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Community Profile: Stockbridge

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Community Profile Features
Tourism, Nostalgia Help Stockbridge Thrive

Michele Kotek, right, and Stephanie Gravalese-Wood

Michele Kotek, right, and Stephanie Gravalese-Wood say Stockbridge brings tradition and nostalgia to life, but looks to the future as well.

It’s been called the most famous Main Street in America.
And there is little disputing that Stockbridge’s main thoroughfare has earned that distinction. It was cinched in the years and decades after the town’s most famous resident, Norman Rockwell, made it famous in his “Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas” painting, created in 1967.
“If people want to experience that classic New England Christmas, then Stockbridge is the place to do it,” said Stephanie Gravalese-Wood, marketing and communications manager for both the Red Lion Inn and the Porches Inn at MassMoCA in North Adams.
Indeed, that classic experience comes to life annually in a weekend event that takes the same name as the Rockwell painting and celebrates both the artist and the holidays through various family-friendly activities. This year’s 24th edition of the event, slated for Dec. 6-8, will include holiday readings, festive home tours, caroling, a luminaria walk, and the sold-out holiday concert at the First Congregational Church. All events lead to the weekend highlight: the closing of Main Street to recreate Rockwell’s scene, complete with 50 antique cars.
Michele Kotek, innkeeper for the Red Lion Inn, has also been involved with the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce for the past several years; currently she is president of the board. She told BusinessWest that the annual event was launched to help invigorate the holiday season in Stockbridge, and the success is evident, especially for the Red Lion, which is sold out for that weekend a year in advance.
“We [the chamber] have obviously perfected the event, and if you are at all ‘bah, humbug,’ come to Stockbridge and see,” said Kotek, adding that, while the community isn’t shy about celebrating its past, this is definitely not a town where time stands still.
Indeed, the community — as well as those charged with promoting it — are in some ways changing with the times, said Barbara Zanetti, long-time director of the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce, noting that everything from a recently updated chamber website to mobile apps are being used by the chamber and specific venues to make a number of audiences, and especially the younger generations, aware of all that Stockbridge offers.
Jeremy Clowe

Jeremy Clowe says myriad creative initiatives have helped put the Norman Rockwell Museum — and the town — on the map.

However, ever-advancing technology brings challenges along with opportunities. And one of those challenges is cell-phone coverage and GPS identity, said Town Administrator Jorja-Ann Marsden, noting that dead zones are common and GPS searches for many Stockbridge addresses lead to the wrong locations (more on this later).
But despite these difficulties, people are finding Stockbridge, in both a literal and figurative sense, said Jeremy Clowe, manager of Media Services for the Norman Rockwell Museum, where that famous painting of Main Street hangs, along with hundreds of others.
“People want to experience American history and values, and even the name ‘Norman Rockwell’ has become an adjective, as in ‘a Norman Rockwell moment,’” he said, noting that the artist’s work — and the town in general — resonates with younger audiences, and with people from across the country and around the world. “That’s what a lot of people are looking for when they come here.”
For this latest installment of its Community Profile series, BusinessWest turns the spotlight on Stockbridge, where tourism is the main economic driver, and nostalgia has long been the main ingredient in a recipe for success.

Culture Club
Zanetti said that, while most everyone knows that the official address for Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, carries a Lenox zip code, far fewer know that perhaps 90% of the property is in Stockbridge.
And she and others in the community are not shy about reminding people of that.
“In some of the advertisements for Tanglewood, they’re now saying ‘between Stockbridge and Lenox,’ but we do like to get our name in there for sure,” said Marsden, who has worked for the town since 1985. She noted that Tanglewood — in whatever town people believe it’s in — is one of many venues in the Berkshires that make the area a truly regional attraction, with Stockbridge being a key part of that equation.
And the regional approach is certainly one of the strategic approaches being used by those charged with promoting the community and stimulating tourist activity, said Zanetti, adding that Stockbridge, like Lenox, Great Barrington, Lee, and other communities, certainly benefits from its proximity to other popular locations and the large number of true destinations within an hour of each other.
But Stockbridge itself has long been a major draw, said Zanetti, noting that the museum, Main Street, the Red Lion Inn, and, yes, Tanglewood are some of the many attractions that help bring up to 25,000 people to the town (population: 2,000) in the summer and fall.
And these visitors have helped keep Main Street and its small commercial district — just a few blocks in size — thriving, said Marsden. “Tourism continues to thrive in our small business area, and the few times a storefront has gone empty, it hasn’t stayed empty for long.”
Rockwell and the values ever present in his work play a huge role in the town’s vibrancy, said Clowe, noting that the license plates in the museum parking lot are from all over the country, not just Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut, and there are bus tours bringing people from China, Japan, France, and other countries as well.
But while Rockwell still seems to resonate with all generations, it doesn’t hurt to have much more to offer the younger audiences, said those we spoke with, and the regional aspect of Berkshires tourism has been part of this equation.
Tanglewood has added popular talent that is drawing a much younger audience over the past several years, said Clowe, adding that the Solid Sound music series at MassMoCA (the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art) in North Adams, featuring such bands as Wilco, has also brought more young people to the Berkshires — and to Stockbridge.
“I think it’s been some of these initiatives that have been really creative that are helping to get our name on the map,” he said. “People don’t always know where this [the Rockwell museum] is, but we’ve found new ways to market ourselves online and with mobile apps, and maybe it’s a combination of all these things making the younger generations aware.”
Overall, the younger generations are “a different type of person and traveler,” said Zanetti, adding that that individual destinations must adapt and create programming that will appeal to such audiences.
Clowe concurred, and cited, as one example, a recent exhibit at the Rockwell museum — “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic,” which celebrated the 75th anniversary of the famous film. On display from early June until the end of October, the successful exhibit evolved from the personal friendship between Rockwell and Walt Disney and has drawn Disney fans of all ages from across the country.
“Everyone has to work harder and keep things fresh,” said Clowe, adding that, by doing so, Stockbridge and its individual attractions can make nostalgia just one of many selling points.

History Channel
Marsden told BusinessWest that Stockbridge’s problems with cell-phone dead zones (including some stretches of that famous Main Street) and GPS identity are real and somewhat frustrating, although carriers are looking to perhaps add another tower.
“I think it’s just a matter of time,” she said. “We’re continuing to talk to Verizon and AT&T and pushing for that cell service. While we may have a small year-round population, we’re a tourism destination, and our population swells, and for the people that travel here, we really need that cell service.”
But while it waits for that service to improve, Stockbridge will continue to focus on what enabled visitors of all ages to find — and eventually cherish — this community long before anyone knew what the acronym GPS stood for.
“A visit to Stockbridge and the Red Lion Inn is the classic New England experience,” said Gravalese-Wood. “And sometimes innovation is just keeping things the way they are.”
Stockbridge has continued to prove that point for more than a half-century now.

Elizabeth Taras can be reached at [email protected]

Stockbridge Looks Forward, Honors Its Heritage

By Contributor
Town Administrator Michael Canales
Community Spotlight

Stockbridge Looks Forward, Honors Its Heritage

By Mark Morris

Town Administrator Michael Canales

Town Administrator Michael Canales says a number of municipal projects speak to Stockbridge’s progress during the pandemic.

One of Norman Rockwell’s most famous paintings depicts a snow-covered Main Street in Stockbridge. The painting “Home for Christmas” was intended to celebrate small towns all over America, but these days, it’s nearly impossible for modern-day photographers to recreate the artist’s vision without including a constant stream of traffic.

While that might frustrate photographers, Margaret Kerswill is encouraged by all the activity she has seen this summer and into the fall.

“There’s more tourism than I expected to see in Stockbridge,” the board president of the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce told BusinessWest. “It’s rare to go into town and not see it full of people.”

Kerswill said the pandemic encouraged business owners to find creative ways to keep people safe while maintaining their operations — and revenues. Despite the many challenges last year, they’ve largely come back strong.

“As rules and mandates kept changing, our business owners rolled with it,” she said. “It was wonderful to see everyone rise to the top of their game.”

Tri Town Health acts as a regional health department for the towns of Lee, Lenox, and Stockbridge. When the Delta variant of COVID-19 began spreading, Tri Town Health imposed mask mandates for indoor common spaces.

“There’s more tourism than I expected to see in Stockbridge. It’s rare to go into town and not see it full of people.”

Stockbridge Town Administrator Michael Canales appreciates the agency’s work to keep the community as safe as possible. As of Oct. 15, 68% of Berkshire residents are fully vaccinated, while 78% have received at least one dose.

On the job for just over a year, Canales has not yet had the chance to lead the community in the absence of a pandemic. “It will be a little difficult for me to compare what normally happens in town because I have yet to see what normal looks like,” he noted.

Children’s Chime Tower

Repair work will begin next year on the Children’s Chime Tower, a fixture since 1878.

For now, he believes longtime residents who tell him Stockbridge is starting to look normal again. Canales himself has certainly noticed the busy summer and fall seasons, and credits that in part to the return of Tanglewood, which offered a limited schedule for audiences half the size of a normal show.

“Tanglewood is an example of one of the big events that happened as a smaller event for this year,” he said.

Despite the limited schedule, Kerswill said it was important that Tanglewood held events this year. “Tanglewood is integral to the local economy. It provides so many jobs in the area and definitely brings visitors to town for dining and shopping.”

Kerswill also wanted to set the record straight for BusinessWest about “a broad misconception” that Tanglewood is located in Lenox. “The entrance is in Lenox, but nearly 85% of Tanglewood’s land is actually in Stockbridge.”

 

Change and Progress

For several years, Kerswill co-owned Mutability in Motion, a gift shop she ran with her wife, Laureen Vizza. When COVID hit, they made the decision to close the shop.

“We’re working on new endeavors, still keeping our efforts local, but in new areas,” she explained. In addition to starting a personal blog called artmeditationlife.com, Kerswill has become a licensed realtor.

“The real-estate market is doing well — in fact, it’s crazy,” she said, adding that home-improvement services are also coming back strong, as evidenced by long wait times for many home projects.

In terms of municipal projects, Stockbridge added a new highway garage this past spring, though supply-chain issues caused delays in finishing it even sooner.

A current project nearing completion is the Larrywaug Bridge on Route 183. Canales expects this busy connector road will be open by the winter, with finishing touches to be completed in the spring.

“The real-estate market is doing well — in fact, it’s crazy.”

Next year, repair work will begin on the Children’s Chimes Tower, a fixture in Stockbridge built in 1878. Canales said the town has approved funding to refurbish all the internal mechanisms.

“It’s a neat structure, but it needs some tender loving care,” he added. “We’re hoping to make repairs that will keep it playing for the next 50 years.”

Still relatively new in the job, Canales said it’s been exciting to learn about the rich history of Stockbridge. While people all over the world are familiar with Tanglewood, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and the town’s mention in James Taylor’s song “Sweet Baby James,” there are even deeper historical references to be found which Canales said “makes it a fascinating community.”

For example, the town is working on a project to protect old-growth forests, specifically Ice Glen, a ravine in the southeast area of Stockbridge. Its name comes from the many moss-covered rocks with deep crevices that can sustain ice into the summer.

During the time he wrote Moby Dick, Herman Melville lived in Pittsfield and is said to have visited Ice Glen at least once. The Stockbridge ravine is referenced in the novel when narrator Ishmael describes Pupella, a seaside glen, as “a wondrous sight. The wood was green as mosses of the Icy Glen.”

These days, the town is exploring several options to protect the old-growth trees from insects that are causing damage in Ice Glen.

The Chamber of Commerce has joined the effort to help tourists find both famous and lesser-known sites in Stockbridge. As an ongoing project, it has developed and begun installing new signs to help direct people to the many attractions in town. Right now, they’ve been installed downtown, but the plan is to expand the green-and-white signs to more areas of the community.

“We want to help people get around outside the downtown area because there is a lot to see,” Kerswill said. “If someone is here only for a weekend, we want to make sure they can find all the attractions that interest them.”

 

Better Days

While the town navigates the various stages of the pandemic, Canales said he and many others are looking ahead.

“We are staying on top of things and keeping an eye on trends so that when we come out of this, Stockbridge will be in the best possible shape to return to normal, or as close as we can get to normal,” he noted.

Kerswill added that Stockbridge is a place that continues to amaze her.

“Whether we’re going through good times or difficult times, it’s a community that comes together to get things done. I couldn’t be prouder of that.”

Stockbridge Strengthens Role as Regional Draw

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Community Spotlight Features

Community Spotlight

Danielle Fillio says recent projects will boost Stockbridge’s cultural and tourism draws.

Danielle Fillio says recent projects will boost Stockbridge’s cultural and tourism draws.

The Elm Court Estate in Stockbridge was constructed in 1886 as a summer cottage for William Douglas Stone and Emily Vanderbilt, completed a series of renovations in 1919, and evolved into an inn in the ’40s and ’50s, hosting dinners, events, and overnight accommodations. It was eventually placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Nowadays, it’s getting a big boost from Travaasa Berkshire County, which plans to renovate, preserve, and add to the complex in order to create a new resort — and bring in the jobs and tourism that comes with it.

“Elm Court was approved three years ago and held up in land court in Lenox, but now it’s done and moving forward with development,” said Danielle Fillio, Stockbridge’s recently appointed town administrator. “It’s a big resort with a restaurant on site.”

The property sits on the border of Stockbridge and Lenox on Old Stockbridge Road and fits well into the destination marketing of both communities, smallish towns that rely heavily on visits from outsiders to grow their tax base.

“We’re excited about bringing some jobs here, and we’ll have the meals tax, room tax, and more tourists,” Fillio said.

Meanwhile, the Boston Symphony Orchestra broke ground over the summer on a $30 million construction project at Tanglewood, a four-building complex that will house rehearsal and performance space for the Tanglewood Music Center as well as a new education venture known as the Tanglewood Learning Institute — the first weatherized, all-season structure at Tanglewood, which the BSO plans to make available for events beyond the summer months.

“Those buildings will be used year-round, which will help extend tourism through the offseason,” Fillio said, noting that Tanglewood is one of Stockbridge’s main summer draws, but the colder months could use a tourism boost.

Indeed, those two projects are indicative of how much Stockbridge relies on tourism and visitorship for economic development. With a population of just under 2,000, the community doesn’t have a deep well of residents or businesses from which to draw tax revenue, but it does boast a widely noted series of destination attractions, from Tanglewood to the Norman Rockwell Museum; from the Berkshire Theatre Festival to Berkshire Botanical Garden.

The goal, Fillio said, is to complement those regional draws with the kinds of services and municipal improvements that will best serve an older population that values the town’s rural character. And town leaders are striving to do just that.

Full Speed Ahead

Although the issue has been a contentious one, the Select Board, earlier this year, approved the hiring of Fillio, who had been assistant to the previous town administrator for a decade, to her current role. She had been serving in an interim capacity while town leaders mulled a number of options, including partnering with neighboring Lee and Lenox on a shared administrator.

We want to preserve our natural resources while bringing more people here and helping businesses.”

In her now-permanent role, she’s involved with many critical areas of town administration, from budgeting to planning, and she’s pleased with some of the recent progress to improve municipal infrastructure and attract new business.

On the former front, Stockbridge has been successful winning grants to repair a number of bridges in town, including $500,000 from the state’s Small Bridge Program and $1 million from its Small Town Rural Assistance Program to replace the deteriorated, heavily traveled Larrywaug Bridge on Route 183, just north of the state highway’s intersection with Route 102. The project will commence in 2018.

The town’s voters had previously approved a $2.6 million, 20-year bond to finance repairs to eight bridges and roadways in need of restoration. Among them are the Averic Road twin bridges off Route 183, which were closed by MassDOT in the spring of 2016.

Meanwhile, the town is looking to replace its highway garage, which is “currently falling apart,” Fillio said, and is also considering options for the quirky intersection of Routes 7 and 102 at the Red Lion Inn. “We’re going to see if we can raise funds to be able to get an updated study to see what may help us with the traffic there. The last traffic study in that area was in 2004.”

Stockbridge at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1739
Population: 1,947 (2010)
Area: 23.7 square miles
County: Berkshire
Residential Tax Rate: $9.59
Commercial Tax Rate: $9.59
Median Household Income: $48,571
Median Family Income: $59,556
Type of government: Town Administrator; Open Town Meeting
Largest Employers: Austen Riggs Center; Tanglewood; Red Lion Inn
* Latest information available

On the planning front, a visionary project committee was formed several years ago to develop recommendations that could be implemented over the next 20 years. The committee issued a report in 2016 titled “Planning a Way Forward.”

That report noted that residents value the town’s cultural institutions and historic buildings; its open space, recreation sites, and walking trails; and its downtown (although many would like to see additional shops and services, as well as more parking). Meanwhile, they want to see smart housing growth that takes into account the community’s aging population, as well as additional transportation options and better accommodation of walkers and bicyclists.

As a result, the document envisioned a Stockbridge in 2036 that mixes the traditional strengths of tourism, culture, and creative economy with green- and technology-based businesses, food production from local farmers, and agri-tourism. The ideal community would also be less auto-reliant, expanding pedestrian networks, bicycle infrastructure, and regional bus and ride-sharing services.

The report also predicts a socially and economically diverse population that provides equally diverse housing options, from apartments and condominiums to smaller single-family homes, co-housing projects, and historic ‘Berkshire cottages.’ These include a mix of sustainable new construction and repurposed buildings, including the preservation of older homes, along with an increase of people living close to the town center, including mixed-use buildings with apartments over shops to support downtown businesses.

While the overall vision may be ambitious, it encompasses the sorts of goals a town of Stockbridge’s size can reasonably set when looking to move into its next era. To help bring new businesses into this plan, the Planning Board has formed a bylaw-review committee tasked with examining all the zoning bylaws to determine what needs to change to make the town a more attractive place to set up shop.

“We want to preserve our natural resources while bringing more people here and helping businesses,” Fillio said.

Positive Signals

Businesses are certainly cheering the cell-phone tower that Verizon erected on the southern end of the town landfill earlier this year. Previously, half the town had no cell service, and downtown tourists were surprised by the lack of a signal.

“The tower is up and running, and it makes a great difference — if you have Verizon. If you have AT&T, it’s still not a huge help, but there have been talks about possibly having AT&T go up in the tower,” Fillio said. “But you can actually get service at the Red Lion now, which for years was never the case.”

It’s just one way a small town is taking small steps to preserve its cultural character while adding the kinds of amenities demanded by a 21st-century population.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Community Spotlight: Stockbridge

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Community Spotlight Features
Stockbridge Broadens Its Palette of Offerings
Chuck Gillett and Jorja Ann Marsden

Chuck Gillett and Jorja Ann Marsden say town officials and residents alike are adamant about maintaining the historic character of Stockbridge.

In 1967, artist Norman Rockwell told the editors of McCall’s magazine that they could not showcase his work titled “Main Street” unless they let readers know the scene depicted Christmas Eve in Stockbridge, where he lived and had his studio.

Today, the painting is of one of Rockwell’s masterpieces that reflect life in small-town America, and Stockbridge has become a destination for tourists who appreciate its history and character.

“Some people view Stockbridge as the quintessential New England village and come here just to see that,” said Selectman Chuck Gillett.

Jorja Ann Marsden agrees. “A woman from Virginia recently stopped in my office just to tell me how nice it is that we don’t have a single stoplight,” said the town administrator. “She said we should keep things that way.”

Town officials are well aware of the importance of maintaining the town’s charm, and it’s something the Board of Selectmen keeps in mind when making decisions.

“We see ourselves partly as a travel destination,” Gillett said, as he named a list of things to see and do, and spoke about them in detail. They include the Norman Rockwell Museum; Tanglewood (its entrance is in Lenox, but 90% of the grounds are in Stockbridge); the Berkshire Theater Festival; the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Wellness; Chesterwood, the 144-acre summer estate and studio owned by renowned American sculptor Daniel Chester French, who is best known for his statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.; Naumkeag House & Gardens, a 44-room Gilded Age estate built by 19th-century attorney Joseph Choate; and the National Shrine of Divine Mercy.

“Many people drive here purposefully just to go to our museums, see a play, or visit an historic site,” Gillett said, adding that, in addition to attracting tourists, 64% of the town’s residents are second homeowners from New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

Although they all enjoy the town’s ambience and cultural attractions, tourists are often dismayed to discover there is no cell-phone service downtown.

However, the problem is being addressed by the selectmen, and Gillett said it’s important to resolve this dilemma, because, in addition to being an inconvenience, the lack of service poses a significant safety issue. “Our downtown is only one block, but it’s a big problem for people who stay at the Red Lion Inn because they expect to be able to use their phones. But more importantly, we have had situations where police, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians needed to communicate via cell phones and were unable to do so.”

Historic Preservation

Gillett and Marsden agree that town officials and residents are adamant about maintaining the historic character of Stockbridge.

That principle was one of the major reasons why the selectmen voted unanimously in September to issue a special permit to allow Denver-based Travassa Experiental Resorts & Spas to add a four-story wing to Elm Court on 310 Old Stockbridge Road.

Gillett explained that Travassa plans to preserve the historic integrity of the palatial, Gilded Age mansion, which it purchased for $9.8 million in 2012, with plans to transform it into an elaborate, high-end resort/spa with a restaurant. The estate, which sits on close to 90 acres and is situated in the northeast corner of town, hearkens to a time when wealthy families built cottages in the Berkshires and used them as summer homes.

“Andrew Carnegie and George Westinghouse lived here, and there are about 15 similar homes in Stockbridge and Lenox,” Gillett said, noting that Elm Court was built in 1885 by William Douglas Sloane and Emily Thorn Vanderbilt.

The estate remained in the family until 2012, but Gillett said it was unoccupied from the early ’70s until 2002, when Vanderbilt descendants Robert and Sonja Berle began restoring it. “They ran a bed and breakfast there,” he noted.

But when the couple put the estate on the market, many townspeople feared it would be torn down, which has been the fate of several similar cottages. Although Gillett said the Berle family was committed to finding a buyer who would use it for an appropriate purpose, the property was on the market for about five years before it was sold.

Still, the proposal to turn it into a hotel evoked some controversy. “About 200 people attended a meeting held by the selectmen to discuss the proposal. They didn’t think we should grant the permit because they believed the hotel would be too big and would create too much traffic,” Gillett said.

After much consideration and three separate hearings over a four-month period, however, the selectmen agreed to issue Travassa the permit it was seeking.

“The majority of residents felt it was a positive project. They wanted to see the cottage saved and hoped to prevent it from being turned into multi-housing units. But we had to create a special, cottage-era estate bylaw so they can build the annex,” Gillett said, noting that 16 of the resort’s rooms will be inside Elms Court and 80 will be in the new building.

The project is expected to cost $50 million, and Travassa still needs to seek approval from Lenox officials, because the driveway and about 50 feet of the road in front of Elms Court are located in that town.

“We see it as another business in Stockbridge that will be significant,” Gillett noted. “The hotel and spa will bring new tax revenue to the town and will also generate economic activity for Stockbridge and Lenox because it will create jobs and bring tourists here who will frequent our shops and restaurants and visit our cultural attractions.”

Other efforts to improve Stockbridge include $500,000 of infrastructure work to enhance the downtown area.

“Last year, Main Street was repaved and a bike lane was added along two blocks that run from Route 7 and Route 102 to the Red Lion Inn,” said Marsden. “This year the other end of the street is being repaved. The area extends from the Red Lion Inn to the First Congregational Church of Stockbridge.

“The town also invested $150,000 of taxpayers’ money in new sidewalks because the ones downtown were dangerous,” she went on. “They had been undermined by frost heaves and tree roots, and we felt it was an important safety issue.”

And then, there are the ongoing efforts to bring cell-phone service downtown. Lack of it has become a safety issue in the community, said Marsden, who cited two recent examples.

“In one instance, a man fell off a roof and hit his head on a rock; his co-workers had to run a block to get to the police station because they couldn’t use their cell phones to call for help,” she said, adding that a similar scenario occurred when a driver hit a bicyclist near the fire station.

“We have also had power outages which had the potential to create problems for our elderly citizens who rely on their cell phones to get help if they have an emergency,” she went on.

In the past two years, Gillett said, town officials have contacted cell-phone service providers and encouraged them to install a tower that would provide service to the downtown district. They also hired an engineer to examine a portion of the town landfill to determine if it would be a suitable location. Since there is no electricity on the property, National Grid was brought to the site, and a representative told town officials it will cost $400,000 to install underground electric lines, which are needed for the tower to operate.

But the site has been deemed appropriate, and on Oct. 8, the selectmen passed an article that will allow a tower to be built on the property.

“We’ve put out a request for proposals; they’re due Nov. 19, and we hope to have service downtown by the end of next summer,” Gillett said. “The tower won’t be visible and will have a positive effect on the health and safety of our residents, as well as the tourists who shop downtown.”

Marsden added that expanded cell-phone service will also benefit home-business owners who need to stay in touch with their clients during a power outage.

However, this is not the only step the town has taken to promote safety. Last year, officials purchased a $470,000 rescue vehicle that is fully equipped with the Jaws of Life, as well as medical and stabilization equipment, including foam to extinguish fires.

“We put aside money for four years until we could afford to purchase the vehicle,” Gillett said, adding the selectmen believe it is important to be proactive in matters that affect the health and safety of residents. “We owned some rescue equipment before we made the purchase, but it was kept at a number of different sites,” he explained. “Now it’s all in one place, and the rescue vehicle has already been put to use.”

Continued Progress

Marsden said town officials are determined to preserve the historic charm of Stockbridge, while taking steps to keep up with the times.

“We are a very small community and want to maintain our small-town feel as well as the historic integrity that exists here. But we are looking toward the future,” she said.

Gillett agreed. “It’s important to us to maintain our reputation as the quintessential New England village in a typical New England setting. But we will continue to do all we can to maintain the safety of our residents, as well as the visitors who come to our town.”

Stockbridge at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1739
Population: 1,947 (2010)

Area: 23.7 square miles

County: Berkshire

Residential Tax Rate: $11.12

Commercial Tax Rate: $11.12
Median Household Income: $48,571 (2010)

Family Household Income: $59,556 (2010)

Type of government: Open Town Meeting
Largest Employers: Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, National Shrine of Divine Mercy, Red Lion Inn

* Latest information available

Stockbridge Mixes Progress with Timelessness

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Margaret Kerswill (left) and Laureen Vizza
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

Margaret Kerswill (left) and Laureen Vizza

Margaret Kerswill (left) and Laureen Vizza in front of their Main Street shop, Mutability in Motion.

Margaret Kerswill has a couple of good views of Stockbridge’s business community. One is as president of the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce. The other is from her storefront window on Main Street.

“I think there’s a real appeal that’s well-defined in our town’s tagline, which is ‘a quintessential New England town.’ It feels small; it feels intimate,” said Kerswill, co-owner with her wife, Laureen Vizza, of Mutability in Motion, a downtown store that sells crafts handmade by artisans from across the U.S., many of them local.

“There’s a connection between people in town,” she went on. ‘When you walk through town in the morning, just about everyone says ‘good morning’ to you. There’s a very nice atmosphere about Stockbridge.”

Still, outsiders often peg the community as a tourist destination — which is certainly is — and not much else, and are surprised to find a bustling local economy that doesn’t shut down during slow tourism seasons.

“I know being in my shop, a lot of the visitors who come, who have never been here, are often surprised to see businesses stay open year-round,” Kerswill said. “When they visit other tourist areas at the beginning and end of the season, a lot of those restaurants and shops close down. We’re a small town, so most of our foot traffic is in the summer season, but we’re still here year-round, serving local regulars.”

Still, Stockbridge relies heavily on tourism and visitorship for economic development. With a population of just under 2,000 — ranking it in the bottom sixth in the Commonwealth — the community doesn’t have a deep well of residents or businesses from which to draw tax revenue, but it does boast a widely noted series of destination attractions, from Tanglewood to the Norman Rockwell Museum; from the Berkshire Theatre Festival to Berkshire Botanical Garden.

Other attractions continue to emerge as well, including the oft-delayed Elm Court project by Travaasa Berkshire County, which will turn the historic Elm Court Estate into a resort featuring 112 hotel rooms, a 60-seat restaurant, and a 15,000-square-foot spa.

The property, which sits on the border of Stockbridge and Lenox on Old Stockbridge Road, was constructed in 1886 as a summer cottage for William Douglas Stone and Emily Vanderbilt, completed a series of renovations in 1919, and evolved into an inn in the ’40s and ’50s, hosting dinners, events, and overnight accommodations. It was eventually placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The project to renovate it began six years ago when Front Yard purchased the estate from the Berle family, who had run a boutique, wedding-oriented hotel there from 2002 to 2009. Eight neighbors appealed the 2015 approval of the resort by the Lenox Zoning Board of Appeals, but the Massachusetts Land Court eventually ruled in favor of the developer, Front Yard LLC. This past summer, Front Yard asked the Stockbridge Select Board for — and received — an extension of the permit which would have expired last month. Construction is expected to begin in the spring.

Meanwhile, the Boston Symphony Orchestra is developing a $33 million construction project at Tanglewood, a four-building complex that will house rehearsal and performance space for the Tanglewood Music Center as well as a new education venture known as the Tanglewood Learning Institute — the first weatherized, all-season structure at Tanglewood, which the BSO plans to make available for events beyond the summer months.

