusker for his tenure owning the building, noting he’d built “a really good business.”
Tory Hanna said his brother, who currently works in real estate, brings his experience in managing commercial properties through his 10 years in the private aviation industry, where he gained experience in selling, buying and building out properties.
“I really wanted to bring those skills to my hometown,” he said. “I made the transition to real estate, and I work with Cohn & Company. I’m still going to do that. This is a great investment to marry those skills.”
The brothers plan to keep the building as is, Ted Hanna noted.
“We really see no reason or economic rationale or any other incentive to change or alter the ecosystem that Mike has created,” Ted said. “He has managed to bring a wide variety of businesses and contractors and independents together and create this really successful business and co-working space.”
Tory Hanna echoed the same sentiment.
“Everything Mike has built … it really seems like it’s functioning as an ecosystem,” he said. “We don’t want to change a darn thing. We’re really excited to carry the torch.”
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne