Merrimack Valley Magazine

Generations – Coffee and Conversation

August 3, 2021 by Adam Tokarz

Cigar lovers will no doubt be familiar with Two Guys Smoke Shop, the “highest volume family-owned-and-operated premium cigar shop,” David Garofalo says of the tobacco retailer which he co-founded with his brother, John, who passed away 17 years ago. “My wife, Lori, is accounts payable, and my daughter, Gianna, works in marketing and promotion. My mom still helps out a little — she’s 90 years old now. My uncles have worked for me. Basically, if you’re related to me, you’ve probably put some hours in over the years,” he laughs. The business boasts three New Hampshire locations: Seabrook, Nashua and Salem.

What is less known is what lies on the second floor of the Salem store: Studio 21 Podcast Cafe, a state-of-the-art recording studio where Garofalo’s The Cigar Authority show, which reaches 55,000 weekly listeners, is recorded. Years ago, Gianna inspired the idea for Studio 21 Podcast Cafe when she urged her father to start promoting the family business through social media. This was back in 2010 and, not having been raised in the Internet age, Garofalo admits his initial unfamiliarity with the world of virtual communities. Gianna began to educate him. “The most interesting thing that I found in social media was the podcasting aspect,” he says. Excited about the potential reach and the ability to target a dedicated audience of cigar lovers with marketing opportunities, Garofalo dove in.

“Over time, I learned that podcasting could become a real business in itself,” he says, “We added a stage, we added cameras so that we could be on YouTube and Facebook, we hired a professional producer, we created lighting and a whole studio around it, and we called the studio Studio 21 Podcast Cafe.” The name was inspired by Garofalo’s early days spinning records in nightclubs and a play on the moniker of the famous New York City disco Studio 54. At one point, they employed a barista (hence the cafe portion of the name), so folks could enjoy a latte while watching and listening to a live podcast recording. Due to the studio’s second-floor location, which didn’t lend itself to suitable foot traffic or casual drop-ins, they eventually switched to a Keurig.

Hidden above a cigar store in Salem, N.H., Studio 21 Podcast Cafe is a slick, high-tech podcasting and vodcasting (video podcasting) multimedia center. Chrissy Cunningham and David Garofalo, pictured above, run the operation with the view to helping local talent reach targeted audiences. Garofalo’s own podcast, “The Cigar Authority,” is recorded in front of a live audience and celebrated its ten-year anniversary in 2020.

As Garofalo continued learning the ins and outs of the podcast world, he recognized an opportunity. “We had this beautiful studio here and it was only being used a couple of hours a week.” He decided to open his doors to the public, offering people a professional place to create their own show.

Participants have exclusive access to the production savvy and promotional prowess of Chrissy Cunningham, an Australian-born singer and self-professed tech geek who moved from the Land Down Under to Salem, N.H., after the sudden passing of her husband, who was born in the Merrimack Valley area. “Through his friends and family, I got to meet Dave at the shop,” Cunningham remembers. “We got to talking, and I came up one day and I saw the studio here, and instantly my eyes lit up like a little kid’s. I thought, this is incredible. I said to Dave, if you ever need any help with any of it, let me know. And, from there, he kind of took me under his wing. Everyone here, they’re all like family to me now. And, over time, I’ve become close with many of the podcasters themselves.”

The studio’s programs range in topic from training canines (“The Quirky Dog”) to Merrimack Valley politics (“Paying Attention”) and everything in between. Anyone interested in developing a podcast is offered a 21-minute consultation, followed by coaching, recording expertise and studio time services. But don’t expect to be successful overnight. “We say, don’t think it’s like turning on a light switch and monetization happens,” Garofalo cautions. “We have to first find your niche, build a show, [and] build an audience.”

While COVID hit, some of the talent temporarily stayed away. “We’re having a resurgence now,” Cunningham says. And she’s confident her passion for podcasting will continue to help grow the shows she produces. “I love this kind of stuff. I eat it up. I crave this stuff. I don’t know, it’s like my lifeblood. This is a perfect fit for me.”

Studio 21 Podcast Cafe
Salem, N.H.
(978) 204-9172
Studio21Podcast.cafe

Generations – Side-By-Side

July 27, 2021 by Katie Lovett

Horseshoe Grille Owner Pat Lee Jr. Reflects on Lessons Learned From His Hardworking Parents.

From the time he was a young boy, Pat Lee Jr. had a job to do at his family’s business.