“We really are an amazing cultural center here, between the visual arts and handcrafted arts and crafts,” Kerswill said. “We’ve got music, dance, and theater with amazing summer-stock casts. On one hand, we have the feel of country living, but we have the convenience of Manhattan two hours away, Albany 45 minutes away, Boston two hours away, and all the culture in our immediate area. It’s remarkable. That’s why I’m here — the culture and the arts.”

Community Ties

As chamber president, Kerswill leads a member base that’s smaller than most chambers, but “strong and loyal,” as she called it.

“We do some chamber-related functions to connect,” she said, “and we also have tri-town chamber mixers with people from Lenox and Lee, where we get together and share experiences in an informal setting over cocktails for a couple hours.”

Margaret Kerswill

Margaret Kerswill

“We really are an amazing cultural center here, between the visual arts and handcrafted arts and crafts. We’ve got music, dance, and theater with amazing summer-stock casts.”

The chamber also presents an annual event to honor members and businesses, alternating between an individual one year and a company the next. On top of that, it puts on two major events. One is the three-day Main Street at Christmas festival — slated this year for Nov. 30 through Dec. 2 — which brings thousands of people into town with activities for families and children, concerts, caroling at the Red Lion Inn, and self-guided house tours. On Sunday, Main Street closes down for several hours, antique cars are brought in, and the strip transforms into a scene straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting.

That follows a summer arts and crafts fair each August, a weekend-long event that always sells out its vendor capacity, she said. “There’s no entry fee for patrons, and people freely walk around and come and go as they please. That brings a lot of people to town, at a time when summer is winding down and there’s less traffic.”

Stockbridge at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1739
Population: 1,947 (2010)
Area: 23.7 square miles
County: Berkshire
Residential Tax Rate: $9.76
Commercial Tax Rate: $9.76
Median Household Income: $48,571
Median Family Income: $59,556
Type of government: Town Administrator; Open Town Meeting
Largest Employers: Austen Riggs Center; Tanglewood; Red Lion Inn
* Latest information available

Not wanting to rest on its laurels when it comes to its status as a desirable town for tourists and residents alike, a visionary project committee was formed by Stockbridge officials several years ago to develop recommendations that could be implemented over the next 20 years. The committee issued a report in 2016 titled “Planning a Way Forward.”

That report noted that residents value the town’s cultural institutions and historic buildings; its open space, recreation sites, and walking trails; and its downtown (although many would like to see additional shops and services, as well as more parking). Meanwhile, they want to see smart housing growth that takes into account the community’s aging population, as well as additional transportation options and better accommodation of walkers and bicyclists.

As a result, the document envisioned a Stockbridge in 2036 that mixes the traditional strengths of tourism, culture, and creative economy with green- and technology-based businesses, food production from local farmers, and agri-tourism. The ideal community would also be less auto-reliant, expanding pedestrian networks, bicycle infrastructure, and regional bus and ride-sharing services.

The report also predicts a socially and economically diverse population that provides equally diverse housing options, from apartments and condominiums to smaller single-family homes, co-housing projects, and historic ‘Berkshire cottages.’ These include a mix of sustainable new construction and repurposed buildings, including the preservation of older homes, along with an increase of people living close to the town center, including mixed-use buildings with apartments over shops to support downtown businesses.

While the overall vision may be ambitious, it encompasses the sorts of goals a town of Stockbridge’s size can reasonably set when looking to move into its next era.

Blast from the Past

Kerswill, for one, is happy she and Vizza set up shop in Stockbridge — right next to the Red Lion Inn, in fact, which is in many ways the heart of the downtown business culture.

“It’s a great experience being in downtown in Stockbridge,” she told BusinessWest. “We don’t have any chain stores or restaurant franchises. We are all independently owned, and the chances are good, when you pop into one of our stores, that you’re going to be meeting the owner. It becomes a very personal experience because of that.”

As for the Red Lion itself, “it’s cozy and intimate,” she went on, “and they’ve modernized with things that people expect, like wi-fi, but you still get a real, old-fashioned experience, and I think people really crave that. I know I do.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Stockbridge Evolves While Retaining Its Character

By
Community Spotlight Features

Community Spotlight

Chris Marsden and Stephen Shatz

Chris Marsden and Stephen Shatz say the new solar farm on the town’s capped landfill will generate revenue as well as green energy.

 

The idea of change in Stockbridge might seem antithetical to its nature, because the town’s economy is centered on tourism driven by its quintessential New England charm.

Indeed, thousands of people flock to Stockbridge each year to frequent its quaint downtown shops or visit iconic attractions that include Tanglewood, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.

But change has taken place in the town in recent years. Some of it has been unplanned, while other measures have been carefully crafted to retain its ambience, while keeping up with the times.

“Between 1996 and 2010, our population decreased by almost 25%, and the median age went from 39 to 55, which we now think is over age 60,” said Select Board member Stephen Shatz. “Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life in Berkshire County, and even though we don’t have all of the tools we need to respond, we are trying.”

To that end, the town has taken a proactive stance to find ways to keep pace with technology and continue to provide police, ambulance, and fire services to its 1,800 year-round residents as well as its second homeowners and the 7,000 visitors who add to the population every week during the summer.

The cost for those services is high, but Stockbridge has taken a piece of seemingly useless property — its capped landfill — and put it to use in ways that will generate new income as well as green energy.

The first project is a cell-phone tower that Verizon is erecting on the southern end of the landfill. It should be completed next spring and will make a significant difference because 50% of the town has no cell service and downtown tourists are often surprised when told they have to walk uphill to use their phones.

Shatz said some businesses, including the Red Lion Inn, have put in boosters to help with the problem, but the lack of service also presents a public-safety issue as police officers and first responders need to communicate via cell phones when a problem or emergency occurs.

Shatz has been working on the issue for three years, and says town officials were pleased to have Verizon win the bid to build the cell tower.

He added that Verizon spent almost $400,000 to rebuild a 1,500-foot road to provide access to the southern end of the landfill where the new tower is under construction. Underground circuits were also installed; excavation began recently, and plans are in place to complete construction this winter and have the tower operational by April, although inclement winter weather could affect the schedule.

“Verizon has been a wonderful partner in this venture,” Shatz said, adding that Stockbridge will receive $24,000 in rent annually for the next 20 years for the land, plus half of any co-location income received from other cellphone carriers who use the tower.

The access road, which was completed in early October, made a second project possible on the capped landfill, which is also under construction.

Ameresco is building a 900,000-kilowatt solar facility and when it’s complete, the town will receive rent from the company for 20 years as well as net-metering credits.

Shatz noted that crews have been working weekends to ensure the solar facility is mechanically connected to the National Grid’s power grid by Jan. 8, which is the deadline for federal and state tax incentives.

Stockbridge Facilities Manager Chris Marsden has visited the site daily since work began in August and says the project has been complicated by regulations associated with a capped landfill.

“But the Department of Environmental Protection has been very helpful in making the positive reuse of this land possible,” he said. “They have offered us advice and information about how to proceed so we don’t damage the cap and maintain standards that have to be upheld.”

He described the reuse of the landfill as an unusual venture.

“The property couldn’t have been used for recreation or development, and was costing the town money to maintain. But we have turned it into a valuable piece of land that will generate revenue from the leases and net-metering credits, which is icing on the cake,” Marsden told BusinessWest.

Shatz added that every square foot of the landfill has been put to use.

“It’s also important to have Stockbridge become part of the effort to produce renewable energy; we’re a green community and will be the first town in the Berkshires to finish a solar project,” he said, noting that the town’s Green Committee, led by Laura Dubester, received a $140,000 state grant last year to insulate public buildings and continuously work to find funding for green projects.

New Pathways

Stockbridge has six bridges in need of major repairs, and a plan is being formulated to address the problem. Several are on Route 183, a well-traveled corridor that connects Great Barrington and Lenox, continues into Stockbridge, and runs past the main gate to Tanglewood before continuing on toward the Norman Rockwell Museum and the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.

“Mass DOT has downgraded one of the bridges every year for the past five years and has restricted access to heavy vehicles on it,” Shatz said, explaining that the town needs six bridges because the Housatonic River runs through it, as do a number of streams.

“We’ve underfunded infrastructure in the past and are paying the price for not having banked money for it. It’s an important issue because, when a bridge fails here, it’s more than an inconvenience, it’s a loss of revenue for our cultural institutions,” he continued. “They provide employment and the tourist dollars that float the Stockbridge boat. Tanglewood alone has a $50 million economic impact on the region, which is very significant.”

A special town meeting will be held next month to authorize spending $2.6 million to repair the bridges, which would be funded through a bond.

“It will cost $1 million in engineering expenses to reconstruct three of the bridges, but we hope to do that next year,” Shatz said, adding that the town will apply for a state grant to make needed repairs to the largest bridge after the engineering report is complete, and further work will be planned for the future.

Raising revenue and cutting costs are two items that rank high on the town’s priority list, and a joint meeting recently took place with the towns of Lee and Lenox to discuss the viability of sharing a town administrator.

In late July, Jorja Ann Marsden retired from her position of town administrator after 31 years of public service. Her position was filled temporarily several months ago when Danielle Fillio was promoted from administrative assistant to interim town administrator, but the future of that position is a matter of speculation.

“There has been a fair amount of disagreement over the idea of sharing a town manager; it’s a contentious issue because some people fear the loss of Stockbridge’s identity,” Shatz said, explaining that a public meeting will be held Jan. 9 to discuss the issue. Discussion could determine whether it is on the agenda at the annual town meeting in May.

He noted that the combined population of the three towns is 12,000, and sharing a town administrator would allow them to hire a full-time finance director and a planner/grant administrator, which none of the communities can afford on their own.

Several years ago, forward-thinking town officials decided the town needed to come up with a plan for the future. To that end, a Visionary Project Committee was formed and two planning consultants were hired to help develop a set of recommendations that could be implemented over the next 20 years and possibly lead to the creation of a new master plan.

The committee issued a report in May titled “Planning a Way Forward” and presented it to the all-volunteer Planning Board.

“It’s important as Stockbridge’s last master plan was completed in 1996, and the time has come to evaluate changes that have taken place or need to be made,” Shatz said.

The report includes input from several public meetings where a wide variety of topics were discussed. Common themes included the need to improve traffic flow and parking downtown as well as to increase transportation options.

The importance of luring new businesses as well as attracting and retaining young people and families were other key elements mentioned in the report.

Planning Board Secretary Jennifer Carmichael said a public meeting was held after the report was made public. In addition, several business owners and residents scheduled meetings with the board to discuss matters that concern them.

“We’re also still getting input from town officials,” Carmichael said, noting that, when the process is complete, the Planning Board will decide how to proceed with the recommendations in the report.

But positive change continues in town. A $4 million renovation to Stockbridge Library, Museum and Archives was completed last spring, and people from nearby towns have been taking advantage of new programs and activities, along with state-of-the-art improvements that include a new multi-purpose room in the main part of the building that holds 35 people.

“The library is absolutely exquisite, and its offerings include a cooking club, book club, speaker series, and expansion of the children’s programs,” Shatz said, explaining that the library houses historic artifacts, dates back to the darkest days of the Civil War, and was started by a group of public-spirited men who believed it was central to the life of the town.

Into the Future

Although Stockbridge is a great place to live and visit, its leader say, the town lacks employment opportunities needed to attract and retain young people.

“We don’t have jobs, so we have find a way to manage our resources better,” Shatz said.

Officials are doing their best to make that happen, and hope revenue from Verizon’s cell-phone tower and the Ameresco solar farm, combined with infrastructure improvements, will help to resolve their challenges without disturbing the character that has made Stockbridge a destination people return to time and time again.

 

Stockbridge at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1739
Population: 1,800
Area: 23.7 square miles
County: Berkshire
Residential Tax Rate: $9.59
Commercial Tax Rate: $9.59
Median Household Income: $60,732
MEDIAN FAMILY Income: $65,469
Type of government: Town Administrator; Board of Selectmen; Open Town Meeting
Largest Employers: Tanglewood; Norman Rockwell Museum; Red Lion Inn
* Latest information available

Stockbridge Boasts Local Flair, Year-round Activity

By Kayla Ebner
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

Margaret Kerswill (left) and Laureen Vizza in front of their Main Street shop, Mutability in Motion.

When Margaret Kerswill talks about her favorite part of the town of Stockbridge, she doesn’t mention a restaurant or the relatively low property-tax rate — she talks about the positive vibe and sense of community in town.

Although Kerswill’s favorite local shop is undoubtably Mutability in Motion, a store she owns with wife Laureen Vizza that sells crafts from more than 50 artisans in the U.S., the first thing she mentioned was the culture of the town.

“That’s the absolute joy of Stockbridge itself,” she said. “You see it in every aspect of Stockbridge, whether you’re just out and about for your daily activities like going to the post office. Doing those normal, daily things, you bump into people all over the place.”

And Kerswill experiences this sense of community in more ways than one. As president of the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce, she regularly attends meetings and finds that several town residents show up consistently, contradicting the typical stereotype for chambers of commerce.

“It’s a great force in the town,” she said. “The more members we have, the more feedback we get, and the more people who can take part in town meetings. It gives us a bigger voice, and it helps us when we come at this as a collective rather than trying to do all the same things, but as individuals.”

She joined the chamber soon after opening her business in town as an opportunity to be a part of a broader marketing reach, hoping to create relationships with other local businesses in town.

“The chamber has a much broader marketing reach than I might as an individual business,” Kerswill told BusinessWest. “Because of that much broader marketing reach, when the businesses come together and support the chamber, it can reach even further because those member dollars increase our marketing budget and increase our ability to interact with the town.”

When thinking of a small town that relies on tourism to support its economy, one might assume it turns into a ghost town during the winter months. But this is not the case for Stockbridge. In fact, this close-knit town provides plenty of museums, historic sites, and other activities for those who live there and visitors alike, and most don’t close down during the offseason. While summer and spring typically see the most tourism, Stockbridge still has plenty to offer during the other months of the year.

“We are a town that’s open all year long; nobody closes seasonally,” said Kerswill. “All of our shops are independently operated, and they’re all mom-and-pop shops. Everybody carries something you need; we try not to overlap what we sell. We all have different missions.”

Year-round Fun

And these missions all provide different forms of entertainment, 365 days a year.

Barbara Zanetti, executive director of the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce, noted that, while Stockbridge currently relies on tourism, the chamber is constantly looking for ways to grow the town and slowly move away from that necessity.

“We are a small community with just under 2,000 residents, but we have so much to offer as far as culture,” she said.

Along Main Street alone, one can find the Stockbridge Library, banks and real-estate offices, the Red Lion Inn, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the Austen Riggs Center, the Mission House Museum, and many more.

Stockbridge at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1739
Population: 1,947
Area: 23.7 square miles
County: Berkshire
Residential Tax Rate: $10.13
Commercial Tax Rate: $10.13
Median Household Income: $48,571
Median Family Income: $59,556
Type of government: Town Administrator; Open Town Meeting
Largest Employers: Austen Riggs Center; Tanglewood; Red Lion Inn
* Latest information available

Among the most popular is the Norman Rockwell Museum, which celebrates 50 years of exhibits this year. The museum holds the world’s largest and most significant collection of Rockwell art, and provides educational opportunities for those who are interested in learning more about the universal messages of humanity and kindness portrayed in his work.

Another popular destination is Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and one of the world’s most beloved music festivals. The 2019 Tanglewood season included everything from performances by the Boston Symphony Orchestra to showcases for up-and-coming artists.

During the warmer months, outdoor activities abound, Kerswill noted, and suggested visitors take a moment to explore nature in and around Stockbridge.

“Bring your kayak up here, get out on the water, and just let your body de-stress for a couple of hours,” she said. “And then take in the surroundings.”

The natural resources, hiking, and beauty of the countryside are a few things that Zanetti says consistently keep people coming to the area, in addition to the arts and cultural aspects that draw a steady flow of visitors.

And though some activities may slow down during the offseason, Kerswill said few close during the colder months. “There’s just this amazing bit of culture that happens. Whether you live here or whether you’re visiting, you will find something regardless of the time of year.”

Best of Both Worlds

While Stockbridge has the feel of being in the countryside, Kerswill says anything a person could need is only a short drive away.

“We like the small-town New England feel, but you’re also not too far from all the conveniences you need,” she said. “It’s like this illusion of living in the country, but you’re surrounded by everything you need, so nothing is really inconvenient.”

All it takes, she said, is a little bit of research to find a plethora of activities to explore in town.

“I think, unless people really get to know the town, they don’t really realize just how much there is here,” she said. “It’s the best of both worlds, for sure.”

Kayla Ebner can be reached at [email protected]

Stockbridge Addresses Change in Myriad Initiatives

By
Community Spotlight Features

Community Spotlight: Stockbridge

Leslie and Stephen Shatz

Leslie and Stephen Shatz stand outside the historic Stockbridge Library, which is undergoing a major renovation.

Stockbridge became known for its quintessential New England charm after it was depicted by artist Norman Rockwell in a masterpiece titled “Main Street.”

The town is also known for its cultural offerings, which include Tanglewood, and Stockbridge has become a destination for people who appreciate its unique character. But, despite the fact that hotel-room occupancy was up 5.3% this summer, cell-phone service is extremely limited and available in just a few locations.

In fact, Selectman Stephen Shatz said it’s not unusual for him to be asked by tourists who are shopping downtown where they can go to use their phones. “They come here with the expectation that they will have cell-phone service, and you can see them on the streets hunting for a place where they can find it,” he told BusinessWest.

That problem will soon be solved, as Verizon is in the process of installing a cell-phone tower on the town’s capped landfill.

“We’ve completed the local part of the permitting process,” Shatz said, explaining that, two years ago, the Board of Selectmen proposed a zoning bylaw to permit the tower to be erected, which received a favorable vote at a town meeting last year. He added that town officials were quite pleased to have the well-known, licensed FCC carrier win the bid because the law requires the company to provide up to four co-locations for other cell-phone companies. “We also negotiated the right to put up municipal public-safety antennas on the tower, although there are no plans to do that at the moment,” he noted.

Preliminary work is expected to begin in March, which will involve installing electricity and a landline at the site. Construction of the actual tower will start next summer, and “by this time next year we should have cell service in town,” Shatz said.

It’s one of a number of measures officials are taking to keep pace with changes in society and allow the town that always appears frozen in time to be anything but.

“Many people have an image of Stockbridge that is immutable. They think of it like the Norman Rockwell portrait, but change does occur, even when you do nothing,” Shatz said.

He explained that, in addition to advances in technology, which require infrastructure to support them, the town’s population has grown smaller and considerably older, which presents a number of intriguing challenges.

“The town has changed. Between 1996 and 2010, our population decreased by almost 20%, and the median age went from 31 to 55,” he told BusinessWest. “Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life in Berkshire County, and even though we don’t have all of the tools we need to respond, we are trying.”

Three years ago, Shatz also came up with the idea to take a new look at other measures that will help the town move into the future and meet the needs of residents and tourists, who are vital to its economy. To that end, a committee has been formed for a Visionary Project that could lead to a master-planning process.

“The last master plan was completed in 1996, and although it was supposed to be looked at every five years, that never happened,” Shatz explained.

One of the first steps will be to initiate a discussion with residents about services they need and want and how the town can provide them. “About 60% of our residences belong to second-home owners. It’s pretty significant because we get income from the taxes they pay, but these people aren’t actively involved in the community. They participate in our cultural and community activities, but they can’t vote, and we are trying to find ways to involve them in our ad hoc committees,” Shatz said.

Since their input is critical to the Visionary Project, the 10-person committee, chaired by Shatz, includes two second-home owners as well as people born in Stockbridge and those who moved there recently.

“We need a different model and want to increase public awareness about our challenges,” he said, adding that the town appropriated $25,000 to fund the initial phase of the project.

Capital Ideas

Leslie Shatz (Stephen’s wife) is a trustee of the Stockbridge Library Assoc., head of its development committee, and a member of its capital campaign steering committee, which was formed four years ago to raise funds to renovate and revitalize the town’s private, nonprofit library and museum. “It contains more than 500 artifacts along with artwork and detailed records of the town’s history,” she said, adding that the renovations were prompted by the need to install an elevator to make the library’s three floors handicapped-accessible because the historic building had been untouched since its last renovation in 1937.

Library Director Katherine O’Neil said that, right after she was hired in June 2011, the library received a $6,000 grant for a code review of the building. The following month, Center Line Architects from Vermont was selected to do the work, which included preliminary design schematics. In addition, a consultant was hired to determine whether it was realistic to raise the funds needed for a major renovation. The result was positive, and a capital campaign kicked off in 2013, right after Thanksgiving.

“By the end of January 2014, we had raised $1 million in pledges and contributions,” Leslie Shatz said, adding that they included some “magnificent leadership gifts.”

The John and Jane Fitzpatrick Fund, headed by Nancy and Ann Fitzpatrick-Brown, contributed $500,000, and an equal amount was donated by sisters Mary Stokes Waller and Carol Fremont-Smith in memory of their mother and grandmother.

Revenue raised to date includes a grant of $600,000, $500,000 in historic tax credits, and $200,000 from the town. As a result, the renovation is well underway and the committee is close to wrapping up its $4 million fund-raising goal.

“The library is essential to the community life of Stockbridge. It opened in 1862 during the darkest days of the Civil War and was launched by a group of public-spirited men who believed a library was central to the life of the town,” Leslie Shatz said.

“They put up the money needed to build the structure on donated land and challenged the townspeople to raise enough to buy books. It was a community endeavor,” she continued, adding that the first librarian was the sister of a Supreme Court Justice, and the library was only one of five built in the U.S. during the war.

The new building will retain the majority of its historical elements, but square footage has been added for the elevator. Space has also been repurposed in the attic, the roofline has been raised, and skylights are being installed.

In addition to updating the electrical, plumbing, and heating and air-conditioning systems, a new multi-purpose room will accommodate up to 35 people in the main area of the building.

“It will give us the option of holding more library programs as well as allowing groups in the community to use the space,” Leslie Shatz said.

O’Neil said a strategic plan for new programming was created for 2012-17 after input was received from focus groups and community surveys, which resulted in an expansion of existing programs and a plethora of new ones, including a financial-literary program for teens and their parents that will be conducted by second-home owner Jon Budish.

“The renovation has been a wonderful project to be part of, and we are looking forward to letting patrons see the renovated space and using it to better serve their needs and interests,” O’Neil said.

The work is slated to be completed in January, and the building will open after the books are shelved and the museum artifacts are put into place.

“We have been exceptionally gratified by the support we have received for the project,” Leslie Shatz said. “We are all very excited about opening the doors and welcoming the community into the building.”

While the library project draws to a close, there are other initiatives taking shape in this picturesque community.

One of the primary challenges the town faces is providing ambulance, police, and fire protection, since the population increases by 7,000 on summer weekends.

To lower operating costs and take advantage of underutilized sites, the Board of Selectmen has taken a proactive stance, and in addition to the cell phone tower, it plans to establish a solar farm on the landfill. The board is in the process of selecting a provider, but the project cannot begin until it receives permission from the state.

“If we’re successful, it will cover the cost of almost 100% of the electricity used to power the town’s buildings,” Shatz said. “The landfill has the potential to be a real income generator because we will receive rent from Verizon which could amount to $30,000 annually. It’s real money to a small town.”

Moving Forward

Stephen Shatz said Stockbridge is a great place to live, but lacks the type of jobs needed to retain and attract young people. So he hopes the Visionary Project, coupled with a new cell-phone tower, solar farm, major renovations to the library, and efforts to get second-home owners more involved will help Stockbridge solve the challenges it faces.

“The Visionary Project is related to finances and services,” he said. “One of the only things we can do is provide a regulatory framework conducive to smart growth.”

Indeed, that is in line with the change occurring on many levels in a town so picturesque that it attracts tourists from all over the world.

Stockbridge at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1739
Population: 2,065
Area: 23.7 square miles
County: Berkshire
Residential Tax Rate: $8.67
Commercial Tax Rate: $8.67
Median Household Income: $65,323 (2013)
Family Household Income: $79,144 (2013)
Type of government: Town Administrator/Board of Selectmen/Open Town Meeting
Largest Employers: Austen Riggs Center; Berkshire Theater Festival; Red Lion Inn
* Latest information available

Berkshire Theatre Group Continues to Impact Generations

By
the Colonial Theatre was reopened in 2006
Creative Economy

Dramatic Effect

the Colonial Theatre was reopened in 2006

Following a $21 million renovation, the Colonial Theatre was reopened in 2006 after more than 50 years of inactivity.

Kate Maguire was out shopping recently, wearing a shirt that proudly celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Berkshire Playhouse in Stockbridge.

“The young girl at the register — she was probably 18 — was stunned. She said, ‘that theater is 90 years old? I had no idea!’ For her, it was ancient history. But she made me realize that, yes, 90 years of theater is a long time.”

As artistic director and CEO of the Berkshire Theatre Group, which puts on performances at venues in Stockbridge and Pittsfield, Maguire has witnessed quite a bit of that history first-hand since joining the organization 25 years ago.

“The facilities represent two iconic sites,” she said. “The Colonial Theatre is the center of Pittsfield — the center of the county.” As for the playhouse in Stockbridge, also known as the Fitzpatrick Main Stage, “considering that culture is the heart of the community in the Berkshires, that is as iconic a structure as any in Berkshire County.”

But while the buildings themselves are iconic, more importantly, each campus has brought countless people to see some of the most remarkable names in the history of American theater, as well as up-and-coming talent, Maguire noted. “It has created a sort of cultural destination for artists and audiences. That’s what the buildings represent.”

They’re also an economic driver, she added, currently drawing about 75,000 visitors a year and contributing almost $4 million to the local economy annually — as well as employing some 600 people in some capacity each year.

Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG) was created in 2010 by the merger of the Berkshire Theatre Festival, housed at the main stage in Stockbridge, and the Colonial Theatre, built in 1903 in Pittsfield. One of the largest arts organizations in the region, BTG oversees the development, production, and presentation of theatre, music, and various other performing arts.

Kate Maguire says involving hundreds of children in productions each year is key to securing BTG’s future.

Kate Maguire says involving hundreds of children in productions each year is key to securing BTG’s future.

The Stockbridge campus presents work at two venues. The 314-seat Fitzpatrick Main Stage, designed by famed architect Stanford White, is a summer-only venue where classical theatre and world premieres are produced. Meanwhile, the 122-seat Unicorn Theatre, open year-round, is home for new and emerging artists, and a space where more experimental, provocative works often finds a receptive audience.

Meanwhile, in Pittsfield, the 780-seat Colonial Theatre — built in 1903 and re-opened in 2006 following a $21 million restoration — hosts family entertainment, comedy, live music, and other events year-round.

Located in the lobby of the Colonial is the Garage, a name that pays homage to its former owner, Berkshire Auto Co. This newest BTG venue, complete with a stage, lights, and sound system, is a dedicated space for local and regional music, comedy performers, and more.

In short, Maguire said, there’s something for everyone.

“I want people to know they’re welcome here,” she told BusinessWest. “They can listen to acoustic musicians or hear a really funny comedian in the Garage, sit with friends, have a drink, then go into the majestic Colonial Theatre and have a completely different experience. Or they might see a rock band on stage, and the following week see an opera performed. It’s a space where people come together from all strata and all walks of life.”

Rich History

The Colonial Theatre opened its doors on Sept. 28, 1903. Built in five and a half months, it boasted pristine acoustics and classic Gilded Age architecture. As was sometimes the custom in that day, the exterior of the theater was designed by a respected local architect, Joseph McArthur Vance, who also designed Pittsfield’s Masonic Temple, the Christian Science building, the superstructure of the Wahconah Park Stadium, Mount Greylock’s Bascom Lodge, and the Mahaiwe Theatre in Great Barrington.

“I want people to know they’re welcome here. They can listen to acoustic musicians or hear a really funny comedian in the Garage, sit with friends, have a drink, then go into the majestic Colonial Theatre and have a completely different experience. Or they might see a rock band on stage, and the following week see an opera performed. It’s a space where people come together from all strata and all walks of life.”

From its early days, the space played host to some of the most notable lights in theater, including Maude Adams, Ethel Barrymore, John Barrymore, Sarah Bernhardt, Eubie Blake, Billie Burke, George Cohan, Irene Dunne, Grace George, William Gillette, Walter Hampden, Helen Hayes, Al Jolson, Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, Julia Marlow and E.H. Sothern, Will Rogers, Lillian Russell, Ted Shawn, Noble Sissell, Ruth St. Denis, Laurette Taylor, and Ed Wynn.

the Colonial Theatre

Following a $21 million renovation, the Colonial Theatre was reopened in 2006 after more than 50 years of inactivity.

To the south in Stockbridge, the Berkshire Playhouse was founded in 1928 when Mabel Choate sold the Stockbridge Casino to financier Walter Clark. An organization called the Three Arts Society remodeled the casino’s interior by adding a stage and seating for 450 people, and christened the new theatre the Berkshire Playhouse.

