ATHOL – Heywood Healthcare has purchased the property at 201 South Main St., the former home to North Quabbin Family Physicians.
The clinic closed its doors early last year following the death of co-founder Dr. Donald Mruk in February 2025. Mruk had served the North Quabbin area for more than four decades.
Heywood purchased the property from MDT Realty Nominee Trust and Colleen Mruk, Dr. Mruk’s widow, for just over $1.1 million. According to the Athol Assessor’s Office, the purchase price was equivalent to the assessed value. Located on just over five acres, the site was first developed as a commercial property in 1950. North Quabbin Family Physicians was founded in the mid-1980s, and the current structure was built in 1990.
“We are going to make it a family medicine and pediatrics practice,” said Danielle LaBarre, director of population health and strategic communications for Heywood Healthcare. “We’re going to fix up the place a little bit, do some work on the inside, and recruit some physicians; we don’t know yet how many.”
LaBarre said specific plans for the facility are still in the works. Heywood’s facilities management team said it’s too early to tell how much will likely be spent on refurbishing the building and no timeline for opening has been established, according to LaBarre.
“I’ve had the opportunity to briefly discuss the plans with Heywood’s leadership,” said Town Manager Shaun Suhoski, “and I’m very enthused about the potential to bring medical services back to this location.”
Suhoski added, “There is also discussion about clinical access for lower income and at-risk populations, which is sorely needed in this region.”