Burt of Burt’s Bees passed away today at the age of 80. My friend Jenn had the opportunity to interview him in 2002. I thought you might enjoy this piece written by Jenn Lord Paluzzi in 2002.
Jenn is a digital editor at The Sun of Lowell and teaches journalism/media classes at Emmanuel College in Boston.
There is absolutely no Grafton angle to this. However, Burt Shavitz, founder of Burt’s Bees, died at the age of 80 Sunday, which led me to dig up this (no longer online but in my archives) story I wrote after a day hanging out with Shavitz at the Bellingham Whole Foods back in December 2002. He was crotchety but friendly, and somewhere I may still have the autographed poster he gave me of himself on a motorcycle.
Copyright December 2002,The MetroWest Daily News
By Jennifer Lord
NEWS STAFF WRITER
In the New England business tradition, there are a few people who are known only by their first names.
Ben and Jerry, ice cream guys.
Barry and Elliot, furniture guys.
And then there’s Burt, and his bees.
His bearded image stares out from the antique yellow labels on his products. Think crusty old Maine farmer, sprinkled with a little Jerry Garcia hipness.
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UPTON DAILY 