In 1937, the Colonial was renovated with a new marquee, projection room, and two retail stores added to the front of the building. With cinema on the rise, the venue operated primarily for the next decade and a half as a movie theater, although some community performances continued. In 1951, the Colonial closed due to the rise of TV and the decline of touring theatrical companies — and would remain closed for more than a half-century.

Down in Stockbridge, the Berkshire Playhouse was reorganized as a nonprofit organization in 1964 and renamed the Berkshire Theatre Festival. In 1976, the playhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1996, the Unicorn Theatre was reopened after a lengthy renovation and became BTG’s official second stage.

To the north, meanwhile, efforts to restore and reopen the Colonial were picking up in the 1990s. And organization called Friends of the Colonial Theatre Restoration was formed in 1994, and public tours in 1997 led to increased community awareness of the venue’s potential. A $2.5 million appropriation in state funding followed, and designation of the facility in 1998 as a National Historic Treasure by the Save America’s Treasures Program of the National Park Service only increased the momentum.

After years of design, planning, and community fundraising, the rehabilitation of the historic theater — and the extensive renovation of the adjacent Berkshire Auto Garage — were undertaken. In 2006, the $21 million restoration was complete, and the theater reopened. The 22-month construction process preserved and reinstalled all historically significant architectural and design features — from the vaulted, gilded entrance to the elaborately decorated boxes and balcony to the custom plasterwork — while creating a modern performance center.

“I feel it’s very important to make sure that the community recognizes the theater as their own,” Maguire told BusinessWest. “The doors were closed for 50 years, and the community got together and put in a lot of hard work and money renovate that theater.”

In a year when the Berkshire Theatre Festival marked its 90th summer season and the Colonial Theatre celebrated its 115th birthday, the community continues to show its support, she added. “We’ve been successful in fund-raising, and certainly a lot of people coming to our shows — we’re very grateful for the attendance.”

Kid Stuff

Maguire might be even more proud, though, of the way BTG engages with children, reaching about 13,000 students with cultural programs each year and putting many of them on stage in any given year; this past summer, about 100 Berkshire-area youth performed in Tarzan of the Apes at the Colonial.

“Imagine how many other kids are coming to these productions,” she said. “We are ensuring the vitality of the future of these buildings. Those 100 kids in Tarzan in the summertime — those kids are going to remember that experience, and make sure that building is here for the next generation.”

She believes that because it’s her own story. Growing up in Lowell, she used to attend performances of Boston Children’s Theatre.

“I was amazed at the quality of work, and it looked like an army of kids were working on these produtions,” she recalled. “Little did I know that, many years later, I’d have the opportunity to create such programming in the community I live in now. Every single doorway I’m walked through has been opened because of theater.”

Maguire wants to open those doors for others today — not just children who might feel a spark to follow a passion for theater, but area residents and Berkshires visitors who become part of a long, rich history every time they buy a ticket.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Something Old, Something New

By
The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge.
Construction Sections
Improvements at Red Lion Inn Respect the Past

The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge.

The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge.

When the Red Lion Inn undertook a major renovation of its south wing a few years ago, it knew it was digging into the past. Exactly how far past, no one could say.
The wing is between 111 and 115 years old, but it’s hard to pinpoint the precise age, said James Hunt, buildings and grounds manager, explaining that it doesn’t show up on the inn’s 1897 maps — drawn shortly after its reconstruction following a devastating fire in 1896 — but the section does appear on 1901 maps.
“Strangely enough,” he said, “after this project was completed, we found the original set of blueprints. We had those reproduced, matted, and framed,” and they’re hanging in the first-floor hallway of the renovated section today.
These days, Red Lion owner Nancy Fitzpatrick might find some wall space to mark another milestone, as the inn was recently honored with the 2012 Paul E. Tsongas Award, the highest award given by Preservation Massachusetts, a statewide, nonprofit advocacy organization that promotes the preservation of historic buildings as a positive force for economic development and community character.
“We did 28 guest rooms in the south wing,” Hunt told BusinessWest. “The project was a full remodel, and that involved structural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, the fire-alarm system, the sprinkler system, and all the finishes that go along with that. That was the basic scope of the job. We brought everything up to code in that section.”
The way they did so — enhancing guest comfort and increasing energy efficiency while maintaining the historic character of the rooms — is what drew the attention of Preservation Massachusetts.
“From my perspective,” Hunt said, “what’s neat about the whole project was that it took the latest and greatest of modern technology and installed it in this historic environment.”

Quiet, Please

Innkeeper Michelle Kotek stands in one of the remodeled rooms.

Innkeeper Michelle Kotek stands in one of the remodeled rooms.

The key, Innkeeper Michele Kopek said, is to integrate the upgrades so seamlessly that guests have a better experience without any loss of the Red Lion’s historic character. “People look around and say, ‘oh, what did you change?’” she noted. “But much of it is behind the walls.”
Or on the walls themselves. “Contractors, by nature, when they do a demolition, like to tear out everything,” Hunt said. “One challenge we faced was to save as much of the original horsehair plaster as we could. The fact is, it probably would have been a lot more affordable for us to peel it all off and start over, but we were able to put patches in where it needed them.”
Similarly, workers kept the door hardware — ornate bronze hinges and knobs well-worth saving, Hunt said — and stripped off literally dozens of coats of paint to bring out the look of the original doors. And 17 of the rooms saw their fireplaces — which were, in some cases, buried behind walls — upgraded with new gas inserts. “They were woodburning fireplaces,” Kotek said, “but we didn’t use them for fear of fire.”
Other upgrades speak directly to guest comfort, such as an upgrade of the old air conditioners, replaced now by modern temperature-control units.
Hunt explained that the project really began with frequent complaints about traffic noise coming from outside, as the hotel sits at the intersection of routes 7 and 102 in downtown Stockbridge. Meanwhile, “it was very difficult to control the climate in the rooms, and it was kind of a double-edged thing — guests would come in, and the room would be overheated, so they’d open the window to cool the room down, and then deal with the truck noise.”
Now, thanks to the upgraded heating and cooling units — not to mention the eight inches of insulation inside the walls and between the rooms — guests in each room can much more easily control the climate while minimizing noise with the new insulated glass in the windows.
Speaking of the windows, Hunt said he was surprised when architects recommended keeping the triple-track aluminum storm windows instead of replacing all the windows completely.
“So we removed every window sash and marked and catalogued every single sash and where it was located. We sent the windows out and had them stripped and then milled out to accept insulated glass. Then we put insulated glass in the sash that had been there for 100 years, in that exact position.”
Kotek said that, between the attention to guest comfort and a restoration of original elements, “we kind of kept some of the old with the new.”

Quality of Life
The Tsongas Award from Preservation Massachusetts comes on the 10th anniversary of the Massachusetts Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (MHRTC) program. Even though the Fitzgerald family was given the award in 1999 for its dedication to preservation projects in Stockbridge, today, the honor — awarded to 32 developments in 2012 — recognizes projects that have successfully used the MHRTC to revitalize communities, spur investment, create jobs, or enhance quality of life in the Commonwealth.
“The Red Lion Inn is one of the most well-known historic inns in all of Massachusetts, if not the entire country,” said Jim Igoe, president of Preservation Massachusetts. “Its continual presence and popularity as a Stockbridge destination shows how historic preservation benefits our communities, both large and small.”
Hunt said he’s amazed at how quickly the project was completed — less than five months from moving furniture out to checking visitors in. “At one time, I counted 80 tradesmen on the job,” he added, noting that the contractor, David J. Tierney Jr. Inc. of Pittsfield, deserves credit for moving the project along successfully at that pace.
Hunt said most of the preservation aspects of the renovation were decisions made internally, and not by any outside body overseeing historic sites. “Most of the elements were things we wanted to keep, and a lot of them, the architects wanted to keep,” he noted, referring to Einhorn Yaffee Prescott of Albany, N.Y., an architecture firm that specializes in this kind of property. “They are passionate about historic preservation, and it shows.”
That appealed to the inn’s leadership, said General Manager Bruce Finn. “Preservation is a critical factor in the core values of our business.”
Kotek said the Red Lion, at least since being rebuilt following the 1896 fire, has upgraded rooms at various times, but never on the scale of the current project.
Still, the work is far from done. Hunt said the facility has a master plan in place to conduct similar large-scale renovations in three more phases. The first of those has been drawn up, but all renovations have been on hold due to the economy. However, the Red Lion will soon open 17 rooms in a new guest house, one of several the inn has converted from neighboring buildings it purchased over the years.
He added that further renovations, when they take place, will reap economic benefits over time in added energy effiency.
“It’s great to have the historic-preservation part of it coupled with the energy part of it,” he said. “We’ve reduced energy consumption in the south wing by 27%, both electric and gas. The numbers are there; they don’t lie. That’s what’s neat, to see that kind of improvement in this historic environment.”
And those benefits don’t at all change what guests have always loved about the Red Lion Inn and its quirky appeal, Kotek said.
“We like to keep our leaks and our slanted floors and the doors that don’t close all the way. That’s part of the charm. We wanted to keep that historic aspect and yet enjoy these modern changes.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at  [email protected]

Drawing Crowds

By
Norman Rockwell's Studio
Sections Supplements
Norman Rockwell Museum Introduces the Art of Illustration to a New World
Norman Rockwell's Studio

Norman Rockwell’s studio on the Norman Rockwell Museum grounds.

The images are painstakingly rendered portraits of iconic moments: two teenagers at a soda fountain. A family gathered for a holiday meal. A soldier, returning from war.

By documenting life, Norman Rockwell created a collection of work that remains vital today. And through the work at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, the legendary illustrator’s iconic images are reaching a greater number of people than ever before.

The museum, founded in 1969, serves to showcase the illustrations of one of the nation’s most recognizable and prolific artists. It has plenty to draw from; the Norman Rockwell personal collection is just one part of a massive store of paintings, reproductions, and other artifacts, and includes 367 pieces alone.

Through a comprehensive suite of programs, ranging from traveling exhibitions to several types of educational initiatives, the museum’s collections are living on in myriad ways, as Rockwell’s art enters a new, digital age.

But in addition, there’s more going on at the Norman Rockwell Museum than exhibits of its namesake’s work, and that is creating an even greater presence for the hidden museum, being felt across the country.

Laurie Norton Moffatt, director of the Norman Rockwell Museum, said the collection is one that is steeped in history on both general and artistic levels, and therefore it resonates within a large, diverse audience.

“These are pieces of artwork that also documented historic events, values, and moments that are timeless,” she said. “It’s a wonderful collection to work with.”

The museum’s challenge of late, according to Norton Moffatt, has been to use new technology to deliver Rockwell’s art to new audiences, as well as use his importance in the medium of art and illustration to move the entire discipline forward.

“Rockwell painted for 70 years and came of age when magazine publishing was booming, and his talents and industry capability made for a great mix. It is our mission is to present this broad form of illustration,” she said. “There are a lot of exciting new programs happening here that are aimed at preserving the centuries, and keeping artists’ work relevant and tied to the times.”

Have Art, Will Travel

For instance, the traveling exhibits the museum develops and maintains have become a staple of the Rockwell Museum’s repertoire. The initiative includes exhibits of varying size, often designed to be accessible to small or medium-sized museums, and move around the country for an extended period of time.

This year, there are more than 10 NRM exhibitions in circulation. Norton Moffatt said the demand for Rockwell artwork is high in the U.S., and the traveling exhibit model allows many people to see original pieces of his work in various venues, rather than copies — even those as famous as Rockwell’s many Saturday Evening Post covers.

“This is how we reach new audiences,” she said. “Upwards of one million people see these exhibitions, and most are illustration shows.”

There is a major Rockwell exhibit traveling now, called American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell, featuring 41 original oil paintings. Norton Moffatt said the exhibit will return to Stockbridge this autumn, but until then will allow thousands of viewers to see Rockwell’s work up close and in full color.

“It’s a big undertaking; we have a lot of staff overseeing the movement of art across the country,” she said, adding that the impetus behind staging such an extensive collection for traveling exhibits stems from Rockwell’s sheer popularity as a contemporary American artist.

“Rockwell is the favorite illustrator of this country, and in turn, he was influenced by other great American illustrators including Andrew Wyeth and Maxfield Parrish. He continues that tradition for new illustrators who are influenced by him, and as such, illustration art is important to us in general.”

To that end, it’s not just Rockwell who appears in NRM exhibits, but a number of illustrators working in various media. Another traveling show, titled Picturing Health, features a collection of advertising marquees designed for use by the Pfizer corp., using some of the famous ‘doctor and patient’ Rockwell paintings. The show also includes the work of 15 additional artists, however, who use various media to portray issues that are relevant to contemporary health care. That exhibit is now traveling in the U.S., and will make a stop at the Atlanta Center for Disease Control.

At the Stockbridge museum, that focus on illustration is also prominent. LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel opened at the museum last month, and represents a move toward showcasing the new illustrators — graphic novelists — who create the more mature, developed version of comic books.

“We’re so excited about this exhibition,” said Norton Moffatt. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the most indepth treatment of the art of the graphic novel in any museum.”

The show includes the work of 20 artists and includes both new and recognizable works such as Maus: A Survivor’s Tale, a Holocaust memoir rendered with both words and pictures by Art Spiegelman.

“This is a field that is growing by leaps and bounds, which requires the talents of both an artist and a storyteller. It is an art form with a long tradition, but that is experiencing a real renaissance right now, and appealing to people in their teens and twenties, who are very visual,” Norton Moffatt said. “It covers a wide variety of topics, from the funny to the fantastical — there are a lot of modes of expression, and we’re seeing tremendous interest in our exhibition in the blogosphere.”

The New Media

That virtual attention is both the cause and effect of the museum’s concerted effort recently to move the Rockwell collection and mission into the digital age.

Norton Moffatt said the museum will unveil what is called ‘Project Norman’ in 2009, digitizing not just the collection but also Rockwell’s archives, which include sketches, art ephemera tear sheets, photos, personal and professional correspondence, audio recordings, and other effects from Rockwell’s studio, which is also part of the museum’s grounds.

“All of our materials are being digitized, and that has received tremendous support,” she said of the museum’s fundraising efforts. “We have been very successful in gaining support, and that has been the result of continued dialogue with patrons. It’s also an important testament to Rockwell and how many people believe in his collections.”

The museum has several new educational programs that are also rooted in visual and interactive learning. NRM already reaches more than 10,000 students a year through onsite programs, and is now using emerging technology to take its mission further.

“We’re working to make online programs more interactive,” Norton Moffatt said. “This is a new area for many museums, but we feel we are extremely well-suited. As an illustrator, Rockwell’s work was intended for reproduction.”

And in another vein, NRM is also launching the Rockwell Scholars initiative, which has been designed to better prepare high-level academics for technology’s effect on the art world. The program is expected to begin in 2009 along with Project Norman.

“The Rockwell Scholars are people who are working in visual studies; graduate students, PhD candidates, curators, and others,” said Norton Moffatt. “These are the people who are shaping culture and doing scholarly work in the field of American illustration.”

Life Imitating Art

A number of these programs are funded through foundation grants small and large, such as those provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. The remainder of funding comes from memberships and admissions and program fees, as well as corporate sponsorships, which can be applied to exhibits in the Stockbridge museum, traveling shows, and programs for children, adults, and educators.

“In an ideal world one always hopes for major sponsorships,” Norton Moffatt said. “We depend on philanthropy for a third of our budget, and we have a full national educational curriculum that sponsorship makes possible. We have some wonderful supporters, who believe in the importance of our mission.”

That, she said, speaks to that vitality of Rockwell’s art that keeps it moving forward.

“It’s an extremely vital collection, and one that keeps on living,” she said. “We work to keep it visible, to give it a longer life. It’s wonderful to have it live on.”

Jaclyn Stevenson can be reached at[email protected]

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of January 2023. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

AGAWAM

Aspen Hill Farm
1207 North Westfield St.
Lenny Blews

Auto Point Motors
1039 Springfield St.
Moe Borhot

Claremont Home Improvements
166 Thalia Dr.
Robert Claremont

Culverine Firearms
1325 Springfield St., Suite 7
Jeffrey Smith

Easterntronics
425 Springfield St.
Dang Huynh

Everestcar
266 Walnut St.
Eduard Pomaznuk

Giovanni’s
719 Main St.
Bruno Russo

AMHERST

The Barbershop Whiskey Barrel
35 Montague Road, Unit E
Malynda Isabelle

The Corner Cupboard
314 College St.
KaiQi Herzig

Crowned by Cage
12 Longmeadow Dr., Unit 21
Monica Cage

Dream Glimmers
85 Amity St., Apt. 201
Jennie Moss

KDQ Designs
170 East Road, Unit 84
Kathleen DeQuence Anderson

Kensie Beauty LLC
150 Fearing St.
Lara Mackenzie

BELCHERTOWN

Aqua Vitae Woodworks
396 Michael Sears Road
Justin Satkowski

M&C Towing
117 South Washington St.
Michael Piechota, Craig Blazejowski

CHICOPEE

A&M Auto Sales & Repair
451 Granby Road
Waleed Obeid

Bias Family Childcare
73 Saint James Ave.
Destiny Sanchez

The Calming Rain Wellness, LLC
1262 Memorial Dr.
Marquise Edmunds

CHS Girls Basketball Booster Club
20 Lord Ter.
Diane Cross, Monica Torres

Eagle Designs & Labels
126½ Cochran St.
Darren Descoteaux

ED Transport LLC
45 Laclede Ave.
Edgardo Diaz

Freihofer Baking Co.
437 Irene St.
Robert Shiwa

EAST LONGMEADOW

413 Power Washing
30 Chadwyck Lane
Regan Held

A&E Styles Inc.
2 North Main St.
Emanuela Hernandez

Amanda’s Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
35 Donamor Lane
Amanda Bousquet

Architecture Environment Life Inc.
264 North Main St., Unit 2
Kevin Rothschild-Shea

Autumn Lane Decor
46 Shaker Road
Judith Cusano

Blend
173 Shaker Road
Jillian Lafave

Ciao Bella Salon
128 Shaker Road
Christine O’Connell

Elevated Anesthesia Service
34 Pembroke Terrace
Nathanael Rosario

Elite Image
489 North Main St.
Stephanie Reid

Exim Communications Inc.
200 North Main St., Unit 4
Jose Borges

Goosehead Insurance
200 North Main St.
Rana Morton

ENFIELD

All American Assisted Living at Enfield
118 Hazard Ave.
Glenn Kaplan

Coin Cloud
307 Hazard Ave.
Christopher McAlary

Forty-Two Ten Consulting
8 Sandpiper Road
Joel Cox Jr.

Joey’s Flooring
40 Indian Run
Joseph Gannuscio Jr.

Liquor Ox
10 Hazard Ave., Unit 6
Gaurav Bishndi

GRANBY

McPherson Consulting Services
111 Taylor St.
Jeffrey McPherson

Mountain View Training Center
203 Taylor St.
Daniel Haber

GREAT BARRINGTON

Allard Engineering
61 Blue Hill Road
David Allard

Barrington Hand and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation
20 Stockbridge Road
Erin Fleig

Berkshire Corporate Retreats
7 Meadow Lane
Sabrina Jaffe, Michael Jaffe

Birches-Roy Funeral Home
33 South St.
Joseph Roy

Blue Heron Reiki
388 Park St. North
Karen Smith Clark

Brownson’s Towing & Repair
115 Gas House Lane
Connor Brownson

Byzantiums
32 Railroad St.
Anne Minifie

Caretaking Unlimited
77 Egremont Plain Road
Jonathan Banks Shapiro

The Chef’s Shop
31 Railroad St., Suite 4
Robert Navarino

D.A. Dempsey Auto Sales
446 Stockbridge Road
David Dempsey

Derek Neaz-Nibur, PsyD
21 Pope St.
Derek Neaz-Nibur

Doula Odessa & Birth Services
80 Maple St., Suite 3
Odessa Bates

Fancy That Antiques
504 Stockbridge Road
Malena Teves

Great Barrington Community Acupuncture Clinic
294 Main St., Suite 6
Michelle Manto

Guarducci Stained Glass Studios
6 Stony Brook Road
David Guarducci

Handy Andy Utility Services
208 South St.
William Crowell Sr.

Happy Nails and Spa Inc.
329 Stockbridge Road, Suite 1
Binh Tran

Jay Amidon
437 Old Monterey Road
Jay Amidon

Leave ’em with Liv
276 North Plain Road
Olivia Van Sant

Lion Cleaning Services
12 Mechanic St.
Maritza Atehortua

GREENFIELD

A.B. Edmonds Construction
127 Shelburne Road
Alfred Edmonds

Aromatic Fillers LLC
38 Hayward St.
Todd Green

Artisan Beverage Corp.
324 Wells St.
Jeffrey Canter

Blake Equipment
28 Butternut St.
Blake Group Holdings

Blue Ganu
62 Grayes Road
Terry Gray

Connecticut River Acupuncture
14 Miles St.
Joshua Warren

Copycat
180 Main St.
Heewon Yang

Cowan Garage
93 Vernon St.
James Cowan, Alice Cowan

Designs by Monique
227 Colrain Road
Monique Richardson

GFC Inc.
347 Wells St.
Eugene Darmanchev, Dmitriy Darmanchev

Joan E. Bitters TBC
698 Country Club Road
Joan Bitters

Joseph S. Rae
347 Wells St.
Joseph S. Rae, LLC

Kathryn Martini LLC
42 Abbott St.
Kathyrn Martini

HADLEY

Budget Auto Repair
8 Pine Hill Road
Kevin Michelson

In the Green Gardens
243 Russell St.
In the Green Gardens Inc.

Kellogg Builders
12 Knightly Road
Larry Kellogg

Mobil
110 Russell St.
Gibbs Oil Co.

HOLYOKE

Brian Boru
37 Commercial St.
Carlo Sarno

China House
322A Appleton St.
China House

Izm Prizm
535 Main St.
Orlando Santos

Kim Lee Nails
322 Appleton St.
Luy Nguyen

LeafLux Cannabis
40 Lyman St.
Albert Babadzhonov

MammaRazzi Photography Inc.
4 Open Square Way
Jenna Medina, Jacqueline Slatton

LONGMEADOW

Aislinn Paige Art
47 Barclay St.
Aislinn Calabrese

Calming Goods
56 Lincoln Road
Kara Upperton, Constance Gumlaw

LUDLOW

A.K. Paint
9 Cady St.
Andrew Kessler

Balance Professional
77 East St.
Lori Miller

Bare Beauty
271 East St.
Katie Chicoine

The Chop Shop
123 Center St.
Jessica Lacosse

Dr. Binca Warren, DMD
77 Winsor St., Unit 102
Binca Warren

Envision Wellness-Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine
77 Winsor St., Unit 101
Cristina Carreira

Head to Toe Day Spa
36 East St.
Danyun Huang

KWJ Mechanical Services
193 Marion Circle
Kris Johnson

MONSON

Allyson Heintz Eventing
147 Wales Road
Allyson Heintz

Bumblebee Quilting Service
17 Green St.
James Lynch

J&L Lawncare & More
72 Wood Hill Road
Joseph Tetreault IV, Luke Mitchell

Mystic Grove Goods
270 Silver St.
Tracey Kida, Paul Kida

NORTH ADAMS

KT Realty Management
118 Bracewell Ave., Unit 1W
Makayla Thomas

RJ’s Taxi
429 Curran Highway
Obilio Rodriguez

PITTSFIELD

27 Hull Ave.
27 Hull Ave.
Brian Boateng

28 Clinton Ave. LLC
144 Clinton Ave.
Jaryn Pierson

A-Go Transportation Services LLC
52 Linden St.
Michael Agovi

AK Online Store
1278 North St.
Arthur Friederick Jr.

Anna Maria Gifts
144 South St.
Joanna Sokolsky

Auto Tech Repair Inc.
1335 West Housatonic St.
Auto Tech Repair Inc.

Berkshire Automotive
607 West Housatonic St.
Berkshire Automotive Repair and Sales Inc.

Berkshire Screen
35 First St.
B&G Glass LLC

Blueprint Property Group
437 North St.
437 Property Management LLC

Cali Vera Skate Co.
75 Sherwood Dr.
Benjamin LaForest

Camp Arrow Wood
195 Cloverdale St.
Caw II LLC

The Central Downtown Inn and Suites
20 West Housatonic St.
Rivera Properties LLC

Chili’s Grill & Bar
555 Hubbard Ave., Suite 107
Pepper Dining Inc.

Deidre’s Special Day
2 South St.
Deidre Torra Inc.

Dotties Coffee Lounge
444 North St.
Jessica Rufo

Eastern Body Works and Reflexology
765 Tyler St.
Shu Tong Chau

Embrace Potential
26 Pleasure Ave.
Kathleen Riley

Emily Joy Seamstress
101 Gamwell Ave.
Emily Geary

Innovation Renovation & Construction Inc.
30 Warwick St.
Innovation Renovation & Construction Inc.

KJ Home Improvement LLC
200 Montgomery Ave. Ext.
KJ Home Improvement LLC

KRM Remodeling
82 Wilson St.
Skyler Cesan Karns

K’s Merchandise
301 North St.
Kyoung Ja Kim

SOUTH HADLEY

Jim’s Home Improvement
6 Lloyd St.
James Pouliot

Gorse Children’s Center
27 Morgan St.
Valley Opportunity Council

Sevarino Bookeeping Service
42 Lamb St.
Donna Sevarino

SOUTHWICK

40 Up Tackle Co.
813 College Highway
Nathan Kane

Coward Farms LLC
150 College Highway
John Coward

SPRINGFIELD

Arminder Singh MD P.C.
50 Maple St.
Arminder Singh, MD

The B Brand
68 King St.
Mattie McQuarley

Before After
686 Belmont Ave.
Jose Calderon

Beyond Glamorous
524 Main St.
Latisha Smith

Big D’s Collectibles
6 Campechi St.
Darren DiFronzo

Bkaye Self-Storage
553-555 St. James Ave.
St. James Place

A Brush and a Bucket
21 Higgins Circle
Shaquille Rodriguez

The Capanna
1655 Boston Road
Dawn Cincotta

City Beat Multi Media Group
95 Mill St.
Anthony Bass

Class Auto Sales
466 Main St.
Eddy Almanzar

Cortland Dental & Braces
1070 St. James Ave.
Hathaway Road Dental

Couture Property Group
465 Taylor St.
Robert Couture

Cumberland Farms #6717
66 Parker St.
Cumberland Farms

El Sazon Criollo
464 Bridge St.
Waleska Colon

Esporta Fitness
1150 West Columbus Ave.
LAF Inc.

Fired & Grilled Trap House
1269 Berkshire Ave.
Damall Dyer

Food Zone Supermarket
355 Belmont Ave.
D&F Food Service

Hatillo Restaurant LLC
810 Cottage St.
Angel Aviles Cruz

Home Improvement
61 Hall St.
Exal Gonzalez

Jacob Roofing
413 Nottingham St.
Dimas Castaneda

JV Consulting Firm
108 Mooreland St.
Jacqueline Velez

La3pleta
5 Fairdel St.
Yonad Sierra

Lai Z Auto Repair
62 Worcester Ave.
Vidal Morales

Lashed by Madison
143 Main St., Suite 316
Madison Rose

Little Workshop
4 Front St.
Paul Stasiak

Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing
807 Wilbraham Road
Margaret Mantini

M&J Illumination
18 Alderman St.
Jesus Rodriguez

Ma’Hjunie Customs
46 Montgomery St.
Kenyetta Hagans

WARE

LJG Properties
45 Old Gilbertville Road
Lisa Gauvin

M&R Concentrates
54 Greenwich Plains Road
Ryan Sinclair

WEST SPRINGFIELD

5 Star Bookkeeping Service
169 Main St.
Jeffrey Chickerella

Advanced Aesthetics Medi Spa LLC
120 Westfield St.
Yelena Ivanov

Atwood Fire & Security
33 Sylvan St.
George Condon

Berkshire Group
76 Van Horn St.
Gary Webster

Colorbomb Studios LLC
1417 Westfield St.
Daniel Soule

Detecto Guard
31-33 Sylvan St.
George Condon

Dr. Christine G. Whalen
1005 Elm St.
Christine Whalen

Dynamark Security Centers
31-33 Sylvan St.
George Condon

Eastern Builders
733 Memorial Ave.
Sergey Kaletin

Hydro Dog Town of West Springfield
640 Elm St.
Joseph Maple

Jen’s Custom Gnomes
176 Woodbrook Terrace
Jennifer Peterson

Landry Lock and Alarm
33 Sylvan St.
George Condon

Lily’s
6 Windpath West
Susan Melchin

Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Co.
174 Brush Hill Ave.
Roland Joyal

WILBRAHAM

Happy Goat Farm
26 Monson Road
Jeffrey Lotterer

Image ‘n’ Ink
2009 Boston Road
Barbara Christie

Incorporations

By
Departments Incorporations

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGAWAM

Associates in Women’s Health Care P.C., 200 Silver St., Agawam, MA 01001. Sharon MacMillan MD, 129 Silver Creek Dr., Suffield, CT 06078. Women’s Health Care Services.

