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Bean Restaurant Group Named Restaurant of the Year by Retailers Assoc. of Massachusetts

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Daily News

CHICOPEE — Bean Restaurant Group was named the 2024 Restaurant of the Year by the Retailers Assoc. of Massachusetts (RAM), recognizing the company’s longstanding dedication to hospitality excellence, culinary creativity, and community engagement.

The award was officially presented at a luncheon on Nov. 20 at the Conference Center at Bentley University in Waltham. The event featured a video produced by Jon Almas of Aeropex Creative Media, highlighting the history, team, and dining experiences that have made Bean Restaurant Group a cornerstone of the community.

“This award is a humbling reminder that everything we’re doing is being received well within our communities,” said Nathan Yee, director of Hospitality at Bean Restaurant Group. “It’s an honor to be recognized for creating memorable dining experiences and fostering connections that go beyond the table.”

Founded in 1965 by Johnny Yee with the opening of the Hu Ke Lau in Chicopee, Bean Restaurant Group has built a legacy of culinary excellence and community-focused dining. This dedication was exemplified at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the group stepped in to save the iconic White Hut in West Springfield, preserving the beloved local brand known for its burgers, hot dogs, and milkshakes. The revitalization effort ensured White Hut’s legacy would continue and later included the addition of a second location in Holyoke. Recent additions also include Crush Wine Bar in West Hartford, Conn., a contemporary wine bar with a rotating small-plates menu.

Other standout restaurants include the historic Student Prince in Springfield, famous for its German-inspired menu, and its lively bar sibling, the Wurst Haus in Northampton. The portfolio also features Johnny’s Tavern in Amherst, Johnny’s Bar & Grille in South Hadley, IYA Sushi & Noodle Kitchen in Amherst and South Hadley, the Halfway House Lounge in South Hadley, and Union Kitchen in Connecticut.

The RAMAEs (Retailers Assoc. of Massachusetts Awards of Excellence) were established in 1998 to honor exceptional achievements in the retail and restaurant industries throughout the state. Over the years, the awards have celebrated businesses of all sizes, highlighting their contributions to their communities and the broader industry.

“This recognition is a tribute to our incredible team and loyal guests who have supported us over the years,” Yee said. “We are deeply grateful to RAM for this honor and look forward to continuing our mission of bringing people together through great food and hospitality.”

Andy Yee: An Appreciation

By
Daily News

Andy Yee, who passed away Thursday, was the true definition of a serial entrepreneur. Even though he had a number of businesses, especially restaurants, he was always looking for that next challenge, that next opportunity.

Andy Yee

Andy Yee, 1961-2021

And he took on each project with an abundance of energy and enthusiasm that was as inspiring as it was contagious. And many of his undertakings were not just business ventures — they were game changers in our local communities, difficult yet successful efforts to save institutions such as the Student Prince in Springfield and the White Hut in West Springfield from being relegated to the past tense.

In 2015, BusinessWest named Yee and several of his business partners, including Peter Pan Chairman and CEO Peter Picknelly and Kevin and Michael Vann, as Difference Makers for their efforts to save the Student Prince. And that title certainly suited him. He was a difference maker as a business owner and entrepreneur, as a family man, and as a leader in the community.

As a business writer who interviewed him dozens of times over the past two decades, I was always struck by how energetic he was, how hands-on he was in every endeavor he became involved with, and how he always had one eye on the present and the other on the future, trying to anticipate what was to come and be ready for it.

That is the essence of a leader, and that’s another word that fits Yee like a glove.

His latest endeavor is a restaurant project in Court Square in Springfield, another landmark that needed someone to step forward and give it a new direction, a new future. Yee was part of a large team doing just that.

We sincerely hope this project moves forward. It will be difficult without his leadership, his enthusiasm, and his ability to get the tough projects done. But when it’s complete, it will be a fitting tribute — yet another one — to how Andy Yee had the ability to not only open a business, but change a community for the better, and make a huge difference.

He will be missed.

BusinessTalk with Andy Yee, president of the Bean Restaurant Group

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Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest, in partnership with Living Local, has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Episode 47: Jan. 11, 2021

George O’Brien talks with Andy Yee, president of the Bean Restaurant Group

Andy Yee

BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien talks with Andy Yee, president of the Bean Restaurant Group. The two discuss the ongoing plight of area restaurants as they battle the pandemic, ever-tighter restrictions on their operations, and the onset of winter. They also discuss the various forms of relief restaurants are receiving and whether they will be enough to help them withstand the many challenges they are facing. It’s must listening, so join us on BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Living Local.

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Peter Pan, Bean Restaurant Group Delivering Lunch to First Responders, Health Workers

By
COVID-19 Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Peter Pan Bus Lines​ and the Bean Restaurant Group​ are teaming up deliver lunch to first responders and frontline workers on a Peter Pan bus. The mission is to show support and gratitude to local healthcare heroes while supporting local restaurants. The first delivery will take place Wednesday, April 8, with food provided by Frigo’s.

To donate to the campaign, click here or visit peterpanbus.com/stuff-the-bus-feed-the-fight-western-mass.