Every Sunday, his North Reading family would attend Mass at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church and then head back to The Horseshoe on Main Street for an afternoon of chores. Lee and his siblings helped — washing down shelves, sweeping and cleaning under the booths.

While his parents, Pat Lee Sr. and Veronica, couldn’t have foreseen that Lee Jr. would continue the family business one day, it was expected that the children would pitch in and help when needed.

While Lee was a high school senior, the legal drinking age in Massachusetts dropped to 18 years old. The first day the law went into effect, a Sunday, instead of heading out with his friends, Lee went to work. He took his first shift as a bartender at the Horseshoe. It was a day he’ll never forget, he says with a laugh, as the regulars threw drink names at him and kept him guessing with their orders.

“They were busting my chops,” Lee says.

His father stood down at the other end of the bar, enjoying the show, he adds.

“He was teaching me a little bit of a lesson,” Lee says. “He humbled me pretty quickly with throwing me to the wolves.”

It’s one of the countless lessons Lee learned from watching his father run the Horseshoe, which he took over about 36 years ago.

“He was revered,” Lee says of his late father. “He related well to the working man because he was one of them.”

Although his son later transformed the old ’Shoe into a popular “polished casual” establishment known for American fare and barbeque, the elder Lee had no interest in frills. His pub sold one menu item, a ham and Swiss sandwich on rye bread, which sold for 95 cents and came with a pickle.

“It was monstrous,” Lee says. “You could hardly get your hands around it, never mind your mouth. There had to be close to a pound of meat on it.”

The native of Ireland came from a hardworking background and led a simple life, Lee says. “He treated everybody with a very high degree of respect and cared for them.” Lee recalls the night a local business burned down. The firefighters were still on the scene extinguishing the blaze when Pat Lee Sr. showed up and handed over a roll of cash to the fire victims to help them get back on their feet.

At times when he was growing up, Lee recalls, he didn’t see his father as much as he would have liked as the elder Lee was always at the restaurant. “When I started working at the Horseshoe,” Lee says, “that’s when I got to know him the best. We were working side-by-side, it was great.”

After Lee took over the Horseshoe from his parents, his father remained a welcome figure.

“I called him Bartender Emeritus,” Lee says, “There was always a place behind the bar whenever he showed up.”

Before the pandemic hit, his mother, Veronica, 93, visited the restaurant weekly, dining with friends and family.

“She keeps her finger on the pulse of things,” Lee says.

The Horseshoe began in 1926 as an apple cider stand. After Prohibition ended, the Horseshoe became a social club. In the 1930s, owner D. P. Murphy’s nephew John Twomey took over The Horseshoe. In 1955 his niece and nephew, Pat Lee Sr. and his wife, Veronica, purchased it. In 1960, Lee Sr. tore down the building and replaced it with the “old” Horseshoe Lounge familiar to a previous generation.

When Pat Sr. and Veronica were ready to retire, Pat Jr. was looking for a career change after spending a decade in corporate sales. He and Kathi, his wife, also a North Reading native, moved back to their hometown in 1985 and became the next generation to run the Horseshoe. The business celebrates its 95th anniversary this year, and while it’s still too early to know if Lee’s children, Jaclyn and Brian, will take the reins, the business is well positioned for the future, Lee says. The family isn’t afraid to change with the times.

“We can’t get stagnant,” Lee says.

Horseshoe Grille
North Reading, Mass.
(978) 664-3591
HorseshoeGrille.com

Generations – The Joy of Movement

July 20, 2021 by Nicole Fasciano

SLS Fitness Offers an Individualized Approach to Whole-Body Wellness

Sherri Laffey Sarrouf long dreamed to use her passion for whole-body wellness and fitness to build an inviting fitness center where people of all ages and demographics would find a home-like atmosphere. With a holistic approach in mind, Sherri took her 20 plus years of experience and knowledge in the strength and conditioning industry and translated it to one of the Merrimack Valley’s most unique and innovative fitness centers — SLS Fitness. Its flagship site is located in Lowell, Mass.

Within a year of opening in 2010, what started as a small, 7,500-square-foot fitness center exploded to 18,000 square feet. From the beginning, it felt as much like a community as a gym — a place where individuals and families feel safe and welcome during their personal wellness journeys. SLS Fitness offers a variety of classes and workout programs tailored to individual needs and goals. Classes and programs include yoga, boxing, mobility, strength and conditioning, MMA and spinning — appealing to everyone from hardcore athletes to seniors. Her pioneering science-based conditioning program, Metabolic Effect, has proved to be one their most popular offerings for those looking to balance their hormonal responses and thus regulate appetite, improve mood and develop strength. Sarrouf has personally studied with Jade Teta, Metabolic Effect’s creator.