AMHERST

Econ4 Inc., 418 North Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01002. James K. Boyce, 14 Elf Hill Road, Amherst, MA 01002.

BELCHERTOWN

Education Yes Inc., 43 Allen St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Jeffry B. Hatch, 1704 Millcreek Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84106. Non-profit organization dedicated to developing and teaching positive integrative approaches to transform the learning process of all students.

EAST LONGMEADOW

EBBE Inc., 43 Thompson St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Michael Finn, 30 Oakhill Circle, Chicopee, MA 01020

GANBY

34 Carver Street Inc., 7 Carver St., Granby, MA 01033. Patrick Bensen, same. Holding Real Estate.

GREENFIELD

Canines Helping Autism and PTSD Survivor Corp., 559 Country Club Road, Greenfield, MA 01301. William Gordon, same. Provide persons with a diagnosis of PTSD or an autism spectrum disorder access to a network of services related to the use of a service dog at minimal cost.

Family Legacy Partners Inc., 465 Coltrain Road, Greenfield, MA 01301. Cynthia L. Nims, same. Financial services including mortgage.

HADLEY

D&B Kelley Farm Inc., 100 Stockbridge St., Hadley, MA 01035. Daniel Kelley, 117 Stockbridge St., Hadley, MA 01035. To engage in the operation of farming.

HATFIELD

Grill ’N Chill Inc., 127 Elm St., Hatfield, MA 01038. Anthony R. Paciorek, 25 Dwight St., Hatfield, MA 01038. Food service / restaurant.

HNE Inc., 4 Prospect Court, Hatfield, MA 01038. Kenneth Holhut, 15 Circle Dr., Hatfield, MA 01038. Food service, bar, and restaurant.

LONGMEADOW

Bond Financial Group Inc., 171 Dwight St., Suite 201, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Dylan E. Bond, same. Providing a full range of financial planning products and services.

LUDLOW

HLZC Holdings Inc., 1020 East St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Jose Salvador, same. Property management.

NORTH ADAMS

Hoosac Valley Community Development Corporation, 150 Ashland St., North Adams, MA 01247. Marie Harpin, 15 Rock St., North Adams, MA 01247. The corporation will engage in activities intended to contribute to the preservation of existing or the creation of new affordable housing.

NORTHAMPTON

Foundation for Orthopedic Reconstruction Inc., 70 Old South St., Northampton, MA 01040. Patricia Defelice, 60 Cleveland St., Holyoke MA 01040. The corporation’s purpose is to identify persons that are in need of, and would not otherwise have access to, medical implants and orthopedic reconstruction.

PALMER

George Stewart Inc., 1006 Pine St., Palmer, MA 01069. George R. Stewart Jr., same. Service and consulting.

SOUTH HADLEY

ALZ Enterprises Inc., 183 East St., South Hadley, MA 01075. James M. Earle, same. To build a fund to finance, research, and development for the cure for Alzheimer’s disease and also finance childhood development programs.

SPRINGFIELD

Baitus Salaam Inc., 605 Dickinson St., Springfield, MA 01108. Kimat Khatak, 15 Pheasant Run, South Hadley, MA, 01075. Arrange, hold and establish prayers in accordance to the teachings of Quran and Sunnah specific only to Hanafi Fiqh (Jurisprudence).

BDL Restaurants Inc., 15 Angelica Dr., Springfield, MA 01129. Shanna M. Rhoades, same. Restaurant holdings.

Fenco Global Industries Corp., 44 Cabinet St., Springfield, MA 01129. Fenella Alicia Sitati, same. Technology sales and services.

Fierceblaze Inc., 1655 Main St., Springfield, MA 01108. Juan R. Perez, 89 Kensington Ave., Springfield, MA 01108. Web Design and software development.

Graphic Excellence Inc., 1441 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103. Michael S. Connors, 57 Robin Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Printing, copy, graphics, and mailing services.

Iglesia Pentecostal De Dios Sanando Al Herido Inc., 57 Grosvernor St., Springfield, MA 01107. Carlos Luis Cosme, same. Worship place for the needed.

STOCKBRIDGE

Berkshire Management Solutions Inc., 5 Sergeant St., Stockbridge, MA 01262. Christopher May, same. Consulting and job recruiting.

WESTFIELD

A Positive Energy Boost Inc., 6 Parker Ave., Westfield, MA 01085. Steven William Pomeroy, same. Retail sales of goods, selling online and direct.

Amid Challenges, Cultural Sites in the Berkshires Have Learned Key Lessons

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Susan Wissler says visitorship is way up
Berkshire County

No Standing Still

Susan Wissler says visitorship is way up

Susan Wissler says visitorship is way up at the Mount — not just from 2020, but from pre-pandemic 2019.

It may not stack up to Edith Wharton’s best novels, but it’s a compelling story.

“We’ve had an incredibly good season, despite the challenge of staying in compliance with the latest CDC and local health recommendations regarding COVID,” said Susan Wissler, executive director of the Mount, Wharton’s former estate in Lenox that is now a hub for all kinds of arts, nature, and cultural programming.

In fact, Wissler said, this year’s visitorship has doubled that of 2020 — maybe not a striking statistic in itself, given the economic shutdown of that spring and a hesitancy among many people to leave their homes for much of the year. But this year’s figures are also 50% higher than they were in 2019.

Part of that success may be attributed to a decision last year to open up the property’s outdoor grounds and gardens for free. “We opened as a public park so people had a place to walk and enjoy beauty and nature in relative safety,” she noted. “We’ve got a pretty big space, and people really appreciated it.”

“We opened as a public park so people had a place to walk and enjoy beauty and nature in relative safety. We’ve got a pretty big space, and people really appreciated it.”

The house itself still requires admission, and Wissler worried people would take advantage of the free outdoor experience and leave. And maybe some did come with that plan — but many felt compelled to go inside, too. Thus, paid visitation topped the previous two years.

So did weddings, all of which were cancelled in 2020, many of them moved into this year. The Mount typically hosts about 12 weddings per year; it will welcome 26 between May and October.

Meanwhile, NightWood — an ethereal, immersive walking experience featuring original music, lighting, and sculptural elements — was a huge hit last winter, bringing in desperately needed revenue with limited attendance and timed tickets; the Mount will stage the attraction again later this year.

Still, the new focus on outdoor space — which included a lecture series under tents this summer — posed its own issues, particularly weeks when it rained and rained. “That has been a huge frustration for all culturals and restaurants, anyone focusing more attention outdoors,” Wissler said. “The weather was a punch in the stomach.”

MASS MoCA in North Adams also offers programming inside and outdoors, and found plenty of success with both in 2021. “June and July were actually our highest-attended months we’ve ever had — and that includes pre-COVID visitorship,” said Jenny Wright, the museum’s director of Communications.

“We had that brief moment after Memorial Day when we were able to lift restrictions — but we do have an indoor mask mandate in place since August 4 and require our staff to be vaccinated. But we’re very fortunate to have the luxury of lots of indoor and outdoor space on our side,” she noted, adding that, in addition to the museum’s wide corridors and spacious galleries making it easy to physically distance, MASS MoCA made good use of outdoor courtyard space this year to stage performances. “We’re very fortunate to have space on our side during this period.”

The museum’s robust artist-residency programs continued throughout the pandemic as well.

“When people are unable to come here, we can still get that story out through our digital programming, whether it’s visual or performing arts.”

“Even before we reinstated our performances, we were housing artists in residence to develop new work. That was the catalyst for us developing new digital programming. That was something we hadn’t done much of before,” Wright said, noting that the museum told artist stories with behind-the-scenes documentaries it then posted online as a way to keep the public connected even when they weren’t in the building. It’s also creating 360-degree virtual tours, starting with its famed Sol Lewitt exhibit, to post to the MASS MoCA website.

“Our mission is to make art … new art that has never existed before,” Wright noted. “When you come here and see that, it’s a powerful experience. But when people are unable to come here, we can still get that story out through our digital programming, whether it’s visual or performing arts.

“For us, it’s really thinking about ways to create multiple points of entry for people, not just the front door,” she went on. “That was something we hadn’t explored in too much depth before.”

Wissler said the Mount found similar success reaching new audiences virtually. “We were really reluctant to get into the pool of virtual programming, but COVID forced us to dive right in — and Zoom programming has been amazing.”

Specifically, events featuring guest authors have been a hit — and found a much broader audience than before. Now, an event that typically drew authors from the mid-Atlantic and New England can bring in guests from pretty much anywhere — and the potential audience has also expanded around the country and even around the world.

“That’s something we’ll continue as we move forward,” Wissler said. “We haven’t found a way to monetize it yet, but from a visitor standpoint, it’s a huge success.”

 

Dramatic Shifts

While many regional destinations and arts organizations shut down completely in 2020, Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG) turned in one of the year’s most notable success stories, creatively staging an outdoor, socially distanced run of Godspell in August in September — the only show featuring Equity stage actors in the entire country at the time.

Nick Paleologos, executive director, said planning for the 2021 season began in late 2020, and the general feeling as the calendar turned was that current health conditions weren’t going to change dramatically until late 2021 or even 2022.

“So we decided to build on what we learned in the summer of 2020, when we did Godspell outdoors. We planned for a modest but slightly more robust outdoor season on both our campuses, in Stockbridge and Pittsfield.”

In Stockbridge, that meant outdoor runs for The Importance of Being Earnest and a newer play, Nina Simone: Four Women, while in Pittsfield, the theater planned a community version of The Wizard of Oz, but with a slightly scaled-back supporting cast. The organization also scheduled a series of outdoor music performances.

“Then, quite suddenly, Gov. Baker decided to lift all restrictions on Memorial Day weekend, and that caught us a little off guard,” Paleologos said. “We had a planned a whole series of protocols, and now, all of a sudden, we were being told, ‘no problem, go back indoors, you don’t have to wear masks,’ all that.”

So the Stockbridge performances were shifted indoors, to the 120-seat Unicorn Theatre, while The Wizard of Oz in Pittsfield remained outdoors, under tents. While it didn’t have to mandate masks, the Unicorn did require them, even though it had recently upgraded its HVAC system.

“We decided on an abundance of caution — we would require masks and suffer any pushback there might be,” Paleologos went on. “But we encountered very little pushback. People were quite happy, even with the protocols, to wear masks for the entire indoor production. We had hardly any complaints. I think they were grateful to be back inside, in an air-conditioned space, instead of outdoors in Stockbridge during the summer.”

Meanwhile, in Pittsfield, attendees didn’t have to wear masks under the tents if they chose not to, and most didn’t.

But another “curveball,” as Paleologos called it, would follow — and, unlike Baker’s decision in May, it wasn’t a positive one. As the Delta variant of COVID-19 emerged and dramatically increased infection rates in a state where COVID had been largely under control, BTG had a decision to make. It was headed into the Nina Simone part of the season and opted to keep that show indoors — but require proof of vaccination for entry.

“Again, we braced outselves for a backlash which never came,” he said, adding that the theater did have to turn away a few people who did not carry that proof with them, even though they claimed to be vaccinated. But in most cases, those patrons requested a credit for a future performance rather than their money back, and other patrons thanked Paleologos for holding fast to the policy, he noted.

“They said the only reason they were there was because of the protocol. I think we’ve gotten to a stage where the issue of concern over spreading the virus has become almost a reflective action; I think people are kind of acclimated to that.”

 

Places in the Heart

The winter-season holiday show at BTG’s Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield will be held indoors, with masks and vaccination required, as well as distancing by placing an empty seat between seated parties.

In other words, the show goes on at this company that has learned not only how to pivot, but that its audience is willing to pivot right along with it.

Paleologos said the various shifts this year have not only made the organization more flexible, but have shown him that the public is willing to adapt as well — and that bodes well for any future ‘curveballs.’

“It’s been a real learning experience for us. As we look ahead, we’ve become more nimble with what we do and how we do it.”

It’s just one example of how people are seeking meaningful experiences right now and are, for the most part, accepting of whatever protocols are required to engage in them.

“I think people came out of 2020 feeling starved and lonely,” Wissler said. “They’re thinking about the Mount as a destination — a nice place to meet with friends and socialize. I think people are coming for many reasons other than tourism — it’s a great place to keep up and enjoy personal relationships.”

Wright agreed that the pandemic has driven home the importance of what destinations like MASS MoCA offer.

“After everything that’s happened over the past 18 months,” she said, “it really underscores the importance of the arts and cultural destinations during these difficult times — particularly contemporary art, which is not just reflections of the moment we’re in, but can present us with a view of what’s possible. And I think people really need that right now.”

 

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook Departments

VizConnect Opens Headquarters in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD —  Mobile marketing technology and communications firm VizConnect Inc. recently announced the opening of its headquarters in Springfield, and the official launch of its North American operations. Recently named one of the five top technology start-ups to watch by the Boston Business Journal (June 4, 2013), VizConnect was founded in 2011 by a team of partners, including 20-year media veteran and Associated Press and Emmy award winning on-air personality Edward Carroll. VizConnect is a video-management service that will allow businesses of all sizes to easily incorporate high-definition video into print advertising and their existing social media. Businesses of all size can use VizConnect’s platform to easily leverage the power of video and a call-to-action screen to market their products and services while also interacting and engaging their target customers. “We’re thrilled to call Springfield our home,” said Carroll of the decision to keep the business in Western Mass. “We could have launched this effort from Cambridge or even Los Angeles, but it’s important to us to be part of building this community that has been so instrumental in our development.” The team of founding partners includes Paul Cooleen, president of VizConnect, a former bond trader with deep ties to Wall Street; Jim Henderson, chief information officer, chief counsel and Boston-based attorney; and Brian Dee, director of Business Development. With subscribers located around the country, VizConnect currently serves a diverse group of businesses in a wide variety of industries, including real estate, restaurants, automobile sales, sports franchises and general contracting vendors. VizConnect also counts several non-profit organizations as customers. VizConnect’s online tools are sold through a network marketing structure, further offering immense opportunities to business people interested in building their own companies. The company offers its distributors — independent business associates — an opportunity to sell and distribute this web-based program as the foundation for their own independent businesses.

Big Y Debuts Solar Array
SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Foods Inc. recently announced the completion of its new solar array at 151 Cottage St. at its Store Support Center in Springfield. This new array spreads across three acres and includes 2,178 solar panels with a 643kw DC array. Annual electrical production yield is expected to be 750,000 kilowatt hours, which will offset the company’s electrical consumption by 15% or 1 ½ months at Big Y’s corporate offices and distribution center. Real Goods Solar Energy, Western Mass Electric Company, and local contractors such as Cotton Tree Service and L&D Construction, installed the panels over the past five months. Employees and visitors can view the array’s electrical generation via a monitor in the company’s café. It is Big Y’s third solar installation in Massachusetts; at the Big Y World Class Markets in Lee and Franklin, rooftop solar arrays have been helping to offset electrical consumption since June 2012. An opening event was staged June 27 at Big Y’s headquarters, at which state and local representatives helped inaugurate the new panels. State Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Richard Sullivan, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Center for Eco-Technology executive director John Majercak and their Green Business Services director Lorenzo Macaluso shared the podium in recognition of Big Y. The company has long been recognized as a leader in innovative energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. In collaboration with the Center for EcoTechnology (CET), a non-profit environmental organization that helps businesses improve environmental performance, Big Y began diverting food waste from landfills across the state. It began diverting food waste from disposal in the mid 1990s and today, all 61 stores recycle cardboard, paper and film plastics. More than 80% of its Massachusetts markets utilize active composting programs. In 2011, Big Y diverted more than 16,000 tons of materials from landfills. Last year, Big Y was recognized by the state for its significant accomplishments. In addition, it passed the 80% certification rate statewide to earn regulatory relief from the MassDEP Waste Ban Enforcement and earned Supermarket Recycling Program Certification. Big Y is also an inaugural participant in EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge. Other renewable-energy solutions implemented by Big Y include full building- management systems in each store to control lighting, refrigeration, and other HVAC units to insure optimal performance. This system also reduces lighting and temperatures at nighttime when the stores are closed. Other initiatives include the installation of glass doors in all dairy and frozen food cases along with electronically commutated motors to lower energy consumption. Variable speed drives on rooftop air handling units and cooking exhaust hoods, advanced refrigeration systems with reduced refrigerant charges, rooftop dehumidification units, and highly energy efficient case motors all contribute to reducing Big Y’s energy footprint. Additionally, LED lighting with occupancy sensors, pull down covers for open multideck cases and efficient lighting design continue to help the chain save over 800,000 kwh per year in energy consumption. Before the installation of their new solar array, these savings are equivalent to 1283 barrels of oil, 61,844 gallons of gasoline or 108 cars being taken off of the road. Big Y is also one of the first retailers to install electric-car-charging stations, which are currently active at four of their Massachusetts  locations — Northampton, Lee, Franklin, and Walpole.  Customers can conveniently use the chargers for free while they shop. Since installation, 482 cars have charged more than 461 hours saving more than 1,879 (kg) of greenhouse  gases and 223 gallons of gasoline. According to Gary Kuchyt, Big Y’s manager of energy and sustainability, “Saving resources is important to us as a company — not only is it good business, but it’s simply the right thing to do. I am proud to say that Big Y has been committed to conserving energy and reducing waste for over 40 years.”

ESB to Receive ‘Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve’ Award
EASTHAMPTON —  Easthampton Savings Bank announced that on July 9, it will receive the ‘Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve” award. The presentation will take place at the bank’s main office at 36 Main St. in Easthampton. The nomination was made by Darci Furr, assistant manager at the bank’s Westfield Office. Furr is a master sergeant in the Mass. Air National Guard, and has been deployed to Saudi Arabia from 2001 to 2002, and to Qatar in 2005 and 2010. Furr, whose current unit of assignment is the Force Support Squadron, 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, has served for 15 years. In her nomination Furr called Easthampton Savings Bank a “pillar of the Pioneer Valley business community, that is fully deserving of recognition due to exceptional support of military service members.” She talked about the Veteran’s Day drives that the bank has done for the past six years to collect items from employees to send to a military unit who has a member with a direct relationship to the bank. Furr also talked about her personal experience with the bank’s support of military service members. She commented that during the entire 15 years as an employee of ESB and as a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard her managers have been very accommodating to her military duty needs; including last-minute scheduling changes, extended temporary duty periods, and monthly drill weekends.  In addition, the bank voluntarily provides a pay differential for service members whose military salaries are less than that of their bank income. Furr also commented that her direct supervisor also took the time to keep in touch with Furr’s husband, who remained state side. She also added that the bank’s culture is a direct reflection of the leadership and caring guidance of Bill Hogan, the long-time president and CEO of ESB; a former Guardsman himself. Furr concluded her nomination by saying “ESB is a model employer in many ways, not the least of which is its exceptional support of military service members. Selection for the Above and Beyond Award would recognize ESB publicly for something I have known for my 15 years of employment there.”

Polish National Credit Union pledges $50,000 for new Chicopee Senior Center
CHICOPEE — In a check presentation ceremony recently at The Polish National Credit Union’s Main Street, Chicopee headquarters, PNCU pledged the second of two $25,000 donations to support the construction of the new Chicopee Senior Center on Main Street. PNCU previously donated $25,000 in 2012 for the Senior Center. PNCU President and CEO James P. Kelly made the presentation to Richard J. Kos and Ernest N. Laflamme, Jr., co-chairs of the senior center fund raising committee, and Marie Laflamme, a member of the capital campaign. “This is an effort that goes right to the heart of what the Polish National Credit Union is all about,” said Kelly. “These are our members, and this is our community, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

Nejaime’s Wine Cellar Unveils Renovated Stores in Lenox, Stockbridge
LENOX/ STOCKBRIDGE — Nejaime’s Wine Cellars recently completed extensive expansion-and-remodeling projects at its Lenox and Stockbridge locations. Owner Joe Nejaime said ongoing grand reopenings are an opportunity for patrons to see and taste new selections the stores can now offer. “Our goal in both stores was to create a brighter and more spacious shopping experience,” he said. “The Lenox store has expanded by approximately 1,900 square feet, nearly doubling its size, and the Stockbridge store has been remodeled and rearranged to make better use of the space.” Both stores received new deli cases, freezers, and flooring, and the Lenox location will also benefit from a rehabbed parking lot. Nejaime noted that the stores’ selection of picnic items and accessories — popular among Tanglewood attendees — have been expanded as a result, as have their beer selection, high-end wines, fine whiskey, prepared foods, and specialty groceries including cheese, crackers, gluten-free items, gourmet chocolates, cookies, and other snacks, as well as gifts and accessories.

Dan Thomas Joins Team at Main Street Hospitality Group

By
Daily News

STOCKBRIDGE — Main Street Hospitality Group has announced a new addition to its management team, appointing sommelier Dan Thomas to the position of wine and bar director.

Main Street Hospitality Group is a hospitality-management company based out of Stockbridge. The group owns and manages the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, where Thomas has held the role of sommelier since 2007.

Over his seven years at the inn, Thomas has expanded the wine list to include more than 400 selections and 50 half-bottle selections, with a focus on international artisan producers and local and regional wines. The Red Lion Inn was awarded the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for the 16th consecutive year in 2014.

Thomas possesses an extensive knowledge of oenology and has completed the first level of the Court of Master Sommeliers. Inspired by advancements in food and wine over the last decade, he is passionate about introducing guests to new wines, beers, cocktails, and unexpected combinations.

“Dan has been an integral part of the food and beverage operation at the Red Lion Inn since his start. He is a great fit for Main Street Hospitality Group. We’re excited about his expanded role,” said Main Street Hospitality Group CEO Sarah Eustis.

In this new role, Thomas will oversee all Main Street Hospitality Group wine and bar programs, working directly with wineries, breweries, and distilleries. He will also search for new products and collaborate with local producers on fresh libation projects.

“Dan’s knowledge of all things bar and wine is a great compliment to the MSHG food philosophy. I’ve enjoyed seeing Dan grow the Red Lion Inn beverage program over the past seven years and look forward to working with him on future food and beverage projects,” said Brian Alberg, Red Lion Inn’s executive chef and Main Street Hospitality Group’s vice president of Food and Beverage Operations.

In addition to the Red Lion Inn, Main Street Hospitality Group manages the Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams and the Williams Inn in Williamstown. The group will manage a Pittsfield property, Hotel on North, upon its opening this spring.

Main Street Hospitality Group Announces Leadership Team

By
Daily News

STOCKBRIDGE — Main Street Hospitality Group has announced several appointments to its leadership team. The company, formed in January 2014, owns and operates out of the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge. The group also manages the Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams, the Williams Inn in Williamstown, and a new, 45-room property, Hotel on North, in Pittsfield, which is planned to open in 2015.

“We are very excited to offer our talented staff expanded leadership opportunities,” said Nancy Fitzpatrick, Main Street Hospitality Group owner and chairman. “This lays the groundwork for an exciting period of growth for our company.”

• In January, as part of the group’s founding, Sarah Eustis was named CEO. Part-owner of Main Street Hospitality Group, she joined the Red Lion Inn in 2012 to build strategic growth for the company. As Fitzpatrick’s stepdaughter, she continues the Fitzpatrick family ownership.

• Bruce Finn was named chief operating officer. In 2003, he came on as general manager of the Red Lion Inn and the Porches Inn at MASS MoCA. He is responsible for all property operations and implementation of strategies and services.

• Andre Huppe has been named chief financial officer. He joined the Red Lion Inn in 2010 and continues to oversee all accounting and fiscal activity.

• Brian Alberg has been named vice president of food and beverage operations. He will retain his role as executive chef at the Red Lion Inn. He joined the Red Lion Inn in 2004 and is a leader in the sustainable-food culture in the Berkshires and Hudson Valley.

• Brian Butterworth has been named vice president of sales. He joined the Red Lion Inn in 2002 and continues his leadership role in the tourism industry and the community.

• Michele Kotek has been named vice president of lodging operations. She will retain her role as innkeeper of the Red Lion Inn. Michele joined the Red Lion Inn 1998, sits on the board of the Berkshire Visitor’s Bureau, and is president of the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce.

• Anne Curtin-Nardi has been named vice president of human resources. She joined the Red Lion Inn in 2006. Prior to that, she worked at Country Curtains for 22 years in a variety of roles, including overseeing compensation and benefits, human resources, and training.

• Stephanie Gravalese-Wood has been named director of marketing and communications. She joined the Red Lion Inn in 2011 and was recently appointed to the Tourism Commission for the city of Pittsfield.

• Bonita Wilson has taken on the role of training coordinator. In addition to her responsibilities as executive administrator, she is responsible for all aspects of ongoing hospitality training at the properties.

• Carla Child has been named project manager. She joined the Red Lion Inn in 1990 and will play a key role in the design development of new properties. She will retain her role as philanthropy coordinator.

“It is exciting to pursue our vision of developing independent and unique properties within the Berkshire region and beyond,” Eustis said. “We have a talented team with deep roots and experience in hospitality, and we are poised for growth.”

Main Street Hospitality Group has also launched a new website, designed by Moho Designs of Great Barrington. For more information, visit www.mainstreethospitalitygroup.com.

Main Street Hospitality Group Grows Its Berkshires Portfolio

By
Daily News

STOCKBRIDGE — Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality Group, announced the addition of a sixth hotel into the company’s portfolio with the acquisition of the Briarcliff Motel in Great Barrington.

“The addition of this property to the Main Street family reinforces our commitment to the Berkshires as stewards of a 50-year legacy of hospitality in the region,” said Eustis. “The Briarcliff is a perfect fit to our portfolio and an ideal complement to its sister hotels, and we are so grateful to Richard and Clare Proctor for entrusting its future with Main Street.”

Main Street Hospitality took ownership of the 16-room, 1960s-era Briarcliff Motel, located at 506 Stockbridge Road, earlier this month.

“Since Richard and I opened Briarcliff in 2011, we have found the Berkshires to be a great place to live and run a small, independently minded business, and we’re filled with gratitude to the many people we’ve met who have encouraged and helped us along the way,” said Clare Proctor. “It’s time for the next big step, both for us and for the Briarcliff, and we are delighted to be passing the place into the hands of Main Street Hospitality: a company who will continue to shepherd it forward under Sarah Eustis’ passionate leadership.”

The acquisition was financed by Lee Bank of Great Barrington, Eustis noted. “Lee Bank is a valued partner to Main Street Hospitality, and we appreciate the confidence their employees have in our business.”

Main Street Hospitality includes six properties, 275 rooms, and 350 employees in Western Mass. Its footprint now expands from its affiliate property Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield in the southern part of the county, to the Briarcliff in Great Barrington, through Stockbridge, home of the flagship Red Lion Inn and Maple Glen at the Red Lion Inn, to centrally located Hotel on North in Pittsfield and further up county to the Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams.

“Independent hoteliers are facing so many new challenges in managing and marketing their properties, especially in the face of growing competition from shared-economy companies like Airbnb and a proliferation of brands,” said Eustis. “As we to continue to evolve as an operator and developer of independent hotels both within and outside of the Berkshires, we’re finding a rich pipeline of opportunities to grow the Main Street portfolio further.”

Summer in the Valley

By
Cover Story
25 Ways to Enjoy Everyone’s Favorite Season

SummerInTheValleyIt’s officially summer in the Pioneer Valley, an exceedingly enjoyable, if all-too-short time marked by a seemingly endless variety of diversions. Some of these — Six Flags, Tanglewood, and Jacob’s Pillow come to mind — are well known, or should be. But others fall into that ‘best-kept-secret’ category, and shouldn’t. These include everything from the Holyoke Blue Sox to the Nash Dinosaur Tracks in South Hadley; from one of the few remaining drive-in movie theaters (located near the New Hampshire border) to the often-overlooked Quabbin Reservoir. For this issue, BusinessWest offers 25 intriguing suggestions for how one can devote some time during this summer in the Valley. There are myriad more, but these provide a good indication of what this region has to offer during everyone’s favorite time of the year.

Berkshires Arts Festival

www.berkshiresartsfestival.com
Ski Butternut, 380 State Road, Great Barrington, MA
(845) 355-2400
Schedule: July 4-6 and July 12-14
Admission: $5-12
The Berkshires Arts Festival has proven to be so successful in its 12 years of existence that organizers have expanded the event into a second week. The festival attracts hundreds of acclaimed artists and big-time collectors from across the country for two consecutive weekends, transforming Butternut from a ski lodge into an outstanding art gallery. And while the artwork is the main focus, the festival also provides musical entertainment from renowned local, national, and international acts. Visitors can also participate in fun, interactive events like a puppetry and storytelling workshop. Besides, it’s hard to turn down tented AC and free parking.

Berkshire Botanical Garden

www.berkshirebotanical.org
5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA
(413) 298-3926
Schedule: May 1 to Oct. 14, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Admission: Free for members; adults, $15; seniors, $12; students, $12; children under 12, free
If the flora indigenous to, or thriving in, the Berkshires of Western Mass. is your cup of tea, try 15 acres of stunning public gardens at the Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge. Originally established as the Berkshire Garden Center in 1934, today’s not-for-profit, educational organization is both functional and ornamental, with a mission to fulfill the community’s need for information, education, and inspiration concerning the art and science of gardening and the preservation of the environment. In addition to the garden’s collections, among the oldest in the U.S., visitors can enjoy workshops, special events, and summer-guided tours on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 10 a.m., from June 15 through Sept. 1.

