Press release submitted by the Bull Run Restaurant
The Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley, MA, a nearly 300-year-old tavern listed on the Massachusetts Register of Historic Buildings, has been awarded $50,000 from the Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Program, a program presented by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express.
This year, 50 beloved restaurants across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands will each receive a $50,000 grant to help renovate and grow their businesses. In addition to funding, Resy, an American Express company, will waive one year of service fees for each grantee to its restaurant management software, ResyOS. The Bull Run is the only restaurant in Massachusetts to receive the grant and one of only three in New England.
“We are thrilled to receive this generous grant and will use the funds to upgrade our ADA entryway as guests come through our front door and step back in time to our nearly 300-year-old Tavern,” said Innkeeper/Owner Alison (Guercio) Tocci. “This grant helps us preserve not just a building, but the living history and hospitality that have connected generations.”
The Bull Run is listed on the Massachusetts Register of Historic Buildings and sits on the property marked as where the men of Shirley gathered to march into Concord and Lexington at the start of the Revolutionary War. The Guercio family of Shirley will celebrate 80 years and four generations of ownership in 2026.
“This funding will help us make our historic Tavern more accessible and welcoming by upgrading our ADA entrance, replacing clapboards, re-bricking the walkway, restoring porch columns and bluestone steps adding iron support railings and capping the existing stone wall with bluestone,” said Tocci.
“What began as a pandemic response five years ago has grown into a powerful movement to preserve the historical restaurants that shape our neighborhoods and connect generations through food,” said Madge Thomas, Head of Corporate Sustainability at American Express. “ Our 2025 grantees reflect the deep-rooted food traditions that define American communities, and we hope these grants spark ripple effects that sustain them for generations.”
“These restaurants demonstrate the power that places hold. For generations, neighbors have gathered here, shared stories, made new connections, and enjoyed regional cuisine that often reflects our nation’s global roots,” said Carol Quillen, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “We’re grateful and proud to join with American Express to help ensure that these meaningful places thrive and continue to serve as vibrant, welcoming spaces for years to come.”
Many of the grantees are family-owned and have operated for generations.
This initiative is part of American Express’s broader Backing Small Businesses grant programs, which also includes the Backing International Small Restaurants initiative.
Now in its fourth year, Backing International Small Restaurants has expanded to France, Spain, and New Zealand in 2025 and is aiming to award $1.45 million to 100 restaurants globally. Together with Backing Historic Small Restaurants, these two programs are planning to provide nearly $4 million in funding and resources to 150 restaurants around the world this year alone.
American Express is committed to supporting small businesses and is the proud founder of Shop Small and the Small Business Saturday® movement, which is now in its 16th year. This commitment extends into the dining industry through American Express-owned platforms like Resy and Tock, which serve over 27,000 restaurants and hospitality venues across the U.S.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic sites, tell the full American story, build stronger communities, and invest in preservation's future. SavingPlaces.org | @savingplaces
ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS
American Express (NYSE: AXP) is a global payments and premium lifestyle brand powered by technology. Our colleagues around the world back our customers with differentiated products, services and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.
Founded in 1850 and headquartered in New York, American Express’ brand is built on trust, security, and service, and a rich history of delivering innovation and Membership value for our customers. With over a hundred million merchant locations across our global network, we seek to provide the world’s best customer experience every day to a broad range of consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, and large corporations.
For a complete list of all 2025 American Express Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grantees, please see https://savingplaces.org/historicrestaurants.
ABOUT THE BULL RUN
Located in Shirley, MA., The Bull Run has operated as a tavern since the 1700s. Today it is a full-service farm-to-table restaurant, event space and live music venue that regularly hosts nationally recognized artists and community events.
For more information, visit: https://www.bullrunrestaurant.com/