Beyond classes and the latest fitness equipment, SLS Fitness also features infrared saunas, chiropractic and corporate services and an organic juice bar. In addition, members have access to rehabilitation programs such as physical therapy, which Sarrouf notes can decrease the chance of injuries and allow for a safer workplace wellness environment.

Sherri Laffey Sarrouf instructs clients at SLS Fitness. Her pioneering and individualized approach to fitness appeals to everyone from hardcore athletes to corporate clients. Sarrouf’s approach continues to evolve — this fall, she’s opening an organic cafe that will bring fresh, healthy food to their flagship location on Chelmsford Street in Lowell.

Sarrouf’s emphasis on primal and ancestral movements, generated from everyday actions like walking, pushing, lifting and bending, serves to limit needless injury — this is something gym rats often forget — and keep the workouts fun and uplifting. Distinguishing the difference between the joy such a holistic wellness approach can have on the body versus modalities that focus on unrealistic fitness patterns, unhealthy dieting and excessive training is something Sarrouf considers critical for long-term vitality.

The center’s character is reflected in the unique look of their facility. After all, members are expected to form realistic and obtainable goals during their journeys. Sarrouf says it is part of her mission to help the 70% of people who may not feel welcome at a traditional box gym. To illustrate this approach, their specialty programs include a boxing program for Parkinson’s patients and one for participants over the age of 65.

That’s not all. Sarrouf is involved in a partnership with Lowell General Hospital’s oncology program, and the SLS Fitness team manages corporate fitness programs and facilities throughout the Merrimack Valley.

When the pandemic started and fitness centers were ordered to close, there was no doubt in Sarrouf’s mind that her 40 employees would not be laid off. Instead, she strived to adapt. She and her team decided to move classes, personal training and programs to a virtual setting.

Beyond the gym, Sarrouf is involved with philanthropic efforts. She is the founder of Fitness for a Cure, which has raised over $6 million dollars for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Accompanied by her son, Stephen, and her daughter, Elizabeth, the family together teach different types of fitness and dances to over 120 kids on the team during these successful fundraising events.

Coming in the fall of 2021 will be the new SLS Cafe, which will offer creative and nutritious organic food options. As she has already accomplished much when it comes to addressing the physical aspect of whole-body wellness, she sees this as a new beginning.

SLS Fitness
Lowell, Mass.
(978) 459-5959
SLSFitness.com

Generations – A New Path

July 13, 2021 by Katie Lovett

Renewal Academy Offers Help for Those Seeking Health and Healing

Katlyn Boucher and her husband, Brandon, have always lived a life of service and wanting to help others.

Seven years ago, Katlyn, a former elementary school teacher, and Brandon, a veteran, were individually struggling with trauma and mental health issues. Each were pointed to a new path that ultimately brought them together and allowed them to heal some parts of themselves that were hurting.

That journey led them to open Renewal Academy in 2018, a center for “Advanced Spiritual Training & Healing.” At the academy, they share those meditation and healing techniques to help others overcome challenges and trauma as they did.

Brandon served in the military for 8 years, returning after Sept. 11, 2001, to serve in Afghanistan for two years. Upon his release in 2003, he struggled with the lasting effects from the war.

“I knew there was something that didn’t feel quite right,” he says. He tried self-medicating and numbing the pain. It was only after he attended the funeral of a friend he served alongside who died by suicide that Brandon says he had a wake-up call. He knew if he continued down the path he was on, he would also end up a statistic. In 2007, he visited the VA clinic and received a diagnosis — he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder like many other veterans who had been in Iraq.

He asked around for a cure and was told his best hope was to “manage” the disorder. As someone who refuses to take no for an answer, he set out to prove that theory wrong. He spent the next few years trying many different types of therapy and medication.

“There had to be something out there that could actually fix this,” he says.

In 2014, he found his answer when a friend invited him along to a meditation class. As he took part in the session, the underlying anger he’d lived with for the past decade since leaving the service dissipated.

“I had a profound experience,” he says. “Literally, I felt peace. It was such a drastic shift — I noticed it immediately.”

He began practicing daily exercises and attending weekly sessions. He began studying the science behind why he was feeling better.

At his next doctor’s appointment when he completed his PTSD symptom checklist, the number was staggering — 19. When he was first diagnosed, it was at 54. This was the first time in 12 years of treating combat veterans that his doctor had seen such a drastic change. She told Brandon to keep doing whatever he was doing and to share that knowledge with other veterans.