Blandford Fair

www.theblandfordfair.com
10 North St., Blandford, MA
Schedule: Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30 to Sept. 2
Admission: $5-10
Not much appears to have changed in the 145 years of the Blandford Fair, but that’s what makes it so charming. This Labor Day weekend, at the 146th edition of the event, fairgoers can witness the classic rituals of the giant pumpkin display, the pony draw, and the horseshoe tournament. Most likely not seen in the earlier days is the fantastically loud but always-intriguing chainsaw-carving demonstration and the windshield-smashing demolition derby, both highlights of this year’s fair. With many more exhibits and attractions to offer, a weekend at the Blandford Fair is a wonderful way to close out the summer.

BridgeOfFlowers

Bridge of Flowers

www.bridgeofflowersmass.org
Shelburne Falls, MA
Schedule: April 1 to Oct. 30
Admission: Free
Where can you find Siberian Iris and Iris Germanica (the bearded beauties, of course), Wild Wings, Ghost Train, Fire Breather, or False Indigo? The Bridge of Flowers, of course. With interesting names, and even more amazing flowers, this once-abandoned trolley bridge is now a garden pathway, cared for by the Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club Bridge of Flowers Committee for more than 80 years. While advances in transportation doomed its original use, the bridge eventually bloomed as a tourist attraction, and from bulb season to Dahlia season, and every bloom season in between, it welcomes flower followers from all over the country.

Brimfield Antique Show

www.quaboaghills.com
Route 20, Brimfield, MA
(413) 283-6149
Schedule: July 9-14, Sept. 3-8 (Tuesday-Sunday); open from sunrise to sundown
Admission: Free
Call it tkotchke heaven, or adopt the old phrase ‘one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.’ But whatever your connection to this wide variety of aged items, you’ll find folks flocking to a mile-long stretch of antiques and collectibles along Route 20 in Brimfield during six days in July, rain or shine. The annual Brimfield Antique Show labels itself the “Antiques and Collectibles Capital of the United States,” and it’s hard to disagree when, during the course of three events a year — in May, July, and September — the shows attract 6,000 dealers who buy, sell, and trade items from bygone eras to more than 130,000 antiques aficionados from around the world.

Green River Festival

www.greenriverfestival.com
Greenfield Community College
One College Dr., Greenfield, MA
(413) 773-5463
Schedule: July 20-21
Admission: $65-75; weekend pass, $90; children 12 and under, free
The Green River Festival remains the Pioneer Valley’s one-stop option for fans of both hot-air balloons and eclectic musical acts. Located on the Greenfield Community College campus, the festival began in 1986 as purely a hot-air-balloon affair, but quickly integrated musical entertainment into the event. Now, the festival features a packed weekend lineup including acclaimed musicians drawn from an assortment of traditional as well as unconventional genres such as ‘high-intensity gypsy swing’ and ‘adventurous folk.’ Sore from the high-intensity dancing, visitors can sample the local cuisine, try their hand at a crafts workshop, or check out all the action from above in a colorful balloon.

HancockShakerVillage

Hancock Shaker Village

www.hancockshakervillage.org
1843 West Housatonic St., Pittsfield, MA
(413) 443-0188
Schedule: Through Oct. 27
Admission: $8-18
In 1774, a small group of persecuted English men and women known as the Shakers — the name is derived from the way their bodies convulsed during prayer — landed in New York Harbor in the hopes of securing religious freedom in America. Nearly 250 years later, their utopian experiment remains available to the public in the restored 19th-century village of Hancock. Through 20 refurbished buildings and surrounding gardens, Shaker Village successfully illuminates the daily lives of its highly productive inhabitants. After spending a day in the recreated town, visitors will surely gain a greater appreciation of the Shakers’ oft-forgotten legacy in the region.

2013BlueSoxOpeningDay

Holyoke Blue Sox

www.holyokesox.com
MacKenzie Stadium, 500 Beech St., Holyoke, MA
(413) 533-1100
Schedule: June 6 through early August (playoffs Aug. 4-12)
Tickets: $4-6; children 5 and under, free; group rates available
Valley residents do not have to trek out to Boston in order to catch a Sox game this summer. The Holyoke Blue Sox, members of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, play close to home at MacKenzie Stadium in Holyoke. These Sox may not have David Ortiz batting cleanup, but they do feature a roster comprised of elite collegiate baseball players from around the country, including some who have already been drafted into the major leagues. Frequent promotional events like postgame fireworks and numerous giveaways help make every game at MacKenzie Stadium a fun, affordable event for the whole family.

JacobsPillow

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

www.jacobspillow.org
358 George Carter Road, Becket, MA
(413) 243-0745 (box office)
Schedule: June 15 – Aug. 25
Admission: $22 and up
As the 81st season of Jacob’s Pillow opens this summer, the annual dance festival finds itself firmly rooted as one of the premier venues for dance in the U.S. The picturesque, 220-acre campus in the Berkshires is a national historic landmark, and was recently awarded a National Medal of Arts by President Obama. Dance enthusiasts will surely marvel at the 350 free and ticketed recitals performed by celebrated companies from around the world, but any devotee of the arts will enjoy Jacob’s Pillow’s other offerings of photography and art exhibits, seminars, discussions, and film screenings, many of which come at no cost.

Lady Bea Cruise Boat

www.brunelles.com
1 Alvord St., South Hadley, MA
(413) 315-6342
Schedule: May through early October
Admission: $10-20; season passes available
Western Mass. residents should be reminded that Interstate 91 is not the only direct thoroughfare from South Hadley to Northampton. The Lady Bea will take you up and back on daily cruises along the Valley’s other major highway: the Connecticut River. If you don’t feel like sharing the 75-minute narrated voyage with others, rent the boat out for a private excursion. Or take advantage of the entertainment and themed cruises that feature local artists. Just like your car, the Lady Bea is climate-controlled and chock full of amenities, though your Honda Civic doesn’t come equipped with a full bar.

LupaZoo

Lupa Zoo

www.lupazoo.org
62 Nash Hill Road, Ludlow, MA
(413) 583-8370
Schedule: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Tickets: $6-10
Lupa Zoo brings the African savannah to Western Mass. residents. The late Henry Lupa fulfilled his lifelong dream of creating a zoo right next to his Ludlow house, filling it with hundreds of animals and instilling a warm, familial atmosphere. At Lupa Zoo, you can be entertained by monkeys, feed giraffes on a custom-built tower, or marvel at the bright colors of tropical birds. In addition to offering animal shows and animal-feeding programs, the staff at Lupa Zoo promotes conservation and sustainability, so if you’re thinking about heading to the zoo, grab your bike from the garage and start pedaling.

MASS MoCA’s Bang on a Can

www.massmoca.org
1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA
(413) 662-2111
Schedule: Museum summer hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Bang on a Can: July 15 to Aug. 3, weekdays, 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 4:30 p.m.
Admission: Adults, $15; students, $10; children 7-16, $5; children 6 and under, free; members, free
MASS MoCA has a big-bang theory that large-scale, contemporary art isn’t the only interesting reason to venture to the northwest corner of the Commonwealth. So at MASS MoCA, the former 19th-century factory buildings turned art galleries, the annual Bang on a Can music series turns the whole campus into a spontaneous combustion chamber for music from talented students and renowned guest conductors. Daily gallery recitals offer an extra measure of creative expression during a visit to the multiple buildings housing contemporary forms of art. Bang on a Can recitals are free with museum admission.

Mountain Park at Mount Tom

www.iheg.com/mountain_park_main.asp
Mountain Park Access Road off Route 5, Holyoke, MA
(413) 586-8686 (box office)
Schedule: July 27 and Aug. 16; 8 p.m.
Admission: $31-75
Tucked inside dense woods near the base of Mount Tom is one of the Valley’s hidden gems. What began as a recreation area near a trolley station more than 100 years ago became a popular amusement park in the early to mid-1900s, only to fade from the landscape in the late ’80s. Reconstituted as a concert venue in 2009, Mountain Park is back in favor and playing host to established musical groups in a summer concert series. This summer, jam to English prog-rockers Yes (July 27) and Boston punk stars Dropkick Murphys (Aug. 16) at the park’s scenic amphitheater.

MtSugarl;oaf

Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation

www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/msug
300 Sugarloaf St., South Deerfield, MA
(413) 665-2928
Schedule: May through October, dawn to dusk
Admission: Free
If you really want to commemorate your summer of 2013, then you might want to drive or climb the steep road up Mount Sugarloaf in South Deerfield to take some photos with the family at one of the most picturesque locations in Western Mass. Indeed, the view from the Observation Tower atop the peak, overlooking the curved, tree-lined Connecticut River far below, is the most brochure-worthy, and published, image of this region. The state reservation, which consists of two summits, North and South Sugarloaf, boasts more than 500 acres of land for picnicking, picture taking, and hiking the many trails.  Be warned, some of the trails will be quite challenging … and provide some of the most stunning views of the Connecticut River Valley.

Nash Dinosaur Track Site and Rock Shop

www.nashdinosaurtracks.com
594 Amherst Road, South Hadley, MA
(413) 467-9566
Schedule: Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
Admission: Adults, $3; children, $2
Walk where the dinosaurs walked, literally. It’s hard to believe that the first documented dinosaur tracks found in North America were on the shores of the Connecticut River, near today’s site of Nash Dinosaur Track Site and Rock Shop in South Hadley. Originally uncovered in 1802 by a farmboy plowing his family farm, the findings weren’t officially called dinosaur tracks until the 1830s. Over the years, thousands of dinosaur tracks have been discovered; many were sold to museums and private individuals all over the world, but many more can be seen due to the extensive work of Carlton S. Nash. Visit the site and learn about some of this region’s earliest inhabitants, and also about the geology of the area.

NoprthfieldDriveIn

Northfield Drive-In

www.northfielddrivein.com
981 Northfield Road, Hinsdale, New Hampshire
(603) 239-4054
Schedule: Fridays and Saturdays at dusk, rain or shine
Admission: Adults, $9.50;
children under 12, $5.50
Take a trip back in time to the Northfield Drive-In and experience summer movie watching like your parents used to do … under the stars. Serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont for 65 years, the venue welcomes families to gather for a summer Friday or Saturday evening of clean, fun-filled entertainment, which includes two or three first-run movies. And don’t forget the hot dogs, pizza slices, and hot, buttered popcorn from the snack bar, of course.

Quabbin

Quabbin Reservoir

www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/quabbin
485 Ware Road, Belchertown, MA
(413) 323-7221
Schedule: Open dawn to dusk, year-round
Admission: Free
If you love the outdoors, there is nothing but pure nature on more than 25,000 acres overlooking the man-made, 412-billion-gallon Quabbin Reservoir. A warm summer day can be filled with hiking, biking, picnicking, nature photography, fishing, and wildlife watching, especially the growing population of resident eagles. After flooding five towns, the Commonwealth created the Quabbin during the 1930s as the main drinking-water source for the city of Boston. It has since become the ‘accidental wilderness’ due to the thousands of acres of protected watershed area. Be sure to visit the Quabbin Interpretive Services Program in the Quabbin Visitor Center to learn more about this carefully regulated, yet open-to-all, park.

SixFlags

Six Flags New England

www.sixflags.com/newengland
1623 Main St., Agawam, MA
(413) 786-9300
Schedule: Six Flags: weekdays, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., weekends, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Hurricane Harbor: weekdays, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; weekends, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission: $45-55; advance tickets and season passes available
Summer doesn’t have to be filled with lazy days. Consider a free-fall through a 250-foot enclosed waterslide at Six Flags New England called the Bonzai Pipeline. Just launched this summer, the all-new, 65-foot tall waterslide complex is in Hurricane Harbor water park and joins numerous rollercoasters boasting foreboding names like Scream, Mind Eraser, and Cyclone — and, of course, the world-famous Bizarro coaster, the centerpiece ride of the popular theme park. But fear not: the park has attractions for everyone along the stomach-queasiness spectrum. The carousel and bumper cars are significantly closer to sea level, as are the two giant wave pools in Hurricane Harbor. No matter what type of ride you prefer, Six Flags will provide many smiles — or screams — on a summer day.

stearnschristine

Stearns Square Concert Series

www.springfielddowntown.com
Worthington and Bridge streets
Springfield, MA
(413) 781-1591
Schedule: Thursdays, July 11 through Sept. 12; opening bands, 6-7:30 p.m.; headline bands, 8-9:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
The sounds of guitars, saxophones, and drums bouncing off the buildings in downtown Springfield tells you it’s summer in the city when the Stearns Square Concert Series makes its run from July 11 to Sept. 12. What started 13 years ago as the coolest free Thursday-night summer concert series to liven up the cerntral business district has become the hottest outdoor spot to catch a diverse range of live music, people watch, and marvel at the spectacle of motorcycles parked along the park that have given the successful series a secondary moniker — ‘Bike Night.’ This year’s slate of performers includes internationally acclaimed musicians Ana Popovic (Aug. 8), Springfield native Taj Mahal (July 18), and returning favorites FAT (Aug. 22), Roomful of Blues (Aug. 29), and Georgia Satellites (Sept. 5), to name a few.

Tanglewood

Tanglewood

www.bso.org
297 West St., Lenox, MA
(617) 266-1200
Schedule: June 23 through Sept. 1
Admission: $21 and up
For outdoor music, Tanglewood represents the best of what Western Mass. has to offer. This beautiful campus in Lenox has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, and has been drawing visitors from around the country for just as long. Pack some sandwiches for a picnic, throw a blanket and folding chairs in the car, and take in a magical evening of music on the lawn. While Tanglewood always puts forth its fair share of classical programs with superb concert soloists, it also offers performances by contemporary groups, like this summer’s shows by the Steve Miller Band and Guster, for those more inclined to the Beatles than Beethoven.

Western Mass. Vineyards and Wineries

www.masswinery.com
Various towns in Western Mass.
Schedule: Check websites
Admission: Free
Western Mass. is the perfect place to ‘wine’ down with friends at a winery, and there are several to choose from. Consider Green River Ambrosia in Greenfield (ever heard of honey wine?); or Mount Warner Vineyards in Hadley, open by appointment; or the Black Birch Winery in Southampton, which offers summer wine tastings on weekends. If you’re still thirsty for more local variety, try the Amherst Farm Winery in Amherst, Les Trois Emmes Winery & Vineyard in Hadley, or the Pioneer Valley Vineyard in Hatfield, which all have retail shops to explore as you’re sipping the fruits of the past year’s labor.

Williamstown Theatre Festival

www.wtfestival.org
1000 Main St., Williamstown, MA
(413) 597-3400
Schedule: June 26 through Aug. 18
Admission: $20 and up; some events free
For 58 years, the Williamstown Theatre Festival on the campus of Williams College has been offering Tony Award-wining theater in the Berkshires. During that time, the theater venue of the Main Stage and Nikos Stage has attracted such performers as E.G. Marshall, Blythe Danner, Colleen Dewhurst, and Christopher Reeve, and the summer of 2013 will be no different. The festival will present a range of both classical and original productions, late-night cabarets, free theatre, and other special programs like the Family Friday Workshops, from 4 to 6 p.m. from July 5 to August 9.

Yidstock

www.yiddishbookcenter.org/yidstock
Yiddish Book Center
Hampshire College, 893 West St., Amherst, MA
(413) 256-4900
Schedule: July 18-20, 7 p.m.; July 21, noon, 2, 4, and 7 p.m.
Admission: $8-38; festival pass: $135 for members or $175 general admission; pass includes admission to all concerts, lectures, and workshops
Forget Woodstock; discover the best in klezmer and new Yiddish music at the 2nd annual Yidstock. Set on the stage at the Amherst-based Yiddish Book Center, the weekend will offer an engaging glimpse of Jewish roots and jazzy soul music through popular Yiddish bands like the Klezmer Conservatory Band, Klezperanto, Margot Leverett & the Klezmer Mountain Boys, and the Yidstock All-Stars. Come early on Friday for a lecture on lost Hebrew musical treasures or learn Yiddish folk dance.

ZoarOutdoors

Zoar Outdoor

www.zoaroutdoor.com
7 Main Street, Charlemont, MA
(800) 532-7483
Schedule: Through Oct. 15
Admission: Varies; family packages available
This summer it may be time to cancel that Netflix account and take advantage of the many outdoor opportunities found at Zoar Outdoor. Zoar offers virtually every option available to the adventurous soul in Western Mass.: kayaking, rock climbing, white-water rafting, canoeing, and ziplining in the trees down a mountain that overlooks the Deerfield River. Zoar offers on-site camping and lodging to those itching to escape the pressures of the city and suburbia. For those inclined to get really close to nature and experience the Berkshires in the trees and on the water, the staff at Zoar also lead overnight rafting and zipping tours into the wilderness.

The Zoo in Forest Park and Education Center

www.forestparkzoo.org
Forest Park, 302 Sumner Ave., Springfield, MA
(413) 733-2251
Schedule: Weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; weekends, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $4-8.50
Located in Springfield’s historic Forest Park, the Zoo and Education Center offers a number of exhibits and educational programs to the Valley’s animal lovers. Visitors to the zoo can behold the power of an African lion and alligator, or determine for themselves whether the Madagascar hissing cockroach lives up to its name. Children can be especially engaged at the Zoo in Forest Park through Zoo Camp and the Crew in Training volunteer program. End the visit with a train ride through the grounds.

Time to Shine

By
SummerGuideCoverFeature0616b
Cover Story

Cover June 15, 2015

Our Annual Guide to Summer Fun in Western Mass.

Vacations are highlights of anyone’s calendar, and summertime is, admittedly, a perfect time to get away. But it’s also a great time to stay at home and enjoy the embarrassment of riches Western Mass. has to offer when it comes to arts and entertainment, cultural experiences, community gatherings, and encounters with nature. From music festivals and agricultural fairs to zoos and water activities — and much more — here is BusinessWest’s annual rundown of some of the region’s outdoor highlights. For a more comprehensive list go HERE. Have fun!





Music, Theatre, and Dance

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
358 George Carter Road, Becket
(413) 243-0745; www.jacobspillow.org
Admission: $19 and up
June 13 to Aug. 30: Now in its 83rd season, Jacob’s Pillow has become one of the country’s premier showcases for dance, featuring more than 50 dance companies from Cuba, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Canada, and across the U.S. Participants can take in 200 free performances, talks, and events; train at one of the nation’s most prestigious dance-training centers; and take part in community programs designed to educate and engage audiences of all ages. Never Stand Still, the acclaimed documentary about Jacob’s Pillow, will be screened on Aug. 30 at 4:30 p.m.
JacobsPillow

Tanglewood

297 West St., Lenox
(617) 266-1200; www.bso.org
Admission: $12 and up
June 19 to Sep. 5: Tanglewood has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, and like previous years, it has a broad, diverse slate of concerts in store for the 2015 season, including the Festival of Contemporary Music on July 20, the String Quartet Marathon on July 29, Chamber Music Concerts on Sundays throughout July and August, and a roster of popular-music shows featuring Sheryl Crow with the Boston Pops, Diana Krall, Huey Lewis and the News, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, and Idina Menzel. To celebrate its 75th anniversary, Tanglewood has also commissioned some 30 new works for performance during the 2015 season.

Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival / Bang on a Can Plays Art / Fresh Grass Festival
1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams
(413) 662-2111; www.massmoca.org
Solid Sound: Festival pass, $149; individual days, $65-$99
Bang on a Can Plays Art: Festival pass, $75; individual concerts, $5-$24
Fresh Grass: Festival pass, $93
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is known for its roster of musical events during the summer. Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival (June 26-28) returns with three days of music — from the festival’s namesake band plus dozens of other artists — and an array of interactive and family activities. The Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival, a residency program for composers and performers, is highlighted by Bang on a Can Plays Art (July 25 to Aug. 1), a weeklong series of shows culminating in a blowout finale on Aug. 1. Finally, the Fresh Grass Festival (Sep. 18-20) showcases more than 20 bluegrass artists and bands over three days. Whatever your taste in music, MassMOCA delivers all summer long. And check out the galleries, too.MassMoCA

Williamstown Theatre Festival
1000 Main St., Williamstown
(413) 597-3400; www.wtfestival.org
Admission: $35 and up
June 30 to Aug. 23: Six decades ago, the leaders of Williams College’s drama department and news office conceived an idea: using the school’s theater for a summer performance program with a resident company. Since then, the festival has attracted a number of notable guest performers, including, this summer, Kyra Sedgwick, Blair Underwood, Cynthia Nixon, Eric Bogosian, and Audra McDonald. This season will spotlight a range of both original productions and plays by well-known writers such as William Inge and Eugene O’Neill, as well as a number of other programs, such as post-show Tuesday Talkbacks with company members.

CityBlock Concert Series
Worthington and Bridge streets, Springfield
(413) 781-1591; www.springfielddowntown.com/cityblock
Admission: Free
July 2 to Aug. 27: The Stearns Square Concert Series reverts to its original name this year, but the Thursday-night lineup remains studded with national touring acts and local lights, including Jane Monheit (July 2), Jon Butcher Axis (July 9), Willie Nile (July 16), Cinderella’s Tom Keifer (July 23), Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers (July 30), Denny Laine of Wings (Aug. 6), Dana Fuchs Band (Aug. 20), and FAT (Aug. 27). The 6:30 p.m. shows will be preceded at 4:30 p.m. by a new Local Music Showcase on a second stage, featuring up-and-coming acts. The series is sponsored by the Springfield Business Improvement District.

Green River Festival
Greenfield Community College, One College Dr., Greenfield
(413) 773-5463;
 www.greenriverfestival.com
Admission: Weekend, $99.99; Friday, $19.99; Saturday, $59.99; Sunday, $59.99
July 10-12: For one weekend every July, Greenfield Community College hosts a high-energy celebration of music; local food, beer, and wine; handmade crafts; and family games and activities — all topped off with four hot-air-balloon launches and a spectacular Saturday-night ‘balloon glow.’ The music is continuous on three stages, and this year features Steve Earle & the Dukes, Punch Brothers, Tune-Yards, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, J Mascis, and more than three dozen other artists. Children under 10 can get in for free, and they’ll want to, as the family-friendly festival features children’s music performers, a kids’ activity tent, games, circus acts, a Mardi Gras parade, and other surprises.

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival
Court Square, Springfield
(413) 303-0101; springfieldjazzfest.com
Admission: Free
Aug 8: The second annual Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival celebrates the emergence of Springfield’s Cultural District and promotes an arts-driven, community-oriented, and sustainable revitalization of the city. The event will offer a festive atmosphere featuring locally and internationally acclaimed musical artists, dance and theater workshops, local arts and crafts, and plenty of food. More than 5,000 people are expected to attend and enjoy the sounds of jazz, Latin jazz, gospel, blues, funk, and more. The festival is produced by Blues to Green, which uses music and art to celebrate community and culture, build shared purpose, and catalyze social and environmental change.

Community Gatherings

WorthyCraftWorthy Craft Brew Fest / Valley Fest
Worthy Craft Brew Fest: 201 Worthington St., Springfield, MA
(413) 736-6000; www.theworthybrewfest.com
Valley Fest: Court Square, Springfield, MA
(413) 303-0101; www.valleybrewfest.com
Admission (both): Free
If you like craft beer, you’re in luck this summer, with two events coming to downtown Springfield. On June 20, Smith’s Billiards and Theodores’ Booze, Blues & BBQ, both in the city’s entertainment district, will host some 20 breweries, with music by General Gist and the Mexican Cadillac. The event will also feature a home-brew contest; Amherst Brewing will make the winner’s beer and serve it at next year’s Brew Fest. Then, on Aug. 29, White Lion Brewing Co. will host its inaugural beer festival, called Valley Fest, at Court Square. MGM Springfield will be the presenting sponsor. More than 50 breweries and many local food vendors will converge downtown, and attendees will have an opportunity to sample more than 100 varieties of beer and hard cider alongside pairing selections by local chefs.

Springfield Dragon Boat Festival
121 West St., Springfield, MA
(413) 736-1322; www.pvriverfront.org
Admission: Free
June 27: The third annual Springfield Dragon Boat Festival returns to Riverfront Park. Hosted by the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club, this family-friendly festival features the exciting sport of dragon-boat racing and will include music, performances, food, vendors, kids’ activities, and more. Watch the dragon-boat races, starting at 9 a.m., and stay for a day of fun along the riverfront. The festival is an ideal event for businesses and organizations looking for a new team-building opportunity, and provides financial support for the Riverfront Club as it grows and strengthens its presence in Springfield and the Pioneer Valley.

BerkshiresArtsBerkshires Arts Festival
Ski Butternut, 380 State Road, Great Barrington
(845) 355-2400; www.berkshiresartsfestival.com
Admission: $6-$13; children under 10, free
July 3-5: Now in its 14th year, the Berkshires Arts Festival has become a regional tradition. Thousands of art lovers and collectors are expected to descend on the Ski Butternut grounds to check out and purchase the creations of more than 175 artists and designers, as well as experiencing theater and music from local and national acts. Founded by Richard and Joanna Rothbard, owners of An American Craftsman Galleries, the festival attracts top artists from across the U.S. and Canada. Visitors can also participate in interactive events like puppetry and storytelling, all the time enjoying a respite from the sun under tents and in the ski resort’s air-conditioned lodge.

Monson Summerfest
Main Street, Monson
(413) 267-3649; www.monsonsummerfestinc.com
Admission: Free
July 4: In 1979, a group of parishioners from the town’s Methodist church wanted to start an Independence Day celebration focused on family and community, The first Summerfest was held at the church, featuring food, games, and fun activities. With the overwhelming interest of nonprofit organizations in town, the event immediately grew, and relocated onto Main Street the following year. With the addition of a parade, along with booths, bands, rides, and activities, the event has evolved into an attraction drawing more than 10,000 people every year. The festivities will be preceded this year by a town fireworks display on June 27.

BrimfieldAntiqueBrimfield Antique Show
Route 20, Brimfield, MA
(413) 283-6149; www.quaboaghills.com
Admission: Free
July 14-19, Sep. 8-13: What began humbly — when a local auctioneer decided to hold open-air auctions on his property, and grew into a successful flea market — eventually began including neighboring properties as it grew. It expanded in the ’80s and ’90s to a one-mile stretch of Route 20 on both sides, and these days, the Brimfield Antique Show is a six-mile stretch of heaven for people to value antiques, collectibles, and flea-market finds. Some 6,000 dealers and close to 1 million total visitors show up at the three annual, week-long events (the first was in May). The Brimfield Antique Show labels itself the “Antiques and Collectibles Capital of the United States,” and — judging by its scope and number of visitors — it’s hard to disagree.

Iron Bridge Dinner
Iron Bridge over Deerfield River, Shelburne Falls and Buckland, MA
(413) 625-2526; www.mohawktrail.com
Admission: TBA
Aug. 16: Local restaurants and food providers will prepare an elegant, one-of-a-kind dinner on the Iron Bridge for ticket holders at sunset. Seating is at 5:30 p.m., and dinner begins at 6 p.m. Athletes from the Mohawk Athletic Assoc. will serve the meal, while local musicians serenade the diners. The Iron Bridge spans the towns of Buckland and Shelburne, and this event, modeled after a similar community dinner in France, celebrates all the connections there are between the two communities. Held rain or shine. Tickets go on sale July 17.

Agricultural Fairs
Various locations and admission costs; see websites:
www.thewestfieldfair.com; www.cummingtonfair.com; www.3countyfair.com; www.theblandfordfair.com; www.fcas.com; www.belchertownfair.com
Starting in late August and extending through September, the region’s community agricultural fairs are a treasured tradition, promoting agriculture education and science in the region and supporting the efforts of local growers and craftspeople. The annual fairs also promise plenty of family-oriented fun, from carnival rides to animal demonstrations to food, food, and more food. The Westfield fair kicks things off Aug. 21-23, followed by the Cummington Fair on Aug. 27-30, the Blandford Fair and the Three County Fair in Northampton on Sept. 4-7, the Franklin County Fair in Greenfield on Sept. 10-13, and the Belchertown Fair on Sept. 18-20, to name some of the more popular gatherings.

History and Culture

HancockShakerHancock Shaker Village
1843 West Housatonic St., Pittsfield, MA
(413) 443-0188; 
www.hancockshakervillage.org
Admission: $8-20; children 12 and under, free
In 1774, a small group of persecuted English men and women known as the Shakers — the name is derived from the way their bodies convulsed during prayer — landed in New York Harbor in the hopes of securing religious freedom in America. Nearly 250 years later, their utopian experiment remains available to the public in the restored 19th-century village of Hancock. Through 20 refurbished buildings and surrounding gardens, Shaker Village successfully illuminates the daily lives of its highly productive inhabitants. After spending a day in the recreated town, visitors will surely gain a greater appreciation of the Shakers’ oft-forgotten legacy in the region.

