Monthly Newsletter

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April 2024 | In This Issue

• Business Feature: Cheer Up Games
• Billerica-Chelmsford Social Media Campaign Recap
• Billerical Public Library Fundraiser Recap
• Treat Yourself This Summer to... Ice Cream!
• Did you know?

Business Feature: Cheer Up Games

Tell us more about the inspiration behind Cheer Up Games.  

I've loved games all my life. I learned Chess and Poker at a young age, and I even made my own board games way back in the day (they were terrible though!). This morphed into a love of video games that lasted throughout my adolescence. However, I started to see a disturbing trend emerge in my generation. As phones and social media became more ubiquitous, I saw myself and my friends spend many more hours glued to a screen than each other's faces. Despite this, my real-world memories with my friends are still some of my best when I look back. There is just something human about sharing an emotional response across the table versus through a screen. It's just not the same thing and it's a hard thing to admit. The screens ARE addicting. A few years ago (or actually, wow, decades ago at this point), there was a big resurgence in tabletop games that ballooned quickly into a multi-billion dollar industry. During that same time, my friend group got more into them as well. I played Catan for the first time and that was that. I would print out my own custom versions of card games I liked, which turned into me making my own distinct games. What I found was that plopping a new game on the table instantly broke the spell of the phone, and got people to LOOK at each other and laugh again. Unfortunately, with the pandemic burying our heads in screens even more, this has become even more of a challenge. (And by the way, I'm not picking on young people here – my boomer parents are addicted to their phones just as much as I am!) However, my mission is to get people out of their shells, laughing around a table and to actually make memories again. It's amazing how much better it feels in comparison. Today, I have 5 distinct game lines that are in dozens of stores all over the country, and I've sold thousands of copies all over the world! It appears that there are many other people out there who feel the same way I do.

What makes Billerica an ideal place to operate?  

I started the business out of my house when I moved here in 2017. There are quite a lot of game conventions and events that are drivable from the Boston area, so the Northeast is an ideal area to be!

How many people work at Cheer Up Games?  

Just me officially but my friends and family will help out at events when I need some more bodies!   

What is the most rewarding aspect of running your business?  

While I do sell online, you lose some of the feedback that comes with selling directly to customers. We've done dozens of trade shows over the years and teaching new people the games is a blast. Seeing the "light" in their eye when they "get it" is so rewarding. Getting to see a silly idea you had in your head turn into a physical product, and then convincing someone to give you MONEY for that product? And then seeing it on a store shelf?? That is a huge rush! Not many people get to experience that at all in their lives.  

What plans do you have for Cheer Up Games in the next five years?  

There are some extremely big plans in the works and a number of balls in the air right now. Now that I'm past the "hmm, let's see if this works" phase, I'm stepping into high gear and really trying to see what I can do with the brand. I think fear of failure keeps a lot of people from achieving their goals. It can be paralyzing. Your brain tries to talk you out of even bothering. But time flies by no matter what, even if you do nothing. So I like to set big, but realistic, goals, that way, when I actually hit them it gives me a massive boost forward in confidence. The harshest truth of all is that no one will believe in yourself as much as you will, and because of that, ultimately, no one is going to make you do anything. I could stop tomorrow. But that mindset is what keeps me moving forward and actually making progress. I'm the only one that cares enough to make it happen, which means I can do it exactly how I want to. If you think about your goals from that perspective it's actually rather liberating. It helps a lot with imposter syndrome. In any case, in 5 years I am planning on being lightyears ahead of where I even am now, and even where I am now was unfathomable when I started. I believe in what I'm doing now more than ever.

What is the story behind your logo?  

That is my liiiiittle dog Niko. We got him over 10 years ago. My wife (girlfriend at the time) wanted a dog but I was actually against the idea. Now I'm glad that she made me do it. My first game, Cheer Up!, is a word party game that doesn't really have a theme, so I made my dog the logo and made the game all cutesy, because it stood out against all the other adult party games that were in stark black and white on the shelf. The other secret reason is because I dread the day we eventually have to say goodbye to him (he's getting old), so by making him the logo, I've now given him eternal life to bring joy to others, in a sense. Batman was right: a symbol can't ever die (even if they forget the name of the game, they'll remember the dog!) 

Do you have a favorite game?   

I actually don't play as many games as you might expect I do, however my go-to recommendation is Monikers. This is, in my opinion, one of the greatest party games of all time, and it's the game I most wish I came up with!

Billerica-Chelmsford Social Media Campaign Recap

#ICYMI Billy and Lisa from the Billy and Lisa in the Morning Show mentioned both Billerica and Chelmsford in this episode, which are apparently towns that “you never know when you’ve entered and you never know when you’ve left.” We know well that both Billerica and Chelmsford have a rich history and even richer present, so we thought we would show Billy and Lisa what they’re missing out on. We posted a series of Tweets showing how Billerica and Chelmsford have so many exciting things happening! Thank you to Lisa Marrone, Director of Business Development in Chelmsford, for helping us show everyone how great our two towns are. Check out the @BillericaEcDev on X to see what we posted. 

On Friday April 25^th, the Billerica Public Library hosted its annual Evening of Wine Tasting fundraiser! Thank you to the event’s primary sponsor, Georgio’s Liquors, for providing the tasting and the TIPS certified pourers. We also want to thank Enterprise Bank, Frederick A. Ciampa, CPA, P.C., New England Nurseries, Billerica Access Television, and Collective Premium Cannabis for sponsoring the event.

Please join us in giving many thanks to these sponsors, donors, and attendees for supporting the Billerica Public Library! Click here to read more about the fundraiser: https://billericalibrary.org/featured-events/winetasting/ and be sure to check out the Billerica Library’s events calendar for more great opportunities.

On April 21^st, Kayleigh's Premium Homemade Ice Cream had a soft opening just in time for the upcoming summer months. Found at 295 Boston Road, Kayleigh’s serves up a wide menu including dairy-free ice cream, cold brew coffees, and pastries. Hello! Tea is also on site for refreshing boba and bubble teas.

May is here, which means we want to celebrate Historic Preservation Month by spotlighting a preservation success story in Billerica. Just recently, Preservation Mass announced that the Howe School is one of this year’s awardees for the Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award. The Howe School was in a state of disrepair after years of neglect but was recently renovated and reopened in 2022! It was commissioned by Zadok Howe in 1851 and served Billerica as a secondary school for 100 years, highlighting the town’s history of its commitment to serving its residents. In 2002, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was to be occupied as a museum in the late 2000s, but the school remained vacant until 2017.  

Today, the Howe School is a testament to Billerica’s connection to the past and its vision for the future. Using Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds, the Town completed a full renovation and addition in 2022.  Following the renovation, it now includes a new community room as well as archives storage for historic collection. Serving as the home of Billerica Access Television (BATV) it also features amenities like a broadcast studio, a control room, and editing suites. After many years of neglect, this historic building has found a new purpose and by reactivating the space, the Town has ensured its long-term preservation.  

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