He began training to become a healer himself. Through the program, he met his future wife, Katlyn, who got involved to face her own past traumas. After escaping one abusive relationship, she had found herself in another controlling relationship. “Women don’t survive those relationships,” her doctor explained.

Katlyn was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and prescribed medication. Like Brandon, she wanted to know how she could treat those conditions without a lifetime of medication.

“I started thinking, how do I heal what’s underneath the depression,” she says.

After leaving her teaching job, she found herself burnt out, trying to manage her mental health while deciding on her next career move. Her therapist suggested she attend a Life Activation Healing session. She also attended an Empower Thyself class, in which participants connect with their higher life purpose.

“It woke something up in me,” Katlyn says. She realized she would be OK and she would figure things out. Over time, she decided she wanted to learn how to bring this sense of understanding to others.

Seven years after attending the Healers’ Academy training, both Katlyn and Brandon are fully weaned off their medications. Katlyn has come through the other side of the abusive relationships she endured.

They both are certified Healers and Life Activation Practitioners.

“Together we have been this Team of Light to help people,” Katlyn says. They now help those going through struggles as they went through their own. They have seen their clients get new jobs and promotions and start new relationships.

“We get to serve people on a daily basis,” Brandon says. “We show them what’s possible when you align life with your life purpose.”

Renewal Academy
Lowell, Mass.
(978) 710-8860
Renewal.Academy

Generations – The Magic of Childhood

February 22, 2021 by Jenn Lucey

Camp Evergreen and the Value of Getting Back to Nature

In 1981, “Little” Jim Loscutoff convinced his wife, Debby, to leave California. The destination: Camp Evergreen, an Andover day camp opened in 1964 by his father. Last year, Jim’s daughter, Allie, convinced her husband to leave his native France where they’d been living for ten years to join them.

Jim was seven when camp started and was its first registered camper. His daughter, Allie, was at the same age when she started leading campfire songs. During those first days, he remembers his babysitter helping the family send out promotional materials signed by the camp’s larger-than-life founder, Jim Sr., a 6’5” famed former Celtics player who played in seven world championships during his nine-year career with the team.

That first year, they had one hundred campers, a huge success Jim largely attributes to his father’s name. As far as how camp was built, he says, “He was the brawn and my mother was the brains.” To set up in their coveted spot within Harold Parker State Forest, his mom pursued permits and negotiated with neighbors. She was also good with press releases. The physical labor included clearing trees for a makeshift baseball field, building a bathhouse, digging a pool, and setting up a simple tent as a nurse’s station. They’ve upgraded since, but strive to maintain as much of the old structure and charm as possible.

“The point of camp is to have old school fun and get back to the essence of being a kid — the magic of it.”

From the beginning, Camp Evergreen’s purpose has been to let kids be kids in a way that facilitates their naturally adventurous spirits. “We’re the real deal around here,” says Debby, the longtime official “Camp Mom.” Unlike many camps today, who have increased their focus on STEM education, Evergreen usually sticks to … sticks, for kid-made fishing poles. And the stars, in the night sky, or onstage for the Evergreen version of “The Voice.” And the woods, for hiking adventures that supersede video games — especially this past summer when the kids arrived already sick of being stuck at home staring at screens.

In 2020, Jim says it took a little longer to get kids out of their shells but he thoroughly enjoyed their exuberance once it surfaced. He’s a magician and a musician both — fitting for a camp director — and he loved playing guitar during the younger kids’ lunches; they got up and danced. At 64, he’s spending more time in the office than he might prefer, but as Allie takes on more administrative duties, he’ll be able to get out more. “Maybe I’ll get to be the fun guy,” he says. And there may soon be help from the fourth generation, says Jim in lively jest, “My grandson, who’s a little over one, he just can’t reach the gas pedals on the lawnmower yet.”

Allie is deeply proud of her family and the lives touched by their camp. Strangers are always telling her stories about her dad and late grandpa. But they’re not really strangers. Her own fond memories inspire her to preserve Evergreen’s community presence at its fullest. “When I was a kid, we did this Christmas parade,” she says. “We’d get all the kids from camp and decorate a truck. I want to do more like that.”

Allie looks forward to fostering the campers’ love of nature. To her, that’s both environmentally protective and child nurturing. “The point of camp,” she says, “is to have old school fun and get back to the essence of being a kid — the magic of it.”

Camp Evergreen
Andover, Mass.
(978) 475-2502
CampEvergreen.com