Yidstock
Hampshire College, 893 West St., Amherst
(413) 256-4900; www.yiddishbookcenter.org/yidstock
Admission: Concert pass, $160; tickets may be purchased for individual events
July 16-19: Boasting an array of films, concerts, lectures, and workshops, Yidstock 2015: The Festival of New Yiddish Music lands in Amherst in mid-July. The fourth annual Yidstock festival will bring the best in klezmer and new Yiddish music to the stage at the Yiddish Book Center. The festival includes concerts, lectures, and music and dance workshops.
The weekend will offer an intriguing glimpse into Jewish roots and jazzy soul music through popular Yiddish bands like the Klezmatics, Klezperanto, Sklamberg & the Shepherds, and more. The festival pass is sold out, but four-day concert passes and tickets to individual events are still available.

Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival
Look Park, 300 North Main St., Florence, MA
(413) 862-8095; www.glasgowlands.org
Admission: $16; children 6-12, $5; under 6, free
July 18: This 22nd annual festival celebrating all things Scottish features Highland dancers, pipe bands, a clan parade, sheep herding, spinners, weavers, harpists, Celtic music, athletic contests, activities for children, and the authentically dressed Historic Highlanders recreating everyday life in that society from the 14th through 18th centuries. Inside the huge ‘pub’ tent, musical acts Albannach, Soulsha, Prydein, Jennifer Licko, Charlie Zahm, and the Caseys will keep toes tapping in the shade. Event proceeds will benefit programs at Human Resources Unlimited and River Valley Counseling Center.

Pocumtuck Homelands Festival
Unity Park, 1st St., Turners Falls, MA
(413) 498-4318; www.nolumbekaproject.org
Admission: Free
Aug. 1: This celebration of the parks, people, history, and culture of Turners Falls is a coordinated effort of the Nolumbeka Project and RiverCulture. The event features outstanding Native American crafts, including baskets, pottery, jewelry, and demonstrations of primitive skills; Native American food; and live music by Native American flute maker Hawk Henry, Medicine Mammal Singers, Urban Thunder Singers, and the Visioning B.E.A.R. Singers. Attendees may also take part in craft activities, storytelling, and traditional dances. The Nolumbeka Project is dedicated to the preservation of regional Native American history through educational programs, art, history, music, heritage seed preservation, and cultural events.

OldSturbridgeOld Sturbridge Village Family Fun Days
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, MA
(800) 733-1830; www.osv.org
Admission: Adults, $24; children, free
Sep. 5-7: Bring the whole family to Old Sturbridge Village on Labor Day weekend, when the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast opens its doors to children for free (normally, youth admission is $8). Guests are invited to play baseball the way early New Englanders did, make a craft, join a game of French & English (tug of war), meet the oxen in training, try their hand at marbling paper, see a puppet show, watch a toy fire-balloon flight, visit the Freeman Farm, stop and see craftsmen at work, and much more. In addition, the weekend will feature appearances by Bob Olson, performing 19th-century magic, as well as the Old Sturbridge Village Singers and the Old Sturbridge Village Dancers. Let your kids step back into the 1830s and enjoy the last summer weekend before school.

Glendi
St. George Cathedral, 22 St. George Road, Springfield, MA
(413) 737-1496; stgeorgecath.org
Admission: Free
Sep. 11-13: Every year, St. George Cathedral offers thousands of visitors the best in traditional Greek foods, pastries, music, dancing, and old-fashioned Greek hospitality. In addition, the festival offers activities for children, tours of the historic St. George Cathedral and Byzantine Chapel, various vendors from across the East Coast, icon workshops, movies in the Glendi Theatre, cooking demonstrations, and a joyful atmosphere that the whole family will enjoy.

Old Deerfield Craft Fair
10 Memorial St., Deerfield, MA
(413) 774-7476; www.deerfield-craft.org
Admission: $7; children under 12, $1
Sep. 19-20: With New England in its autumnal splendor, the village setting for the Old Deerfield Craft Fair couldn’t be more picturesque. This award-winning show has been recognized for its traditional crafts and fine-arts categories, and offers a great variety of items, from furniture to pottery. And while in town, check out all of Historic Deerfield, an authentic, 18th-century New England village, featuring restored museum houses with period architecture and furnishings, demonstrations of Colonial-era trades, and a world-famous collection of Early American crafts, ceramics, furniture, textiles, and metalwork.

More Fun Under the Sun

Berkshire Botanical Garden
5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA
(413) 298-3926; www.berkshirebotanical.org
Admission: $15; children under 12, free
If the flora indigenous to, or thriving in, the Berkshires of Western Mass. is your cup of tea, try 15 acres of stunning public gardens at the Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge. Originally established as the Berkshire Garden Center in 1934, today’s not-for-profit, educational organization is both functional and ornamental, with a mission to fulfill the community’s need for information, education, and inspiration concerning the art and science of gardening and the preservation of the environment. In addition to the garden’s collections, among the oldest in the U.S., visitors can enjoy workshops, special events, and guided tours.

BerkshireEastBerkshire East / Zoar Outdoor
Berkshire East: 66 Thunder Mountain Road, Charlemont, MA
(413) 339-6617; www.berkshireeast.com
Zoar Outdoor: 7 Main St., Charlemont, MA
(800) 532-7483;
 www.zoaroutdoor.com
Admission: Varies by activity
Neighbors and friendly rivals in Charlemont, Berkshire East and Zoar Outdoor don’t shut down when ski season ends in early spring; they morph into hubs for warm-weather fun. Berkshire East touts its 5,450-foot mountain coaster, as well as three different zipline canopy tours, whitewater rafting and ‘funyaking’ on the Deerfield River, and other activities. Meanwhile, Zoar Outdoor also offers plenty of options for the adventurous soul, from kayaking, whitewater rafting, and canoeing on the river to rock climbing and ziplining in the trees down a scenic mountain. The staff also lead overnight rafting and zipping tours into the wilderness.

Lady Bea Cruise Boat
1 Alvord St., South Hadley, MA
(413) 315-6342;
 www.brunelles.com
Admission: $10-$15; kids 3 and under, free
Interstate 91 is not the only direct thoroughfare from South Hadley to Northampton. The Lady Bea, a 53-foot, 49-passenger, climate-controlled boat operated by Brunelle’s Marina, will take boarders up and back on daily cruises along the Valley’s other major highway: the Connecticut River. If you don’t feel like sharing the 75-minute narrated voyage with others, rent the boat out for a private excursion. Amenties include a PA system, video monitors, a full bar, and seating indoors and on the sun deck — but the main attraction is the pristine water, sandy beaches, and unspoiled views along the river. Summer cruises generally run Thursday through Sunday.

Lupa Zoo
62 Nash Hill Road, Ludlow, MA
(413) 583-8370; www.lupazoo.org
Admission $8-12; children under 2, free
Lupa Zoo brings the African savannah to Western Mass. residents. The late Henry Lupa fulfilled his lifelong dream of creating a zoo right next to his Ludlow house, filling it with hundreds of animals and instilling a warm, familial atmosphere. Visitors can be entertained by monkeys, feed giraffes on a custom-built tower, and marvel at the bright colors of tropical birds. In addition to offering animal shows and animal-feeding programs, the staff at Lupa Zoo promotes conservation and sustainability.

Nash Dinosaur Track Site & Rock Shop
594 Amherst Road, South Hadley, MA
(413) 467-9566;
www.nashdinosaurtracks.com
Admission: Adults, $3; children, $2
Walk where the dinosaurs walked, literally. It’s hard to believe that the first documented dinosaur tracks found in North America were on the shores of the Connecticut River, near today’s site of Nash Dinosaur Track Site and Rock Shop in South Hadley. Originally uncovered in 1802 by a farmboy plowing his family farm, the findings weren’t officially called dinosaur tracks until the 1830s. Over the years, thousands of dinosaur tracks have been discovered; many were sold to museums and private individuals all over the world, but many more can be seen due to the extensive work of Carlton S. Nash. Visit the site and learn about some of this region’s earliest inhabitants, and also about the geology of the area.

Six Flags New England
1623 Main St., Agawam, MA
(413) 786-9300; www.sixflags.com/newengland
Admission: $59.99; season passes, $66.99
Continuing an impressive run of adding a new major attraction each spring, Six Flags New England recently unveiled the Wicked Cyclone, converting the 1983 wooden coaster into a wood-steel hybrid with overbanks, corkscrews, and plenty of air time. Other recent additions include the 409-foot-tall swings of New England Sky Screamer, the 250-foot Bonzai Pipeline enclosed waterslides, and the massive switchback coaster Goliath — in addition to a raft of other thrill rides, like the award-winning Bizarro coaster. But fear not: the park has attractions for everyone along the stomach-queasiness spectrum, from the classic carousel, bumper cars, and two kiddie-ride areas to the giant wave pools and lazy river in the Hurricane Harbor water park, free with admission.

Valley Blue Sox
MacKenzie Stadium, 500 Beech St., Holyoke
(413) 533-1100; www.valleybluesox/pointstreaksites.com
Admission: $4-$6; season tickets, $89
Through Aug. 1: Western Mass. residents don’t have to trek to Boston to catch quality baseball (and this year, that’s especially true). The Valley Blue Sox, members of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, play close to home at MacKenzie Stadium in Holyoke. These Sox feature a roster of elite collegiate baseball players from around the country, including some who have already been drafted into the major leagues. Myriad food options, frequent promotional events like postgame fireworks, and numerous giveaways throughout the season help make every game at MacKenzie a fun, affordable outing for the whole family. Play ball!

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the month of September 2019.

AMHERST

Lorin Starr Interiors/Lorin Starr Consulting
34 Main St., #7
Lorin Starr

Shanghai Gourmet Inc.
104-106 North Pleasant St.
Kan Fang, Yanlong Yang

Shmuel & Associates
P.O. Box 228
Stanley Rosenberg

BELCHERTOWN

Christ Community Church
1255 Federal St.
Emmanuel Haqq

Country Stylist
171 Federal St.
Marianne Abuselmi

Dave’s Lawn & Garden, LLC
70 South St.
David Sajdera

engsafety.com
281 Chauncey Walker St., #143
Mark Bell

Gramarossa Consulting
39 North Main St.
Gail Gramarossa

Maine Dynomining & Minerals
90 Federal St.
Jonathan Spiegel

CHICOPEE

Black & White Inc.
367 James St.
Viktoriya Mukha

Friends of Comp Hockey
42 Access Road
Mark Farrey, Lynn Robinson

Hems Express -n- More Sewing
291R Front St.
Amy Quinteros

Mr. Clean Auto Detailing
904 Meadow St.
Evelyn Roman

Veteran Auto Services
238 Meadow St.
Pablo Morales

Westover Communities
62 Griffith Road
AMCC Property Management, LLC

DEERFIELD

The Deli
39A Thayer St.
Alex Gjekaj, Julia Gawrys

Jessica King, LMHC
110 North Hillside Road
Jessica King

Trailhead Psychotherapy, LLC
110 North Hillside Road
Melissa Eich-Richardson

EASTHAMPTON

FlowMode
16 High St., Apt. 2
Christopher Monn

Pioneer Valley Home Staging
6 Applewood Circle
Laura Macchia

EAST LONGMEADOW

Abacus Aviation Group
119 Industrial Dr.
Jerry Grassetti

Artistic Dance Conservatory
143 Shaker Road
Jennifer Dubilo

Bretta Automotive
20 Dorset St.
Roland Bretta

Lori A Bousquet at Obsessions
10 Center Square
Lori Bousquet

HADLEY

63 East Realty, LLC
63 East St.
Babak Gojgini

Applebee’s
110 Westgate Center Dr.
Apple New England

Interskate 91
367 Russell St.
Rinky Dink Inc.

Kelley Farm
111 Stockbridge St.
William Kelley

Marshalls
325 Russell St.
Marshalls of MA Inc.

Mobile Robotics
110 North Maple St.
Charles Brown

Stockbridge Farm, LLC
113 Stockbridge St.
William Kelley

T.J.Maxx
454 Russell St.
TJX Cos. Inc.

HOLYOKE

Cecaelia Press
16 Maple Crest Circle, Apt. B
Leah Plath

Francs McKane
254 West Franklin St.
Charlotte McKane

Piercing Pagoda #487
50 Holyoke St.
Zale Delaware Inc.

Saints Bounce House Rentals
134 Cabot St.
Steven St. Amand

Totally Pagoda #627
50 Holyoke St.
Zale Delaware Inc.

Upasana S.
48 Holy Family Road, Apt. 208
Upasana Samaddar

LONGMEADOW

Law Office of Alesia H. Days
10 Wildwood Glen
Alesia Days

OASSA Lean Quality Consulting
253 Pendleton Lane
Muhammad Awais

Sharpe Shine and Detail
19 Cobblestone Road
John Sharpe II

LUDLOW

Balance Professional
77 East St.
Lori Miller

Gift Ideas by Alda
733 East St.
Alda Balbino

NORTHAMPTON

Agreeable Agony
221 Pine St., #145
Kiernan Gulick-Sherrill

Euphoria Float Spa
241 King St., Suite 117
Lori Schott

Glamourama
7 Old South St.
Rosa Guerra

Green Earth Computers
20A Crafts Ave.
Kiernan Gulick-Sherrill

Jamecia Estes
71 King St., Second Floor, Suite 1
Jamecia Estes

Kunhardt Financial & Insurance Strategies
351 Pleasant St., Suite C
Daniel Kunhardt Jr.

LandscapeInteractions, LLC
16 Center St., Suite 426
Evan Abramson

Phoenix Upholstery
221 Pine St., Unit 212
Brian Gross

Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters
124 King St.
Curtis Rich

Unique Lodging, LLC
74 Bridge St.
Todd Marchefka

Vallon
163 Conz St.
Roger Allcroft

PALMER

AAGGO Movers
2039 Bridge St.
Gerard Charette

A-ZAP Pest Control
106 State St.
Aimee Henn

Internet Auction Management
4 Springfield St., Suite 510
Emily Cartier, Brandon Girard

Karnavati Express Inc. at Jane Alden Convenience Store
1469 Main St.
Mukesh Patel

OSDS Shop
1152 South Main St.
Oleg Loginov

SPRINGFIELD

Ace Taxi
295 Allen St.
Yasir Osman

Advance Roofing and Construction
478 Newbury St.
Yiad Aoukal

Alfaro Home Improvement
54 Narragansett St.
Alexis Breton

Bumpy’s Natural and Organic Foods
908-914 Allen St.
Derryl Gibbs

Calisa Simone Kennedy
160 Maple St.
Casila Kennedy

Cantina Curbside Grill
1242 Main St., Suite 211
Rashad Ali

Clean Green Trash Removal
48 Summit St.
Jorge Santos

Dunkin’ Donuts
3065 Main St.
Belmont Donuts

Dust Away Cleaning Service
155 Maple St.
Juan Vargas

Eye Seafood
810 Cottage St.
Jodanne St. George

Halloween City
356 Cooley St.
Party City

Heather Marie
13 Rodney Smith Circle
Heather MacDonald

Hipress Corp.
432 Belmont Ave.
Ramon Espinal

IBL Studios
49 Campechi St.
Charles Lewis

Jay’s Awakening
328 Union St.
Jovanni Rodriguez

Microplan and Associates
116 Breckwood Blvd.
Obukohwo Akporovwo

Magnetiq Marketing
21 Van Horn Place
Nelson Soto

Mamma Sass Stitches
54 Kane St.
Danielle McCauley

Modern Belt Co.
768 Belmont Ave.
Alex Wytas

Racing Mart Fuels
612 Carew St.
Rick AA Inc.

Rincon Restaurant
332 Main St.
Dario Grullon

Rite Aid #10062
126 Island Pond Road
Susan Halliday

Rite Aid #10063
381 Cooley St.
Susan Halliday

The Safe Place Project
37 McKnight St.
Barbara McKenzie

Sheba Construction
22 Central St.
Roy Miller

Shiningstar Pics
53 Scott St.
Obalaji Munto Boyd

Smith & Wesson
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
Smith & Wesson

Team Work Painting
1 Federal St.
Lewis Boynton

Tek-Niq Transportation
40 East Bay Path Terrace
Elmer Rodriguez

The Tickled Pig
270 Albany St.
Steven Lauzon

U & L Pavers
157 Florence St., #1
Sara Umana

Unique Beauty Salon
363 Boston Road
Suanne Murrell

Walgreens #02268
50 St. James Blvd.
Susan Halliday

Walgreens #02311
1919 Wilbraham Road
Susan Halliday
Walgreens #03625
707 State St.
Susan Halliday

Walgreens #03736
501 Sumner Ave.
Susan Halliday

Walgreens #10127
625 Carew St.
Susan Halliday

WESTFIELD

Aim Star
9A Pumpkin Lane
Vladimir Djosan

ALB Computers
140 Union St., Apt. A2
Burim Bajrami

Donna Carmel Artist/Printmaker
399 Little River Road
Donna Carmel

EL Services
32 South Maple St.
Elzbieta Ethier

Intrade
334 Buck Pond Road
Vitaliy Zakharchenko

Jeffrey C. Leger Appraisal Services
121 Colony Dr.
Jeffrey Leger

Kerr Bears Creations
146 Sackett Road
Kerri Adamczyk

Mike Bernatchez Painting
30 Valley View Dr.
Mike Bernatchez

PNG Electric
465 Montgomery Road
Pavel Gorobinskiy

Projects & Beyond
44 Hillside Ave.
Nicholas Gaudio Jr.

R & R Flooring
74 Union St.
Richard Navin

Simmons Brook Construction
229 Montgomery Road
Francis Gaetani

Valley View Property & Management Services
65 Deborah Lane
Steven Morse

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Auto Kraft Service Center
44 Mulberry St.
Frederick Fruwirth

Baystate Home Health
30 Capital Dr.
Martin Degen

Liquori’s Pizza Inc.
659 Westfield St.
Antonio Liquori

Logan’s Lawn & Landscape
646 Westfield St.
Logan Bielanski

MacAdvocate
1267 Riverdale St.
Robert Fuller

Titan USA Enterprises Inc.
140 Baldwin St.
Alex Colby

Tri Enterprises
20 River St.
George Lucas

WILBRAHAM

Armored Landscaping, LLC
268 Burleigh Road
Jose Gonzalez

Assembly Required
421 Dipping Hole Road
Ronald Muns

Cutting Edge Heating and A/C
24 Tinkham Glen
Jason Comes

Our Annual Guide to Summer Fun in Western Mass.

By
Cover Story Sections Travel and Tourism

Hot Tips

Vacations are highlights of anyone’s calendar, and summertime is, admittedly, a perfect time to get away. But it’s also a great time to stay at home and enjoy the embarrassment of riches Western Mass. has to offer when it comes to arts and entertainment, cultural experiences, community gatherings, and encounters with nature. From music festivals and agricultural fairs to zoos and water activities — and much more — here is BusinessWest’s annual rundown of some of the region’s outdoor highlights. Have fun!

 

MUSIC, THEATER, AND DANCE

FreshGrass Festival
1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA
www.freshgrass.com
Admission: $46-$119 for three-day pass; $350 for VIP ‘FreshPass’
Sept. 14-16: The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is known for its musical events, and the Fresh Grass festival is among the highlights, showcasing close to 50 bluegrass artists and bands over three days. This year, the lineup includes Indigo Girls, Trampled by Turtles, Flogging Molly, Béla Fleck, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, and many more.

Green River Festival
One College Dr., Greenfield, MA
www.greenriverfestival.com
Admission: Weekend, $129.99; Friday, $34.99; Saturday, $69.99; Sunday, $64.99
July 13-15: For one weekend every July, Greenfield Community College hosts a high-energy celebration of music; local food, beer, and wine; handmade crafts; and games and activities for families and children — all topped off with hot-air-balloon launches and Friday- and Saturday-evening ‘balloon glows.’ The music is continuous on three stages, with more than 35 bands slated to perform.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
358 George Carter Road, Becket, MA
www.jacobspillow.org
Admission: $25 and up
Through Aug. 26: Now in its 86th season, Jacob’s Pillow has become one of the country’s premier showcases for dance, featuring more than 50 dance companies from the U.S. and around the world. Participants can take in scores of free performances, talks, and events; train at one of the nation’s most prestigious dance-training centers; and take part in community programs designed to educate and engage audiences of all ages. This year’s highlights include a season-opening performance by the Royal Danish Ballet, a visit from the ever-popular Pilobolus, and an artist-curated program by New York City Ballet’s Daniel Ulbricht.

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
14 Castle St., Great Barrington, MA
www.mahaiwe.org
Admission: Varies by event
Year-round: The beloved Mahaiwe Theatre dates back to 1905 — continuously running programs since its opening — and underwent an extensive, $9 million renovation starting in 2003. Today, the theater seats just under 700 and hosts year-round arts programming, including music, dance, theatre, opera, talks, and movie classics. It’s leaders say Mahaiwe is a staple and a resource: its live performances inspire tens of thousands of audience members each year, its embrace of modern technology supplements programming with live, high-definition satellite broadcasts from around the world, and its year-round schedule enhances the quality of life for those who reside in and visit the Berkshires.

Old Sturbridge Village Craft Beer & Roots Music Festival
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, MA
www.osv.org
Admission: $14-$28; free for children under 4
July 21: OSV’s craft beer festival is back, with more brews, bands, and bites than ever before. Eighteen craft breweries from across New England will offer an opportunity to sample and purchase some of the region’s top beers, ciders, and ales, while barbecue pork, brats, burgers, and more will be available. At five indoor and outdoor stages, more than a dozen musical artists will present the sounds of Americana, bluegrass, country, folk, and roots music.

Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival
Court Square, Springfield, MA
www.springfieldjazzfest.com
Admission: Free
Aug. 11: The fifth annual Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival will offer a festive atmosphere featuring locally and internationally acclaimed musical artists. More than 10,000 people are expected to hear sounds from a mix of well-known artists and up-and-comers. Headliners announced so far include Maceo Parker, Pedrito Martinez Group, and Jon Cleary, with more announcements expected soon.

Tanglewood
297 West St., Lenox, MA
www.bso.org
Admission: Varies
Through Sept. 14: Tanglewood has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, and like previous years, it has a broad, diverse slate of concerts in store for the 2018 season, including the Festival of Contemporary Music on July 26-30 and performances by the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops orchestras, ensembles of the Tanglewood Music Center, and internationally renowned guest artists from the worlds of classical, jazz, American songbook, Broadway, rock, pop, and dance.

Williamstown Theatre Festival
1000 Main St., Williamstown, MA
www.wtfestival.org
Admission: $60-$75
Through Aug. 19: Six decades ago, the leaders of Williams College’s drama department and news office conceived of an idea: using the campus’ theater for a summer performance program with a resident company. Since then, the festival has attracted a raft of notable guest performers, with this year’s names including Matthew Broderick (The Closet, June 26 to July 4) and Mary-Louise Parker (The Sound Inside, June 27 to July 8). The 2018 season’s seven productions will spotlight a range of both original productions and works by well-known playwrights.

HISTORY AND CULTURE

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
1000 Hall of Fame Ave., Springfield, MA
www.hoophall.com
Admission: $16-$24; free for children under 5
Year-round: The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is home to more than 300 inductees and more than 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Hundreds of interactive exhibits share the spotlight with skills challenges, live clinics, and shooting contests. A $44 million capital campaign is funding a two-phase renovation project, with the first phase, including new dome lighting, a main lobby overhaul, and significant renovation of the Hall’s theater, now complete.

Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival
300 North Main St., Florence, MA
www.glasgowlands.org
Admission: $5-$16, free for children under 6
July 21: Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the largest Scottish festival in Massachusetts, held at Look Park, features Highland dancers, pipe bands, a pipe and drum competition, animals, spinners, weavers, harpists, Celtic music, athletic contests, activities for children, and the authentically dressed Historic Highlanders recreating everyday life in that society from the 14th through 18th centuries.

Glendi
22 St. George Road, Springfield, MA
www.stgeorgecath.org/glendi
Admission: Free
Sept. 7-9: Every year, St. George Cathedral offers thousands of visitors the best in traditional Greek foods, pastries, music, dancing, and old-fashioned Greek hospitality. In addition, the festival offers activities for children, tours of the historic St. George Cathedral and Byzantine Chapel, vendors from across the East Coast, icon workshops, movies in the Glendi Theatre, cooking demonstrations, and more.

Historic Deerfield
84B Old Main St., Deerfield, MA
www.historic-deerfield.org
Admission: $5-$18; free for children under 6
Year-round: Historic Deerfield, founded in 1952, is an outdoor museum that interprets the history and culture of early New England and the Connecticut River Valley. Visitors can tour 12 carefully preserved antique houses dating from 1730 to 1850, and explore world-class collections of regional furniture, silver, textiles, and other decorative arts on display in the authentic period houses and in the Flynt Center of Early New England Life, a state-of-the-art museum facility. Check out the website for a packed roster of summer activities, including educational lectures, cooking demonstrations, and exhibitions of period decoration, textiles, furniture, and art.

Pocumtuck Homelands Festival
Unity Park, 1st Street, Turners Falls, MA
www.nolumbekaproject.org
Admission: Free
Aug. 4: This fifth annual celebration of the parks, people, history, and culture of Turners Falls is a coordinated effort of the Nolumbeka Project and RiverCulture. The event features outstanding Native American crafts, food, and live music, as well as demonstrations of primitive skills. The Nolumbeka Project aims to preserve regional Native American history through educational programs, art, history, music, heritage seed preservation, and cultural events.

Shakerfest
1843 West Housatonic St., Pittsfield, MA
www.hancockshakervillage.org
Admission: $65-$70 for all access; individual activities priced separately
Aug. 18: Hancock Shaker Village will present a day of music, ballads, storytelling, and dance — a place where musicians blend with the audience, and there’s no backstage. From food to free tours of ancient medicinal herb gardens, this festival offers numerous experiences to enjoy with the music, including afternoon harmony and dance workshop; an evening performance in the barn that combines traditional song and dance with new compositions, movement, and projections inspired by the Shakers who built the barn; and a rollicking barn dance.

Stone Soul Festival
1780 Roosevelt Ave., Springfield, MA
www.stonesoulfestival.com
Admission: Free
Aug. 31 to Sept. 2: New England’s largest African-American festival offers family-oriented activities, entertainment, and cultural enrichment, and is a vehicle for minority-owned businesses to display their wares and crafts. Entertainment at Blunt Park includes gospel, jazz, R&B, and dance. Sunday’s free picnic includes ribs and chicken cooked by talented pitmasters, backed by live gospel music performed by local and regional choirs.

Yidstock
1021 West St., Amherst, MA
www.yiddishbookcenter.org/yidstock
Admission: Festival pass, $236; tickets may be purchased for individual events
July 12-15: Boasting an array of concerts, lectures, and workshops, Yidstock 2018: The Festival of New Yiddish Music brings the best in klezmer and new Yiddish music to the stage at the Yiddish Book Center on the campus of Hampshire College. The seventh annual event offers an intriguing glimpse into Jewish roots, music, and culture.

FAIRS AND FESTS

Berkshires Arts Festival
380 State Road, Great Barrington, MA
www.berkshiresartsfestival.com
Admission: $7-$14; free for children under 10
n July 6-8: Ski Butternut may be best-known for … well, skiing, of course. But the property also plays host to the Berkshires Arts Festival, a regional tradition now in its 17th year. Thousands of art lovers and collectors are expected to stop by to check out and purchase the creations of more than 200 artists and designers.

The Big E
1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA
www.easternstatesexposition.com
Admission: $10-$15; free for children under 5; 17-day pass $20-$40
Sept. 14-30: As regional fairs go, it’s still the big one, and there’s something for everyone, whether it’s the copious fair food or the livestock shows, the Avenue of States houses or the parades, the local vendors and crafters or the live music. But it’s not the only agricultural fair on the block. The Westfield Fair kicks things off Aug. 18-20, followed by the Blandford Fair and the Three County Fair in Northampton Aug. 31 to Sept. 3, the Franklin County Fair in Greenfield on Sept. 6-9, and the Belchertown Fair on Sept. 21-23, to name some of the larger gatherings.

Celebrate Holyoke
Downtown Holyoke, MA
www.celebrateholyokemass.com
Admission: Free
Aug. 24-26: Celebrate Holyoke is a three-day festival that made its return in 2015 after a 10-year hiatus, and typically draws more than 10,000 people downtown over the course of the weekend. This year’s festival will include live musical performances, food and beverages from local restaurants, activities for children, and goods from local artists and makers.

Downtown Get Down
Exchange Street, Chicopee, MA
www.chicopeegetdown.com
Admission: Free
Aug. 24-25: Now in its fourth year, Chicopee’s downtown block party, which typically draws about 15,000 people to the streets around City Hall, will feature tons of live music, as well as attractions for children, local food vendors, live art demonstrations, and the Get Down 5K Race.

Franklin County Beer Fest
66 Thunder Mountain Road, Charlemont, MA
www.berkshireeast.com
Admission: $25 in advance, $30 at the door
July 21: Join fellow brew enthusiasts for an afternoon of food, music, and drink. The third annual Franklin County Beer Fest will be held at Berkshire East Mountain Resort and will feature beer from several local breweries, local ciders, and local mead and libations. Online ticket buyers will receive a souvenir glass.

