Our roundup of the latest Natick, Mass., business news:

Golftec fills former Fresh City space

Rte. 9 in Natick and Framingham has become even more of a golfing mecca with the arrival of Golftec in the former Fresh City space at 1400 Worcester St., in Natick.

That’s a short walk from PGA Superstore at 1398 Worcester St on the eastbound side, just down the road from Dick’s, and not far from Miniature Golf on the Village Green (OK, a slightly different game). Across Rte. 9 in Framingham is Golf Galaxy, which offers gear and lessons, and down Speen Street in Natick, KOHR Golf Center provides lessons, camps and a driving range.

Golftec, open Tuesday-Saturday at the 3,800 sq. ft. Rte. 9 location, features six bays where customers can get fitted for clubs, take lessons, and practice. Personal coaches use technology for motion measurement and video analysis. An indoor putting green includes “a motion technology that analyzes face angle, loft and path direction of putting strokes,” according to the business’s website.

C.J. Perry, regional marketing specialist at Golftec’s Denver headquarters, says Golftec seeks to stand out from other golf businesses in Natick in part through its comprehensive club fittings, which take 60-90 minutes. Golftec has demo clubs on hand, then orders clubs from the likes of Callaway and Titleist fit to individuals’ specs. “We want our students or customers fit to their game based on level of performance, body type, and swing.

Golftec actually used to be inside a local Golfsmith location, but has since shifted to more of a standalone business model that allows it to generate revenue from its services as well as equipment sales that stem from club fittings, etc.

Perry cites an upswing in golf popularity that took place during the pandemic and continues as more people work from home and are able to sneak in extra rounds thanks to less time spent commuting to work. Golftec customers tend to be those with more experience, but newcomers are welcome. Expect sales in March as we head into the New England golf season.

Golftec has been around since 1995 and lists some 220 locations around the world.

Fancy Pants relocates from Newton

Second hand kids’ apparel shop Fancy Pants closed down its Newton store in December and has opened on Rte. 9 west in Natick at 255 Worcester St. They buy and sell gently used children’s clothing, as well as toys, strollers, etc.

They’ve got a buyback program, too.

Curious about Curion?

Curion, located at the former Moe’s Southwest Grill and Pizza Hut space in Sherwood Plaza, specializes in “sensory evaluation” and consumer product research.

 

Curion’s customers include companies in the food & beverage, personal care, beauty, fine fragrance, and home & fabric care industries. It has testing facilities across the country, including in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New York, and San Francisco.

Curion recently invited locals to get paid for testing products.

It is also in the hiring process.

We reached out to Curion for more, and will update this post if we hear back.

Cloverleaf Mall update: Self-storage out, but a fresh start; Redi marijuana shop getting ready

The Natick Planning Board returned to the subject of Cloverleaf Mall’s failed attempt to get a self-storage facility into space next to what’s slated to be Natick’s first recreational marijuana shop.

During a sometimes contentious Jan. 5 Planning Board meeting (56 minutes into the Natick Pegasus recording), the Board voted 3-2 vote in favor of the amendment, but that wasn’t enough votes for approval. The board continued the hearing to its Feb. 2 meeting, where the applicant would have a chance to explain the purpose and intent of its proposed withdrawal (in writing or in person). A motion to reconsider the original vote could take place.

The applicant did not appear at the Feb. 2 meeting. About three hours and 21 minutes into the Natick Pegasus recording, Director of Community & Economic Development Amanda Loomis had spoken to the applicant about potential other uses.

“I think it has been agreed that self-storage isn’t the best use for this site,” she said. “But there are some other really good uses that could be considered but that could take time.” These uses would also entail loading and unloading in the back, a topic of discussion during the earlier Board meetings.

The Board’s denial of the original wouldn’t allow for the applicant to return with these potential better uses, though allowing the applicant to withdraw the original proposal would.

In the end, the Board voted to allow withdrawal of the application.

Meanwhile, the recreational marijuana shop, dubbed Redi (from Cypress Tree Management), has finalized its architecture plans and submitted for a building permit in Natick. So construction on that could start soon.

“Our timeline from there to opening will have a number of dependencies including final inspections and approvals from both the Town of Natick and from the Cannabis Control Commission,” says Victor Chiang, CEO of Redi, which has a shop up and running in Newton. “We’re very excited to work through this process as the town and all of its representatives have been a pleasure to work with and have been diligent in helping us through the process.”

Salmon taps medical director

Salmon at Natick, a senior living community on Rte. 9 (Whitney Place), has named Dr. Asif Merchant as its medical director.

Merchant joins Salmon from Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where he works as chief of geriatrics and extended care network, and as a partner of New England Community Medical Services.

In September 2020, Merchant was appointed to Governor Charlie Baker’s COVID Vaccine Advisory Group.

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