Barbara M. Houle
Correspondent
Restaurateurs and brothers, Joe and Ben Kaplan last November bought JPs Restaurant and Pub, a longstanding fixture on Westboro’s dining scene. It’s their fourth restaurant, but who’s counting.
The siblings own and operate Lakeside Bar & Grille in Shrewsbury (six years), Herbie’s in Worcester (four years) and Center Tree Bar & Grill in Rutland (two years).
The rumor in 2019 that JPs owners Joseph (Joe) and Linda Antonio were interested in selling the business first caught the Kaplans’ attention, according to Joe Kaplan. It was just a rumor at that time, he said, and it wasn’t until later in the year when the brothers “stumbled” across the real estate listing that they decided to make an offer despite COVID-19. “Joe and Linda owned the business for 40 years and were committed to it,” said Kaplan. “They weren’t closing it down. They just decided to retire.”