Mattoon Street Arts Festival
Mattoon Street, Springfield, MA
www.mattoonfestival.org
Admission: Free
Sept. 8-9: Now in its 46th year, the Mattoon Street Arts Festival is the longest-running arts festival in the Pioneer Valley, featuring about 100 exhibitors, including artists that work in ceramics, fibers, glass, jewelry, painting and printmaking, photography, wood, metal, and mixed media. Food vendors and strolling musicians help to make the event a true late-summer destination.

Monson Summerfest
Main Street, Monson, MA
www.monsonsummerfestinc.com
Admission: Free
July 4: In 1979, a group of parishioners from the town’s Methodist church wanted to start an Independence Day celebration focused on family and community, The first Summerfest featured food, games, and fun activities. With the addition of a parade, along with booths, bands, rides, and activities, the event has evolved into an attraction drawing more than 10,000 people every year.

River Celebration
350 Linden St., Brattleboro, VT
www.ctriver.org/celebration
Admission: $15; free for children 12 and under
June 16: The Connecticut River Conservancy will host this family-friendly event at the Retreat Farm in Brattleboro. Morning excursions including a pontoon cruise on the Connecticut River, a paddling adventure in the Meadows, a freshwater mussel ecology workshop, a fly-casting workshop, and more. Enjoy live music by River Rhapsody and lunch by Tito’s Taqueria and Vermont Country Deli. Additional activities include an ice-cream-making workshop and several demonstrations open all day: a stream table, a soil-infiltration table, a water-quality testing station, and more. Vermont Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman will moderate the “Farm/River Roundtable: Doing Right by Our Rivers.”

Worthy Craft Brew Fest
201 Worthington St., Springfield, MA
www.theworthybrewfest.com
Admission: $45 in advance, $50 at the door
June 16: Smith’s Billiards and Theodores’ Booze, Blues & BBQ, both in the city’s entertainment district, will host more than 25 breweries, with music by Feel Good Drift and the Radiators Soul and Rhythm and Blues Revue, and food served up by Theodores’, Mercado Food Truck, and Nora Cupcake Co. The event will also feature a home-brew contest; Amherst Brewing will make the winner’s beer and serve it at next year’s Brew Fest.

MORE FUN UNDER THE SUN

Berkshire Botanical Garden
5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA
www.berkshirebotanical.org
Admission: $12-$15; free for children under 12
Through Oct. 8: If the flora indigenous to, or thriving in, the Berkshires of Western Mass. is your cup of tea, try 15 acres of stunning public gardens at the Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge. Originally established as the Berkshire Garden Center in 1934, today’s not-for-profit, educational organization is both functional and ornamental, with a mission to fulfill the community’s need for information, education, and inspiration concerning the art and science of gardening and the preservation of the environment. In addition to the garden’s collections, among the oldest in the U.S., visitors can enjoy workshops, special events, and guided tours.

Crab Apple Whitewater Rafting
2056 Mohawk Trail, Charlemont, MA
www.crabapplewhitewater.com
Admission: Varies by activity
Through Oct. 8: Wanna get wet? Crab Apple is a third-generation, multi-state family business that operates locally on the Deerfield River in the northern Berkshire Mountains of Western Mass. Its five separate rafting excursions range from mild to wild, full- or half-day runs, in rafts and inflatable kayaks. In short, Crab Apple offers something for everyone, from beginners to more experienced rafters.

Great New England Air & Space Show
57 Patriot Ave., Chicopee, MA
www.greatnewenglandairshow.org
Admission: Free; upgraded paid seating available
July 14-15: The 2018 Great New England Air & Space Show at Westover Air Reserve Base will feature popular attractions like the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, who last performed in Chicopee in 2008. But note the subtle change to the event title — ‘Space Show.’ That’s because the Air Force operates the largest space program in the world, and the Great New England Air & Space Show is entering a new phase by incorporating elements of space and cyberspace capabilities of military and civilian contractors.

Lupa Zoo
62 Nash Hill Road, Ludlow, MA
www.lupazoo.org
Admission $10-$15; free for children under 2
Through Nov. 4: Lupa Zoo brings the African savannah to Western Mass. residents. The late Henry Lupa fulfilled his lifelong dream of creating a zoo right next to his Ludlow house, filling it with hundreds of animals and instilling a warm, familial atmosphere. Visitors to the 20-acre can be entertained by monkeys, feed giraffes on a custom-built tower, and marvel at the bright colors of tropical birds. In addition to offering animal shows and animal-feeding programs, the staff at Lupa Zoo promotes conservation and sustainability.

Post #351 Catfish Derby
50 Kolbe Dr., Holyoke, MA
www.post351catfishderby.com
Admission: $10 entry fee
July 20-22: The American Legion Post #351 touts its 38th annual Catfish Derby as the biggest catfish tournament in the Northeast. Fishing is open to the Connecticut River and all its tributaries. The derby headquarters and weigh-in station are located at Post #351. A total of $1,425 in prize money is being offered, with a first prize of $300. Three trophies are available in the junior division (age 14 and younger).

Six Flags New England
1623 Main St., Agawam, MA
www.sixflags.com/newengland
Admission: $57.99-$67.99; season passes $109.99
Through Oct. 28: Continuing an annual tradition of adding a new major attraction each spring, Six Flags New England recently unveiled Harley Quinn Spinsanity, an extreme pendulum ride that sends guests soaring 15 stories in the air at speeds up to 70 mph. Other recent additions include the Joker 4D Free Fly Coaster, the looping Fireball, and the 420-foot-tall New England Sky Screamer swings — in addition to a raft of other thrill rides. But fear not: the park has attractions for everyone along the stomach-queasiness spectrum, from the classic carousel and bumper cars to the giant wave pools and lazy river in the Hurricane Harbor water park, free with admission.

Springfield Dragon Boat Festival
121 West St., Springfield, MA
www.pvriverfront.org
Admission: Free
June 23: The sixth annual Springfield Dragon Boat Festival returns to North Riverfront Park. Hosted by the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club, this family-friendly festival features the exciting sport of dragon-boat racing and will include music, performances, food, vendors, kids’ activities, and more. The festival is an ideal event for businesses and organizations looking for a new team-building opportunity, and provides financial support for the Riverfront Club as it grows and strengthens its presence in Springfield and the Pioneer Valley.

Valley Blue Sox
500 Beech St., Holyoke, MA
www.valleybluesox.com
Admission: $5-$7; season tickets $99
Through Aug. 1: Western Mass. residents don’t have to trek to Boston to catch quality baseball. The Valley Blue Sox, defending champions of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, play close to home at MacKenzie Stadium in Holyoke. These Sox feature a roster of elite collegiate baseball players from around the country, including some who have already been drafted into the major leagues. Frequent promotional events like postgame fireworks and numerous giveaways help make every game at MacKenzie Stadium a fun, affordable event for the whole family.

 

 

 

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGWAM

Old Post Road Development Corporation, 67 Hunt St., Suite 107, Agawam, MA 01001. Linda M. Bond, same. Land use development.

CHICOPEE

Liberty Property Management Inc., 460 Front St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Zahoor Riaz, same. Manage rental real estate.

ML Saleh Holdings Inc., 72 Barden St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Monzer Saleh, same. Real estate investments.

EAST OTIS

New Life Birthing Centers Inc., 1080 East Otis Road, East Otis, MA 01029. John M. Crowson, same. Offering free maternity care to all mothers and babies in need – currently serving Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.

HAMPDEN

Off the Stick Inc., 100 Main St., Hampden, MA 01036. Linda M. Bond, same. Restaurant.

HOLYOKE

Nishi Inc., 969 Berkshire Ave., Springfield, MA 01151. Mita Patel, 579 Northampton St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Operation of retail stores.

OAKHAN

Our Basketball Family Inc., 1802 N Brookfield, Oakhan, MA 01068. Christopher S. Leveille, 120 Elsie St., Cranston, RI 02910. Athletic youth program.

PITTSFIELD

MJ Grove Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Ste 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Matthew Lund, same. Engineering technology.

SHELBURNE FALLS

Massachusetts Rural Schools Coalition Inc., 24 Ashfield Road, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370. Michael A. Buoniconti, same. Develop and provide educational programs through which rural school districts can share educational opportunities.

SPRINGFIELD

Latino Counseling Center Corp. 125 Liberty St., Suite 100, Springfield, MA 01103. Jonathan Alicea, same. Mental health counseling.

Lyman Island Supply Inc., C/O Bacon Wilson, P.C., 33 State St., Springfield, MA 01103. Ashley Lyman, Muriel Dr., Granby, CT 06035. Distribution of industrial supplies.

New Blue Moon Bodywork & Spa Inc., 432 Newbury St., Fl2, Springfield, MA 01104. Xiaoxin Zhang, 4170 Main St., B31143, Flushing, NY 11355. Personal services.

Om Armory Street Inc., 140 Armory St., Springfield, MA 01107. Rakeshkumar V. Patel, same. Gas station & convenience.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Laxmi Transport Inc., 53 Belle Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. Arjun Tamang, same. Transportation.

Monaco Transportation Inc., 425 Union St., Room 16, West Springfield, MA 01089. Gheorghe Rahubenco, 41 Irving St., West Springfield, MA 01089, same. Trucking.

WEST STOCKBRIDGE

Lou Boxer Builder Inc., 44 Great Barrington Road, P.O. Box 526, West Stockbridge, MA 01266. Louis Boxer, same. Construction company.

Melonfrost Inc., 8 Woodruff Road, West Stockbridge, MA 01266. Samuel Levin, same. Develop agricultural technology, including hardware and software for selling wholesale food.

Our Annual Guide to Warm-weather Fun in Western Mass.

By
SummerHappeningsFeature0616
Sections Travel and Tourism

What Summertime Blues?

SummerHappeningsDPart

In the mood for some live music or theater? Or are art shows and antiques more your style? How about clambering through the trees or soaring on roller-coaster tracks? Whatever your taste, Western Mass. boasts plenty of ways to enjoy the summer months, making any day potentially a vacation day. Here are 25 ideas to get you started, in a region that’s home to many, many more.

July

> Berkshires Arts Festival
Ski Butternut, 380 State Road, Great Barrington
(845) 355-2400; www.berkshiresartsfestival.com
Admission: $7-$14; free for children under 10

July 1-3: Ski Butternut may be best-known for … well, skiing, of course. But the property also plays host to the Berkshires Arts Festival, a regional tradition now in its 15th year. Thousands of art lovers and collectors are expected to stop by to check out and purchase the creations of more than 175 artists and designers, as well as experiencing theater and music from local and national acts. Founded by Richard and Joanna Rothbard, owners of An American Craftsman Galleries, the festival attracts top artists from across the U.S. and Canada.

1Fireworks>Fireworks Shows Various Locations

July 1-4: Independence Day weekend is brimming with nighttime pageantry throughout the Pioneer Valley. The Valley Blue Sox in Holyoke kick things off with fireworks following its July 1 game. July 2 brings displays at Beacon Field in Greenfield, while on June 3, Michael Smith Middle School in South Hadley and East Longmeadow High School get into the act. July 4 will bring the spectacle to Riverfront Park in Springfield and McGuirk Stadium at UMass Amherst. And Six Flags in Agawam will light up the night on July 2, 3, and 4.

> Brimfield Antique Show
Route 20, Brimfield
(413) 283-6149; www.brimfieldshow.com
Admission: Free

July 12-17, Sept. 6-11: After expanding steadily through the decades, the Brimfield Antique Show now encompasses six miles of Route 20 and has become a nationally known destination for people to value antiques, collectibles, and flea-market finds. Some 6,000 dealers and close to 1 million total visitors show up at the three annual, week-long events; the first was in May. The Brimfield Antique Show labels itself the “Antiques and Collectibles Capital of the United States,” and — judging by its scope and number of visitors — it’s hard to disagree.

2GlasgowLands-2> Glasgow Lands Scottish  Festival
Look Park, 300 North Main St., Florence
(413) 862-8095; www.glasgowlands.org
Admission: $16; $5 for children 6-12; free for kids under 6

July 16: This 23nd annual festival celebrating all things Scottish features Highland dancers, pipe bands, a pipe and drum competition, animals, spinners, weavers, harpists, Celtic music, athletic contests, activities for children, and the authentically dressed Historic Highlanders recreating everyday life in that society from the 14th through 18th centuries. Inside the huge ‘pub’ tent, musical acts Enter the Haggis, Soulsha, Albannach, Screaming Orphans, and Charlie Zahm will keep toes tapping in the shade. Event proceeds benefit programs at Human Resources Unlimited and River Valley Counseling Center.

> Pioneer Valley Beer & Wine Festival
Look Park, 300 North Main St., Florence
(413) 584-5457; www.lookpark.org
Admission: $35 in advance, $40 at the door

July 30: Hungry — or thirsty — for something to do as the dog days of summer take hold? Look Park presents its first annual Beer & Wine Festival at the Pines Theater from noon to 4 p.m. Attendees (over age 21 with ID) will get to sample local beer and wine from the Pioneer Valley, live music, and food vendors including Local Burger, La Veracruzana, and Sierra Grille.

August

> Pocumtuck Homelands Festival
Unity Park, 1st Street, Turners Falls
(413) 498-4318; www.nolumbekaproject.org
Admission: Free

Aug. 6: This annual celebration of the parks, people, history, and culture of Turners Falls is a coordinated effort of the Nolumbeka Project and RiverCulture. The event features outstanding Native American crafts, food, and live music by Theresa ‘Bear’ Fox, Mohawk (Wolf Clan), ‘wave artist’ Mixashawn, the Medicine Mammals Singers, and Kontiwennenhawi, the Akwasasne Women Singers. Also featured will be the Black Hawk Singers, the Visioning B.E.A.R. Circle Intertribal Coalition Singers, a Penobscot hoop dancer, round dancing, elder teachings, craft activities, storytelling, and traditional dances. The Nolumbeka Project aims to preserve regional Native American history through educational programs, art, history, music, heritage seed preservation, and cultural events.

3SpringfieldJazz

> Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival
Court Square, Springfield
(413) 303-0101; springfieldjazzfest.com
Admission: Free

Aug. 6: The third annual Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival will offer a festive atmosphere featuring locally and internationally acclaimed musical artists, dance and theater workshops, local arts and crafts, and plenty of food. More than 5,000 people are expected to attend and enjoy the sounds of jazz, Latin jazz, gospel, blues, funk, and more. Featured performers include Taj Mahal, Eric Krasno Band, Joey DeFrancesco Trio, Terri Lyne Carrington Group, Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils, Rayvon Owen, Heshima Moja and Ofrecimiento, and Jose Gonzalez and Banda Criolla. The festival is produced by Blues to Green, which uses music to bring people together, uplift and inspire, and help build a more equitable and sustainable world.

> Agricultural Fairs
Various locations and admission costs; see websites
www.thewestfieldfair.com; www.theblandfordfair.com; www.3countyfair.com; www.fcas.com; www.belchertownfair.com

Starting in late August and extending through September, the region’s community agricultural fairs are a much-loved tradition, promoting agriculture education in Western Mass. and supporting the efforts of local growers and craftspeople. The annual fairs also promise plenty of family-oriented fun, from carnival rides to animal demonstrations to food, food, and more food. The Westfield fair kicks things off Aug. 19-21, followed by the Blandford Fair and the Three County Fair in Northampton on Sept. 2-5, the Franklin County Fair in Greenfield on Sept. 8-11, and the Belchertown Fair on Sept. 23-25.

September

> Stone Soul Festival
Blunt Park, 1780 Roosevelt Ave., Springfield
(413) 636-3881; www.ssfestival.weebly.com
Admission: Free

Sept. 2-4: Stone Soul began in 1989 as a community reunion picnic aimed at gathering together the Mason Square Community. It has since evolved into a three-day event, and New England’s largest African-American festival. Stone Soul aims to provide family-oriented activities, entertainment, and cultural enrichment, and is a vehicle for minority-owned businesses to display their wares and crafts. Entertainment includes gospel, jazz, R&B, and dance. Sunday’s free picnic includes ribs and chicken cooked by talented pitmasters, as well as barbecued beans, cole slaw, and more, with the backdrop of an afternoon of live gospel music performed by local and regional choirs.

4MattoonStreet> Mattoon Street Arts Festival
Mattoon St., Springfield
(413) 736-0629
www.mattoonfestival.org
Admission: Free

Sept. 10-11: Now in its 44th year, the Mattoon Street Arts Festival is the longest-running arts festival in the Pioneer Valley, featuring about 100 exhibitors, including artists that work in ceramics, fibers, glass, jewelry, painting and printmaking, photography, wood, metal, and mixed media. Food vendors and strolling musicians help to make the event a true late-summer destination.

> Glendi
22 St. George Road, Springfield
(413) 737-1496
www.stgeorgecath.org/glendi
Admission: Free

Sept. 9-11: Every year, St. George Cathedral offers thousands of visitors the best in traditional Greek foods, pastries, music, dancing, and old-fashioned Greek hospitality. In addition, the festival offers activities for children, tours of the historic St. George Cathedral and Byzantine Chapel, various vendors from across the East Coast, icon workshops, movies in the Glendi Theatre, cooking demonstrations, and a joyful atmosphere the whole family will enjoy.

> Fresh Grass
1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams
(413) 662-2111; www.freshgrass.com
3-day pass: $99 for adults, $89 for students, $46 for ages 7-16

Sept. 16-18: The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is known for its musical events, and the Fresh Grass festival is among the highlights, showcasing more than 50 bluegrass artists and bands over three days. This year, the lineup includes Old Crow Medicine Show, Glen Hansard, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, The Devil Makes Three, Rosanne Cash, the Infamous Stringdusters, and many, many more. Also on tap are new-artist competitions (with prizes totaling $25,000) and bluegrass workshops open to festival attendees.

All Summer Long

> Berkshire
Botanical Garden
5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge
(413) 298-3926
www.berkshirebotanical.org
Admission: $15; free for kids under 12

Through Oct. 10: If the flora indigenous to, or thriving in, the Berkshires of Western Mass. is your cup of tea, try 15 acres of stunning public gardens at the Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge. Originally established as the Berkshire Garden Center in 1934, today’s not-for-profit, educational organization is both functional and ornamental, with a mission to fulfill the community’s need for information, education, and inspiration concerning the art and science of gardening and the preservation of the environment. In addition to the garden’s collections, among the oldest in the U.S., visitors can enjoy workshops, special events, and guided tours.

> CityBlock Concert Series
Worthington and Bridge streets, Springfield
(413) 781-1591
www.springfielddowntown.com/cityblock
Admission: Free

Through Aug. 25: Downtown Springfield’s annual Thursday-evening summer music series is again studded with a mix of national touring acts and local lights, starting with FAT on June 30 in Court Square. The shows then move to Stearns Square for the rest of the summer, and include Ricky Nelson Remembered (July 7), Forever Motown (July 14), the Machine (July 21), Natalie Stovall and the Drive (July 28), Terry Sylvester (Aug. 4), Max Creek (Aug. 11), Blessid Union of Souls (Aug. 18), and the Shadowboxers (Aug. 25). The presenting sponsor for the shows is MassMutual, and the series is presented by the Springfield Business Improvement District. See article on page 27 for more information.

> Crab Apple
Whitewater Rafting
2056 Mohawk Trail, Charlemont
(413) 625-2288; www.crabapplewhitewater.com
Admission: $110-$116 through Sept. 11; $99 after Sept. 11

Through Oct. 9: Wanna get wet? Crab Apple is a third-generation, multi-state family business that operates locally on the Deerfield River in the northern Berkshire Mountains of Western Mass. Its five separate rafting excursions range from mild to wild, full- or half-day runs, in rafts and inflatable kayaks. In short, Crab Apple offers something for everyone, from beginners to more experienced rafters.

> Hancock Shaker Village
1843 West Housatonic St., Pittsfield
(413) 443-0188; www.hancockshakervillage.org
Admission: $8-20; free for children 12 and under

Through October: In 1774, a small group of persecuted English men and women known as the Shakers — the name is derived from the way their bodies convulsed during prayer — landed in New York Harbor in the hopes of securing religious freedom in America. Nearly 250 years later, their utopian experiment remains available to the public in the restored 19th-century village of Hancock. Through 20 refurbished buildings and surrounding gardens, Shaker Village illuminates the daily lives of its highly productive inhabitants. After spending a day in the recreated town, visitors will surely gain a greater appreciation of the Shakers’ oft-forgotten legacy in the region.

JacobsPillowSuchuDance-BRuddick-2008> Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
358 George Carter Road, Becket
(413) 243-0745; www.jacobspillow.org
Admission: $25 and up

Through Aug. 30: Now in its 84rd season, Jacob’s Pillow has become one of the country’s premier showcases for dance, featuring more than 50 dance companies from the U.S. and around the world. Participants can take in scores of free performances, talks, and events; train at one of the nation’s most prestigious dance-training centers; and take part in community programs designed to educate and engage audiences of all ages. This year’s events introduce a quirky, charming company from Germany, the explosive footwork of South American gauchos, inspiring ballet companies from across the U.S., astounding flex dancers from the streets of Brooklyn, and 12 high-flying men from Algeria — plus, more live music than ever before. See article on page 25 for more information.

> Lady Bea Cruise Boat
1 Alvord St., South Hadley
(413) 315-6342; www.brunelles.com
Admission: $10-$15; free for kids 3 and under

Through Labor Day: If you’re in the mood for a scenic meander up and down the Connecticut River, consider the Lady Bea, a 53-foot, 49-passenger, climate-controlled boat operated by Brunelle’s Marina, which typically runs Thursday through Sunday between South Hadley and Northampton. If you don’t feel like sharing the 75-minute narrated voyage with others, rent the boat out for a private excursion. Amenties include a PA system, video monitors, a full bar, and seating indoors and on the sun deck — but the main attraction is the pristine water, sandy beaches, and unspoiled views along the river.

6Mahaiwe> Mahaiwe Performing
Arts Center
14 Castle St., Great Barrington
(413) 528-0100; www.mahaiwe.org
Admission: Varies by event

Year-round: The beloved Mahaiwe Theatre dates back to 1905 — continuously running programs since its opening — and underwent an extensive, $9 million renovation starting in 2003. Today, the theater seats just under 700 and hosts year-round arts programming, including music, dance, theatre, opera, talks, and movie classics. It’s leaders say Mahaiwe is a staple and a resource: its live performances inspire tens of thousands of audience members each year, its family and educational events are vital to the region, its embrace of modern technology supplements programming with live, high-definition satellite broadcasts from around the world, and its year-round schedule enhances the quality of life for those who reside in and visit the Berkshires.

> Nash Dinosaur
Track Site and
Rock Shop
594 Amherst Road, South Hadley
(413) 467-9566; www.nashdinosaurtracks.com
Admission: $3 for adults; $2 for children

Year-round: Walk where the dinosaurs walked, literally. It’s hard to believe that the first documented dinosaur tracks found in North America were on the shores of the Connecticut River, in 1802, near today’s site of Nash Dinosaur Track Site and Rock Shop in South Hadley. Over the years, thousands of dinosaur tracks have been discovered; many were sold to museums and private individuals all over the world, but many more can be seen due to the extensive work of Carlton S. Nash. Visit the site and learn about some of this region’s earliest inhabitants, and also about the geology of the area.

7PeacePagoda> New England Peace Pagoda
100 Cave Hill Road, Leverett
(413) 367-2202
www.newenglandpeacepagoda.com
Admission: Free

Year-round: A Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa, a monument to inspire peace, designed to provide a focus for people of all races and creeds, and to help unite them in their search for world peace. Most peace pagodas built since World War II have been built under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii, a Japanese Buddhist monk. Fujii was greatly inspired by his meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1931 and decided to devote his life to promoting non-violence. In 1947, he began constructing peace pagodas as shrines to world peace.

> Ramblewild
110 Brodie Mountain Road, Lanesborough
(844) 472-6253; www.ramblewild.com
Admission: $69 for adults, $59 for youth

Year-round: Aerial parks are an outdoor activity in and among the trees that offer excitement, challenge, and personal growth for families and adventurists of all kinds. At Ramblewild, the focal point is a central wooden platform about 10 feet above the ground from which eight aerial obstacle courses originate, meandering from tree to tree at various heights through the forest. Each course consists of 15 to 17 elements (high wires, ziplines, balancing logs, rope ladders, cargo nets, suspended bridges, etc.) that meander through a pristine hemlock forest. These tree-to-tree challenge courses are designed to have a profound impact on visitors’ self-confidence — while having lots of fun, of course.

8SixFlags> Six Flags New England
1623 Main St., Agawam
(413) 786-9300
www.sixflags.com/newengland
Admission: $61.99; season passes $91.99

Through oct. 31: Continuing an annual tradition of adding a new major attraction each spring, Six Flags New England recently unveiled Fireball, a looping coaster, and rethemed Bizarro to its original Superman motif, adding a virtual-reality component (via goggles) to boot. Other recent additions include the Wicked Cyclone, the 420-foot-tall New England Sky Screamer swings, the 250-foot Bonzai Pipeline enclosed waterslides, and the massive switchback coaster Goliath — in addition to a raft of other thrill rides. But fear not: the park has attractions for everyone along the stomach-queasiness spectrum, from the classic carousel and bumper cars to the wave pools and lazy river in the Hurricane Harbor water park, free with admission.

> Valley Blue Sox
Mackenzie Stadium
500 Beech St., Holyoke
(413) 533-1100
www.valleybluesox/pointstreaksites.com
Admission: $4-$6; season tickets $79

Through Aug. 1: Western Mass. residents don’t have to trek to Boston to catch quality baseball. The Valley Blue Sox, members of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, play close to home at MacKenzie Stadium in Holyoke. These Sox feature a roster of elite collegiate baseball players from around the country, including some who have already been drafted into the major leagues. Frequent promotional events like postgame fireworks and numerous giveaways help make every game at MacKenzie Stadium a fun, affordable event for the whole family.

> Williamstown Theatre Festival
1000 Main St., Williamstown
(413) 597-3400; www.wtfestival.org
Admission: $40 and up

Through Aug. 21: Six decades ago, the leaders of Williams College’s drama department and news office conceived of an idea: using the campus’ theater for a summer performance program with a resident company. Since then, the festival has attracted a raft of notable guest performers. This season will spotlight a range of both original productions and plays by well-known lights such as Tennessee Williams (The Rose Tattoo) and Wendy Wasserstein (An American Daughter), as well as a number of other programs, such as post-show Tuesday Talkbacks with company members.

Joseph Bednar can be reached a  [email protected]

The Berkshires Beckon Year-round Visitors Looking to Get Up, Out, and Away

By
Berkshires
Sections Travel and Tourism

The Great Escape

The Berkshire region

The Berkshire region has become known for its outdoors and foodie tourism.

By JACLYN C. STEVENSON

The Berkshires have always been a haven for tourists and a region in many ways dependent on the dollars those tourists spend. And throughout history, this has been largely a summer phenomenon. But in recent years, the state’s westernmost county has been devoted to making itself a year-round destination, with those efforts yielding solid results.

In the late 1800s, society’s well-to-do waved farewell to ‘the season’ in the Berkshires — the summer months — with elaborate parades, featuring horse-drawn carriages.

In the 1910s and 1920s, vacationers returned in the warmer months to venues like the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, for a chance to see the stars — Ethel Barrymore, Al Jolson, and Sarah Bernhard, to name a few — basking in the glow of General Electric’s newfangled footlights.

And in the 30s, the first picnickers began flocking to Tanglewood’s grounds, bringing increasingly over-the-top spreads with them to listen to music outside and engage in a bit of neighborly competition.

Today, all of these attractions — even GE’s switch-board-operated footlights, though not in operation — still help define a vibrant summer and early-fall season that offers a number of historic cultural opportunities. Across Berkshire County, however, leaders of destinations of all kinds agree that year-round development is the key to continued success. To that end, they’re allocating dollars, developing partnerships, and highlighting hidden talents, with the common goal of welcoming visitors during all seasons, not just ‘the season.’

Dinner and a Show

Lindsey Schmid, director of Marketing at 1Berkshire and the Berkshire Visitors Bureau, said this includes calling attention to all the area’s specific strengths: farm-to-table culinary experiences, year-round outdoor recreation, and several different types of lodging opportunities, from bed and breakfasts to boutique inns to large hotels.

“The Berkshires will always be a cultural mecca, but the rolling hills and open space not filled with cars is part of that culture,” Schmid said. “More and more people are viewing us as a year-round escape, and we’re working to call attention to the different things visitors are escaping to.”

That includes a rich ‘foodie’ culture that extends from fine dining to locally produced niche items, such as spirits from Berkshire Mountain Distillers, cheese from Cricket Creek Farm, craft beer from Big Elm Brewing and Wandering Star Brewery, and bread from Berkshire Mountain Bakery.

1Berkshire staff

1Berkshire staff pose with #intheberkshires signs — just one aspect of a larger effort to brand the region as a year-round destination for travelers of all ages.

The Berkshire theater scene, often thought of in terms of summer stock, has evolved to offer readings of plays in progress, musical-theater labs, and new works that have started at venues such as Barrington Stage Co. in Pittsfield, Shakespeare and Co. in Lenox, and WAM Theatre, a professional company that produces plays and events across Berkshire County with a focus on female theater artists and stories of women and girls.

