Economic & Business Development

Welcome to Beverly!

The City of Beverly is a spectacular location to live, work, play, learn and grow your business. Explore our economic development web page to learn more about Beverly's vibrant economy, many amenities, natural beauty and welcoming neighborhoods. Please get in touch with the Planning and Development Department at 978-605-2344 if you have questions about Beverly, the permitting process, retail/commercial space for sale  or lease, and more.  To artists and all creatives, remember that Beverly has an incredibly active ARTS AND CULTURAL DISTRICT right downtown-a perfect place for you to locate!  

Beverly Profile and Resources

If you are considering starting a business and/or locating your business in Beverly please take a moment to review two brief documents:  (1) a profile of Beverly; (2) a brochure regarding the resources available and the tools you will need to start a business.  Then, please call us, and we will make every effort to answer your questions and help guide you through this process.   We are also very fortunate to have several organizations in the area that hold informational seminars and provide one-to-one assistance with business plan development. Check out the Enterprise Center, the Center for Women and Enterprise, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center and SCORE, to name a few. See the Local Agencies for Business page for additional resource information.  

OTHER IMPORTANT TOPICS

Permits

Building permit, food permit, signage approval, common victualler license, licensing related to sale/service of alcoholic beverages are just some of the permits and approvals that you may need depending on the type of business you own and what you need to do to prepare the location.  Please click on "Permitting and Licensing" in the column to your left for more detailed information.

North Shore Diversity Catalog 2022 edition is now available.  Please click here for the February 2022 issue of the  North Shore Diversity Catalog

It has grown since last year's inaugural edition!!  The  North Shore Diversity Catalog  lists self-identified minority and women-owned businesses (MWOB) in Beverly and several other North Shore Communities.   For the purposes of this catalog MWOB was defined as businesses in the greater North Shore region  with at least 51% of the ownership team falling under at least one of the following categories: immigrant-owned, women-owned, minority-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, veteran-owned, lesbian gay bisexual or transgendered (LGBTQIA) owned, disability-owned business enterprise.  

The City of Beverly's Planning and Economic Development team is working with the City's Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Abu Toppin (atoppin@beverlyma.gov), to bring together  the owners of local minority and women-owned businesses to better understand and respond to their needs and to facilitate networking and the growth of a mutual support system. See the column to the left for topics that may be of interest to you.

Downtown Parking Locations & Fees

The City has created a website, Park Beverly, devoted to parking in the downtown Beverly area in order to make the experience as easy and convenient as possible. Please visit Park Beverly to learn more convenient parking locations and methods of payment, including coins, credit cards and the remote GoParkit app.

Arts and Culture

The City of Beverly, in collaboration with Beverly Main Streets and Montserrat College of Art, established an Arts and Cultural District downtown.  Please visit this link to learn more about the District and upcoming events and activities.

We love our artists and their murals!  Below are just some of the murals here in Beverly.  Note:  The "Black Lives Matter" mural is now on display inside the Beverly Public Library, 32 Essex Street, its new, permanent home!  See link for story in The Salem News.  The mural was also spotlighted by Main Street America.

Featured Resources

• NORTH SHORE LATINO BUSINESS ASSOCIATION- their mission is, in part, to promote and engage in the advancement of the economic, cultural and civic interest of its members, to provide educational and public service to its members, and to develop relationships with other Associations, Organizations, and Individuals. They are a membership organization.  Please check out their website.
• ARTISTS!  Did you know that Creative County (produced by Essex County Community Foundation)  is a website devoted to promoting artists and events.  It will only be successful if you use it.  Please check it out by clicking this link!
• Attention: Massachusetts Life Science Center offering competitive capital programs aimed at workforce development and training, research and development, and manufacturing. Applications available.
• Blue Economy and Innovation: Read this article about a collaborative effort North of Boston focused on sustaining and growing sustainable ocean-based industry in Essex County's coastal communities.
• City of Beverly has a designated opportunity zone (PDF).
• View a map highlighting commercial and industrial zones and points of interest (JPG).
• Beverly Economic Development is starting off 2020 by highlighting the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the group of transportation experts that support the MPO, the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS). The CTPS conducts research and authors reports on issues of critical importance to the communities comprising the Boston Region MPO. Learn more about what they do and the reports and data available via their Information Center.
• The Enterprise Center introduces its Late Winter/Early Spring calendar of informational/educational seminars for existing and prospective business owners. Please take a look at their schedule.