SHELBURNE — With the construction of a new office building at 1211 Mohawk Trail, Lewis Goodnow’s two businesses will be united at one location, despite offering considerably different services.

Goodnow and his partner, Jonathan George, are moving George & Goodnow LLC, offering year-round tax services, to a new brick-and-mortar location at the site of Goodnow’s Chip & Putt golf course, which has been in Goodnow’s family for almost 60 years.

“One side is going to be a clubhouse,” George said, “with the new part being a tax office.”

George & Goodnow LLC

George, a certified public accountant and certified financial planner, operated a private business for decades in Shelburne Falls. After two years of Goodnow working for H&R Block, he began working for George. They eventually became business partners, and the new name of George & Goodnow LLC was coined.

They have a large customer base, serving clients locally, nationally and internationally by offering tax services year-round.

George has taken a step back from the business, taking more time for himself during the off-season, and plans to retire to his new home in Ashfield in the near future. At that time, Goodnow will take the reins at the tax company.

“Lewis is an incredibly bright person,” George said. “It is a perfect segway.”

With this change in mind, they decided to construct a new building for the tax office. There will be a large room in the back where the golfing business operates.

Goodnow’s Chip & Putt

Goodnow’s father built the golf course on the marshy land in 1965. He hoped to create a place where people could learn to play golf without the intimidating long distances between holes.

Many decades later, Goodnow’s Chip & Putt remains a beloved location to visit for locals and tourists. The holes range from 20 to 60 yards.

About two years ago, due to poor conditions, the business closed nine of the 18 holes on the course, and lowered the admission price from $8 to $5. Once Edge Hill Golf Course in Ashfield closes and is conserved by Franklin Land Trust, Goodnow’s is set to receive Edge Hill’s turf grass, allowing Goodnow’s to reopen its entire course. The admission price will raise to $10 when the full course opens.

A perfect pairing

The two businesses, while often not associated with each other, both have a seasonal nature and can work well together when timed correctly.

The busy tax season, the two explained, is from February to April. There is work year-round, with different types of organizations having different tax deadlines, but the brunt of the work is done in those months. Summer is the slowest time for taxes.

For golf, the season runs from April to October, with the busiest time being in the summer. Because the two businesses have opposite busy seasons, it allows the pairing to function naturally and gives Goodnow full-time work juggling the two businesses.

“It’s the synergy that makes the business work,” George said.

“This is a great location as well,” George added. He said people can get their taxes done at the office, grab coffee at Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters and play golf at the course behind the building.

Goodnow also explained he is typically forced to close the golf course in November, not having enough customers to keep the course operational with a paid staff member. With the tax office being in the same place as the golf course, he can keep the course open longer without needing to hire additional staff to run it.

Salmon Falls Builders is constructing the building, which is expected to open in November.

Reach Bella Levavi
at 413-930-4579 or
blevavi@recorder.com.