Nancy Buffone, a member of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, introduces John Page, Executive Director of the Amherst Business Improvement District (BID), at a Chamber networking event held at The Drake on October 20, 2025.
Buffone, who previously worked with Page at UMass Amherst, shared her admiration for his leadership since joining the BID. “It was such an incredible move for him, and he has been doing amazing work for the BID, for downtown, and for our community,” she said. “I’m just so impressed with everything he’s done in his short time there.”
Live entertainment was provided by John Cabán and Jared Quinn.
Lou Davis, of the Davis Financial Group, which sponsored the event, spoke of being at The Drake as a younger man (Originally, The Drake was a hotel and bar on Amity Street that closed in 1985. After more than 35 years, The Drake returned in 2022 as a live music venue on North Pleasant Street).
“In 1982 or 83, I was at The Drake with my buddies John and Jared here, hearing the blues in the basement,” he said. “If you’d told me then that I would be here sponsoring this 20 years later, I would have laughed at you. But… I’m really happy to be here.”
The event drew a mix of new and established business owners, including Becky Guyer of Floral Affairs in Greenfield who recently opened Floral Affairs 2 in downtown Amherst, and Masuda Abdullah, owner of the newly opened Masuda’s Café.
Among the guests was also Vince Jackson, Executive Director of the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, along with Katie McLaughlin, his Senior Manager of Investor & Community Relations, and Jack Brown, Marketing Director.
The reopened Drake has since become a beloved live music destination with a full calendar of events. Check out their website for more.