“There’s so much to do all year round, we often remind even local residents of the value that is in their backyard,” said Schmid. “Many theater productions that got their start here have gone on to present off- and on-Broadway following successful showings in the Berkshires. That’s a point of pride for us.”

For instance, Schmid called WAM Theatre (the acronym stands for Where Arts and Activism Meet) “a start-up that also brings a new level of theater” to the Berkshires. Now in its seventh year in business, WAM continues to find new ways to extend its influence — and its season. Artistic Director Kristen van Ginhoven announced plans for the company’s 2016 season in February — including performances and events scheduled from February into October and a new collaboration with the Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG), an organization created in 2010 by the merger of two of Berkshire County’s oldest cultural organizations: Berkshire Theatre Festival, founded in 1928 in Stockbridge, and the Colonial Theatre, built in 1903 in Pittsfield.

Click HERE for a chart of the region’s tourist attractions

“I’m delighted to announce the programming we’ve planned for WAM Theatre’s seventh season,” said van Ginhoven. “We have a dynamic lineup of events that fulfill our vision of creating opportunity for women and girls.”

She will direct WAM’s main-stage production, the American premiere of The Bakelite Masterpiece by Kate Cayley, in September and October this year, outside of the more traditional summer season. The play will be co-produced with BTG and performed at the Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge.

“The play came to me via a close colleague in Canada who acted in the original production,” she noted. “I immediately envisioned it at the Unicorn and approached Kate Maguire [Berkshire Theatre Group artistic director and CEO], who loved the play. WAM Theatre is very excited that the Berkshire Theatre Group has opened their doors to make this a co-production.”

A Walk in the Woods

Schmid noted that she’s seen the region’s marketing dollars spreading across the entire calendar more and more in this way — traditional seasons lengthening, the ‘off-season’ shortening, and an overall, collaborative effort afoot to position the Berkshires as an escape for all types of travelers, rather than simply an historic or cultural destination.

“In the past, there’s been a lot of marketing of the summer and fall, because that’s when we had traffic. In the last couple of years in particular, though, we’ve focused more branding dollars on the shoulder seasons,” she said, adding that the tourism industry on the whole is seeing a trend toward travelers looking for unique outdoor experiences, and that’s something on which Berkshire County can capitalize.

“It’s not just taking a hike outdoors — there are adventure opportunities like aerial parks, as well as things designed to make nature feel more accessible to people who aren’t used to it,” she said, listing mountain biking, white-water rafting, mountain coasters — including North America’s longest, the Thunderbolt at Berkshire East in Charlemont — and the burgeoning trend of forest bathing, through which groups are guided through the woods, traveling short distances but taking in the scenery, among the options.

Lindsey Schmid

Lindsey Schmid says the region’s farm-to-table culinary experiences, outdoor recreation, and lodging opportunities make it a year-round destination.

“The outdoor activity message in the Berkshires is allowing us to talk to a slightly younger audience,” she said, “but also to address other hurdles, like museum fatigue among group tours. That’s something so many cultural facilities are experiencing … and here, they can stay outdoors, experiencing the natural beauty and enjoying a cultural experience at the same time; that sets us apart.”

Indeed, Berkshire County is home to several outdoor cultural venues. In addition to Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer home in Lenox, Jacob’s Pillow in Becket offers world-class dance performances outside on a 220-acre parcel of land that is also a national historic landmark. The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge includes 36 acres of largely walkable space, as does adjacent Chesterwood — once the summer home of sculptor Daniel Chester French — which regularly offers modern sculpture walks on its campus.

Conversely, the region’s outdoor destinations, including its mountain resorts — among them Berkshire East, Ski Butternut in Great Barrington, Jiminy Peak in Hancock, and Bousquet Mountain in Pittsfield — have taken a page from the cultural venues, offering a greater variety of things to do throughout the year. Now in its 15th year, the Berkshires Arts Festival is hosted at Ski Butternut in July. Jiminy Peak has had some late-autumn success with its 13 Nights of Jiminy haunted attraction, and Berkshire East opened Thunder Mountain Bike Park just last year.

Sherry Roberts, who owns Bousquet, noted that a number of upgrades have been made at the mountain in recent years, all with an eye toward year-round operation.

“We’ve made a lot of renovations to our banquet space, allowing us to open the lodge up for private functions,” she said. “We’re contacting schools and booking them now for summer adventure camp, as well as different parks and recreation groups.”

Roberts said the adventure-camp business, along with other offerings such as a waterslide, adventure park, zipline, and go-karts, serve Bousquet Mountain well — necessitating a full-time office staff during the summer months as well as ski, snowboarding, and tubing season.

“We do try to book most of the summer,” said Roberts, noting that the mountain resort community feels the importance of year-round business acutely, especially following a particularly slushy winter ski season that never quite guaranteed even a full week of strong sales. “When you have a group coming at a specific time and date, there are no surprises — not like opening the doors in January and seeing pouring rain.”

With all of New England seeing record warmth, Roberts said this season was particularly short.

“There were no snowstorms in the forecast, so we were very careful with the money we spent on snow making,” she said. “But we continued right to the end of the season, and I have a tremendous staff that is young and full of ideas. Whether it’s private functions, groups, or what we offer to the public, we’re always trying to build on it.”

All for One

Continuing to build on the idea of cooperation across all types of tourism outfits in the Berkshires, Schmid said 1Berkshire is working more and more with its members to create group opportunities such as cooperative ad buys, sponsorships, and other member benefits that help stretch the marketing budget across 12 months. To woo a younger audience, the region has also taken to putting its many attractions under one social-media umbrella: #intheberkshires, which is added to everything from billboards to Facebook updates.

“We’re branding all year round, and we’re better honed in than ever on specific messages about what our members offer,” she said. “The overall push is that, whoever you are, you can imagine yourself in the Berkshires.”

While that daydream might include a late-season picnic at Tanglewood, a night at the theater, and a farewell to the season with flower-festooned carriages, it can also include a modern meal, an arts walk, or even a high-wire zipline. Whatever the season, the Berkshires are open for business.

Creative Development Sought for Springfield Landmarks

By
Clocktower Building
Commercial Real Estate Special Coverage

Turning Back the Clock

Clocktower Building

The Clocktower Building, above, was home to Masonic Temple more than a century ago (right).

At other times in Springfield’s history, the properties at 113 State St. and 1155 Main St. were prominent players in the vibrancy, culture, and overall tenor of the City of Homes.

The former — long known, for obvious reasons, as the Clocktower Building — was home to the Masonic Temple when it opened in 1893, before a new, much larger facility was built further east on State Street. The latter, the Colonial Block, which opened in 1903, was one of the city’s first real mixed-use facilities, noted Tim Sheehan, Springfield’s chief Development officer, featuring a blend of office and retail space on the lower floors and residential units on the upper floors.

Until fairly recently, meaning before the pandemic, the two properties had still been somewhat vibrant, featuring a wide array of tenants, including nonprofits, small businesses, a bank (at 113 State St.), and a number of various-sized law firms taking advantage of the buildings’ proximity to the Hampden County Courthouse just down State Street. These days, though, they are almost entirely vacant and stand in stark contrast to the progress seen around them, most notably across Main Street at MGM Springfield and across State Street at the MassMutual Center.

City officials have been looking to change that picture, obviously, and are moving forward with a plan to return these buildings, and also 11-21 Stockbridge St., a smaller, better-occupied office property in that same area, to their former status and make them part of the city’s resurgence. After acquiring them as a package in 2021 for $2.75 million, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA) has invited the development community to step up and submit proposals for the properties, separately or perhaps collectively.

Responses to this request for qualifications (RFQ) are due later this month — the deadline was originally late March — and Sheehan and SRA Executive Director Amanda Pham are expecting some imaginative proposals because that’s what will be needed to turn back the clock and make them key players again.

“This will require a responsive, creative developer, someone who has a vision for preservation of these buildings,” Pham said. “They have great potential.”

Sheehan and Pham are expecting proposals that will likely blend office and/or retail with a residential component, noting that what emerges for one, two, or all three properties will likely require a public-private partnership, similar to what was needed to finally move the needle and create a new use — a mix of residential and retail — for the former Court Square Hotel, just a block or so from the three properties in the RFQ.

Finding a preferred developer is a two-step process, said Pham, adding that, after responses to the request for qualifications are received and reviewed, three finalists will move on to a request for proposals.

If all goes well, a preferred developer is expected to be named by June, they said, adding that it may not be long after that when people start talking about these landmarks using mostly the present and future tenses, and not the past.

 

Building Momentum

As she gave BusinessWest a tour of 1155 Main St., Pham referenced some reminders of, well … what it once was, starting with the large directory on a wall in the lobby listing tenants and their suite numbers.

Tim Sheehan and Amanda Pham stand outside the historic structure.

Tim Sheehan and Amanda Pham stand outside the historic structure.

The board still includes the names of dozens of tenants that are no longer there — from the law firm Pellegrini Seeley, Ryan and Blakesley, which once took much of the space on the third floor before moving to the Basketball Hall of Fame complex, to Revitalize Community Development Corp., which occupied a large suite on the second floor. In fact, the 82,000-square-foot property is currently only about 12% occupied.

Later, she pointed to a large bookcase full of law books left behind by one of the departing law firms.

“We have a lot of law books,” she said, adding that, apparently, many of the departing firms located in various-sized offices on the maze-like floors had no use for the books in this age of the internet and simply left them behind.

Thus, these law volumes become part of the dialogue concerning what this property used to be, said Pham, who took the helm at the SRA in 2021, adding that, increasingly, the focus is on what they can be moving forward.

The SRA has taken the matter from the discussion phase to what could be called the discovery phase with the request for qualifications. It includes a link to a six-minute video that features comments from Pham, Sheehan, Mayor Domenic Sarno, MGM President and CEO Chris Kelley, Peter Picknelly, chairman of Peter Pan Bus Lines and a key player in the Court Square project, and others, all inviting developers to take advantage of this “Main Street and Convention District development opportunity.”

“This will require a responsive, creative developer, someone who has a vision for preservation of these buildings. They have great potential.”

Together, they talk about the progress made downtown and the progress still to come, with projects like the $74 million parking garage and event space that will replace the facility torn down last fall. They also discuss how much of this progress was the result of public-private partnerships.

“This development behind me never would have happened if not for the cooperation of City Hall and the state of Massachusetts,” said Picknelly as he stood in front of the Court Square property.

The Colonial Block

The Colonial Block was one of the first mixed-use buildings in Springfield, with retail and residential space. It may see a similar blend in the future.

A number of developers, both with local ties and from outside the region, have expressed interest in the properties, said both Sheehan and Pham, noting that the city acquired the properties to move beyond the ongoing speculative nature of previous ownership and take redevelopment to a higher plane.

“We wanted the buildings situated so their redevelopment would ultimately fit the city’s overall planning as it relates to the Main Street Convention Center District Plan,” said Sheehan, adding that this plan, in general terms, calls for building on existing momentum and creating a true destination in the downtown, a place where people can live, work, and (especially with MGM and the MassMutual Center right next door) play.

A developers’ tour conducted several weeks ago attracted several parties, many in person, but some virtually, said Pham, adding that Springfield has managed, through its recent spate of progress, to put itself on the map with regard to regional and national developers looking to expand their portfolios.

There were site tours of the properties and the surrounding area as well, she went on, adding that firms brought full teams with them, including architects, engineers, and planners, to gauge future uses for the landmarks.

Given the current glut of office space, Sheehan said, especially the class B and class C variety that these properties have featured, future redevelopment will likely not focus on that use entirely, although it could be part of the equation.

“There is an overabundance of class B and C space in the office sector, so we’re really encouraging people to look at adaptive reuse to … something else,” he noted. “Developers may want to reduce the amount of office, but not completely eliminate it, either.”

A much larger part of the equation will likely be market-rate housing and activation of the ground floors with retail and hospitality-related businesses that will give downtown visitors more things to do and more opportunities to stay, he went on.

Colonial Block

Above, the directory inside the Colonial Block is quite dated, as most of those tenants have moved out. At right, one of the unique spaces in the building.

“Our planning ultimately calls for extensive ground-floor activation,” he explained. “You have two very strong anchors, in MGM and the MassMutual Center, adjacent to these properties, and we really think there is the ability to activate the ground floors so that it encourages people who want to come to the MassMutual Center or MGM to want to linger and stay in the area.”

As for housing, Sheehan said a recent study identified the need for 1,500 units of additional housing of this type in and around downtown.

And while conversion of such properties to housing is often difficult and expensive, developers need only look a few hundred yards to the south for inspiration, to the massive Stockbridge Court apartment complex, created more than 40 years ago and perhaps the city’s best market-rate-housing success story.

“Stockbridge Court is certainly an example of what can be done,” he said, adding quickly that any residential projects in these properties will likely require a public-private partnership to not only renovate the buildings in question but improve the overall area and its connection to Main Street.

“We’ll need to enhance the infrastructure to make it a much more walkable environment — and a pleasant walkable environment — if we’re going to attract that scale of residential development in this area.”

 

Right Time and Place

Overall, there are some building blocks coming together that could make development of these properties a more attractive and more viable opportunity, said both Sheehan and Pham, noting that leasing activity will start soon at Court Square, and construction is set to commence on the new parking garage. Meanwhile, a new entrance is planned at the southwest corner of the MassMutual Center.

Meanwhile, the two leaders are looking at adaptive reuse of these properties as just part of a larger effort in the city’s downtown.

“We’re looking at these as the first step in the redevelopment of the area,” said Sheehan, noting that that there are several other vacant or underutilized spaces, including the neighboring 1260 Main St., several surface parking lots, and other properties.

As he referenced a photo of the Clocktower Building, from the days before its stone exterior was mostly stripped away — it remains in some places as a reminder of what was — Sheehan waxed nostalgic on its place in city history.

“For a long time, this building has certainly played a major role in downtown Springfield in terms of being a major corner and a huge presence,” he told BusinessWest, adding that the hope is that this property, as well as the Colonial Block — and other properties in that area — can attain that status again.

Time will tell, of course, when and how soon that happens, but this is certainly a developing story — in every sense of that phrase.

By
Departments

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Adzhigirey, Viktor
126 Windemere St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/09

Allyn, William D.
2 Hawthorne Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/14/09

Altman, Melvyn W.
P.O. Box 5395
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/09

Belyshev, Vladimir
Belyshev, Irina
49 Dakota Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/09

Berkshire Building Contractors
Abderhalden, Christopher M.
123 New Lenox Road
Lenox, MA 01240
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/09

Berkshire Second Home Construction
Vandervoort, Walter J.
45 Stockbridge Road
Box 225
West Stockbridge, MA 01266
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/09

Binczewski, Stefanie L.
166 North Main St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/09

Camilleri, Richard
14 Upland Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/01/09

Champagne, Michael L.
Champagne, Bridget D.
44 Brigham Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/09

Chaplin, Tina L.
858 Silver Lake St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/13/09

Collins, Brad Garett
1038 North St. Ext.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/05/09

Comi, Ronald J.
Comi, Chrissy A.
334 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/09

Connaughton, Douglas Lee
30 Kenilworth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/10/09

Cotto, Adalberto
1360 Berkshire Ave.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/09

Cox, Leonard H.
37 Tannery Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/09

Curves Of Wilbraham
Eastwood Park Enterprises
Peck, Linda S.
a/k/a Scibelli, Linda M.
37 Decorie Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/09

DaRosa, Dale Autilio
28 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/03/09

Deleon, Franklyn A.
Garcia, Ruth N.
740 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/09

Deren, Robert J.
9 Ely Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Dessources, Marie K.
616 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/11/09

Devine, Pauline R.
1153A Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/09

Dewkett, Robin Michelle
P.O. Box 449
Pittsfield, MA 01202
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Dunn, James A.
PO Box 37
North Hatfield, MA 01066
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Edgecomb, Nancy
20 Glassworks Road
Berkshire, MA 01224
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/12/09

Epshteyn, Inna
78 R1 Mercury Court
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/12/09

Fisher, Larry Wayne
111 Foster Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Foskett, Robert M.
Foskett, Rebecca C.
27 Fuller Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/02/09

Gibson, John E.
Gibson, Barbara J.
42 Adams Road – Lot 10
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

Giordano, Robert A.
Giordano, Carolyn
a/k/a Housand, Carolyn
244 Birch Bluffs Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/31/09

Gonzalez, Elvin
180 Mildred Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104-1271
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/09

Gonzalez, Peter
Gonzalez, Amy L.K.
48 Grove St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/09

Granger, Michael F.
Granger, Kathleen A.
62 Annable St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/09

Grant, Leslee A.
a/k/a Braxton, Leslee A.
380 Riverglade Dr., Apt. #G
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/09

Gray, Christopher M.
Gray, Diane R.
a/k/a Armitage, Diane R.
34 Canterbury Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/09

Grigas, Timothy J.
39 Morse Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

Guillemette, Mark H.
Guillemette, Caroline M.
286 Conway St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/07/09

Hickling, Bertha T.
26 Gilbert St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/12/09

Ironside, Debra M.
21 Ledgewood Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/09

Joseph, Casey S.
a/k/a Roark, Casey S.
120 Parker St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/09

Kiefer, Mary J.
25 Corey Colonial
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

LaBonte, David A.
24 Water Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Ledoux, Jerard A.
Ledoux, Dora S.
a/k/a Ledout, Doris S.
81 Clayton Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/09

  

LePage, Denise M.
128 Ridge Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/09

MacDonald, Fred R.
66 Massey St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

Martinelli, Cristalle L.
Martinelli, Jason A.
519 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/09

Mazzola, Kara D.
77 Fairfield Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/09

Mc Neice, Kenneth J.
Mc Neice, Maryellen V.
a/k/a McNeice, Maryellen
14 Sixth St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

McKinney, Awilda
a/k/a Colon, Awilda
477 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/04/09

Merchant, Elaine F.
28 Miles Morgan Court
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/09

Nadolski, John A.
Nadolski, Linda M.
38 Greenleaf St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Nolan, Christopher
97 Salem Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

Obremski, Polly A.
3 Fruit St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

Olmoz, Judy A.
93 Plumtree Road Apt. #1
Sunderland, MA 01375
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/09

Ortiz, Arnaldo
269 Stony Hill Road, Apt. T
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/09

Ott, Daryl A.
241 The Meadows
Enfield, CT 06082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Ott, Daryl A.
9 Highmoor Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Pagan, Tammy C.
32 Bates St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Perry, Michael A.
Perry, Carol M.
77 Chapel St.
West Warren, MA 01092
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/09

Pichardo, Nidia M.
19 Foster St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/09

Pittello, Joshua J.
71 Loomis Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/09

Queiroga, Martha Anne
a/k/a O’Brien, Martha Anne
29 Wrentham Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

Racine, Jon J.
Racine, Cynthia L.
34 Highland Ave.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

Rettura, Virginia Ann
2559 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/09

Rios, Pedro
Rios, Magda
33 Queensbury Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/09

Robert, Glenn A.
Robert, Lisa A.
a/k/a Borey, Lisa A.
a/k/a Richards, Lisa A.
171 Veazie St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/09

Roman, Ana L.
45 Dewey St., Apt. 207
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/02/09

Rondeau, Catherine A.
431 Pleasant St.
Southbridge, MA 01550
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/09

Rosenberg, Steven
121 Plunkett St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/09

Roy, Rhonda T.
a/k/a Swann, Rhonda T.
20 Woodstock St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Sarmuk, James J.
66 Hawthorne Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

Sauvageau, Bruce D.
Sauvageau, Dawna L.
65 Shepard Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/01/09

Shear Maddness
Rosati, Brian J.
Podosek-Rosati, Kathleen M.
20 Terry Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/09

Sheehan, James F.
41 White Birch Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/08/09

Small, David H.
21 Ledgewood Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/09

Snow, Kathleen
Snow, David P.
350 West St. #5
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/09

Somers, Alan Roger
Somers, Juliann Marie
16 Mechanic St.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/09

St. John, Robert J.
St. John, Mona L.
24 Robbins Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/15/09

Tann, Chheuth
Sam, Rithdek D.
20 West St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/07/09

Thomas, Eric D.
Thomas, Kari-Lynn Elizabeth
33 Lead Mine Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/09

Torres, Miguel S.
Belden Ct., Unit O3
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/09

Vieu, Kenneth J.
151 Pleasant St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/05/09

Zeng, Chang Yong
P.O. Box 80641
Springfield, MA 01138
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/09

Main Street Hospitality Group Welcomes Janet Eason

By
Daily News

STOCKBRIDGE — Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality Group, a Berkshires-based hotel-management company, announced the appointment of Janet Eason as vice president of marketing.

In this position, Eason is responsible for providing leadership, strategic direction, and vision to all marketing efforts for the properties in the company’s portfolio. Main Street Hospitality Group manages the new boutique Hotel on North in Pittsfield, the Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams, and the Williams Inn in Williamstown, and owns and operates the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge.

Eason brings more than 15 years of hospitality experience to Main Street Hospitality Group, including her most recent leadership role as director of marketing communications at the Colonial Williamsburg Hospitality Co. in Virginia, where she oversaw all aspects of marketing for six unique hotel properties, 12 restaurants, three golf courses, a full-service spa, and 20 retail outlets.

“This is an exciting time for Main Street Hospitality Group as we deepen our position as a regional management company with a focus on preservation, innovation, and the communities we serve,” said CEO Sarah Eustis. “Janet’s extensive knowledge of integrated brand positioning across multiple properties will be instrumental in guiding the company’s continued success. We welcome her to the Main Street family.”

Prior to the Colonial Williamsburg Hospitality Co., Eason served as president at Eason Partners, a Boston-based marketing firm specializing in the travel and hospitality industries, working with clients such as the Barbados Tourism Authority and Elegant Hotels. She was also vice president of strategic planning at Boston-based ISM, where she provided marketing solutions for travel companies such as the Sagamore Resort and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

For more information on the Main Street Hospitality Group, visit www.mainstreethospitalitygroup.com or call (413) 298-1610.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

The Marketplace Opens Great Barrington Location

GREAT BARRINGTON — The Marketplace, known for its menu of specialty foods, celebrated the grand opening of the Marketplace Specialty Food Shop, its newest location at 265 Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington, earlier this month. Led by chefs David Renner, Kevin Schmitz, Douglas Luf, and Christopher Brooks, the Marketplace offers a variety of choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including a large section of prepared foods such as entrees, sides, soups, and chili. With a fully staffed pastry department, the Marketplace offers cookies, brownies, pies, custards, and cake as well as special-day custom cakes. The specialty shop also features artisan cheese. The full menu, specialty food offerings, catering options, and cafes can be found at marketplacekitchen.com. The 265 Stockbridge Road location is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

Berkshire Bank Aids Humanitarian Efforts in Ukraine

BOSTON — Berkshire Bank announced several actions it will take with its employees and customers in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. As a first step, the Berkshire Bank Foundation will make a $50,000 contribution to the Ukrainian Federation of America, one of the oldest Ukrainian organizations in the U.S., which is working to deliver humanitarian and medical aid. In addition, Berkshire’s donation will be leveraged in collaboration with Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island on 401Gives Day, a statewide day of giving in Rhode Island on April 1. The bank selected 401Gives Day because it is a time-sensitive campaign that provides Berkshire the opportunity to make a greater impact by inviting the public and business community to match the bank’s contribution. In addition to its significant financial contribution, Berkshire Bank has implemented several actions to harness its entire business to support those impacted by the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Efforts include matched employee contributions, a supply drive and employee volunteering, and customer support, refunding outgoing wire-transfer fees to individuals sending money to family and nonprofit organizations in Ukraine.

 

Sourcepass Adds Suite3 to Its Portfolio of Companies

EASTHAMPTON — Sourcepass announced it has added Easthampton-based Suite3 to its portfolio of IT companies focused on serving small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). The deal is Sourcepass’ second acquisition in 30 days and will not only boost the company’s solutions targeting the financial-services industry, but also grow the company’s reach in the Northeast, expanding its footprint into 43 states. Suite3 provides managed network, cloud migration and management, cybersecurity, and IT support services to more than 6,000 managed customer endpoints. Its clients span more than eight industries, with a strong focus on financial services. As part of the transition, Suite3’s current employees will join the Sourcepass team. They will also receive institutional training and growth opportunities. In addition, the core Suite3 leadership team will remain, with new roles to help Sourcepass with its growth into the financial-services industry and culture of customer engagement. Current Suite3 clients will also see benefits from the new agreement. Sourcepass will extend its interactive web portal to enable 24/7, on-demand, omni-channel support to Suite3 customers, and they will have access to Sourcepass’ broad portfolio of technology solutions.

 

Pare Corp. Opens Holyoke Office

HOLYOKE — Pare Corp., a multi-disciplinary civil, structural, geotechnical, transportation, and environmental engineering firm, announced it is growing with the opening of its third office. Strategically located in Holyoke to serve the greater Pioneer Valley and the central and western areas of Massachusetts and Connecticut, Pare’s office is in the Whitney Place Business Center, which provides easy access to the Mass Pike and Interstate 91, as well as accessibility to biking and local bus routes. From this location, Pare will be able to quickly respond to the many growing needs of clients and communities throughout the area. Pare will provide a full range of engineering and consulting services from the Holyoke office. The firm is currently working on a variety of public- and private-sector projects, including the Belchertown State School Carriage Grove redevelopment, the Singing Bridge redevelopment project in Chicopee, traffic-light signalization and roadway improvements for Brightwood/Lincoln School in Springfield, and traffic-engineering design for Fort River Elementary School in Amherst. The office will also allow Pare to expand several growing practice areas, including its water and wastewater engineering, highway and bridge engineering, bike paths and recreational ballfields, and geotechnical and dam services.

 

MassDevelopment Bond Helps Gándara Buy New Corporate Offices

SPRINGFIELD — MassDevelopment has issued a $4.3 million tax-exempt bond on behalf of Gándara Mental Health Center Inc., which used the proceeds to buy and renovate a 13,200-square-foot office building at 933 East Columbus Ave. in Springfield. The organization will relocate its corporate offices from West Springfield into the new, larger building, where it can meet increased demand for its innovative, culturally competent behavioral-health, prevention, and education services that promote the well-being of Hispanic, African-American, and other culturally diverse populations. Gándara’s services include outpatient mental-health and substance-abuse treatment for underserved communities, as well as residential and preventative services for children, adults, and families throughout Massachusetts. The organization recently began renovations and expects to move into the facility by late spring 2022. Westfield Bank purchased the bond, which will also be used to refinance previously issued debt.

 

Colebrook Brokers Sales of Sites in Northampton Industrial Park

NORTHAMPTON — Colebrook Realty Services Inc. announced it has brokered the sale of 168 and 178 Industrial Dr. in Northampton. The firm announced the sale of approximately 58,443 square feet of class-A industrial/flex space in the Northampton Industrial Park, along with a 12,000-square-foot R&D building and a 2.10-acre adjoining land site. Kissell Inc. and PVC West Inc. sold the properties to GMS Realty LLP. The properties, which represent a significant portion of the park’s available industrial space, are highly strategic assets located along Interstate 91, with the Mass Pike interchange just 15 minutes south. The properties have been fully leased to strong local manufacturing and service companies for many years. Mitch Bolotin and Ben Bolotin of Colebrook represented the seller of the property and sourced the buyer. Inquiries about the sale of 168 Industrial Dr. and 178 Industrial Dr. may be directed to Bolotin at [email protected] or (413) 781-0066.

 

Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley

Wins Victory for Worker’s Rights

SPRINGFIELD — On March 25, the Department of Industrial Accidents Reviewing Board issued a major ruling concerning worker safety. In the underlying case, Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley (PSRB) attorneys Thomas Downey and Ronald Kidd claimed their client suffered severe, disabling injuries as a result of the employer’s serious and willful misconduct. After a hearing, the judge awarded the injured employee double compensation under Section 28 of the Workers’ Compensation Act on account of the employer’s misconduct. Section 28 claims are rare and often unsuccessful because of the requirement to prove a willful act or failure. The Reviewing Board affirmed the judge’s double-compensation award. “This was a case in which an employee, in the normal performance of their duties, was badly injured by a machine he was cleaning. The action stems from the fact that the owner of the business did not inform the worker about an emergency shut-off switch which was in place to prevent this exact sort of accident,” Downey said. “The willful disregard for safety by the owner allowed us to recover double compensation for our client. This is an uncommon occurrence and shows the strength of our case, the disregard for worker’s safety, and the ability of our team to work on behalf our injured client.”

 

Balise Supports Square One’s

Campaign for Healthy Kids

SPRINGFIELD — Balise Auto, a longtime Square One supporter, recently raised $4,000 to support the nonprofit agency’s Campaign for Healthy Kids. The funds were raised through Balise’s “Tires to Inspire” initiative, through which donations were made to Square One when customers purchased a set of new tires. “Square One does so much to set local children and their families up for success,” said Alex Balise, director of Marketing for Balise Auto. “Education and community development are at the core of our charitable giving philosophy, so we couldn’t be happier to highlight their amazing programs and continue to support Square One in their mission.” Square One’s Campaign for Healthy Kids is a multi-year fund-development initiative focused on the agency’s commitment to providing healthy meals, physical fitness, social-emotional well-being, and a healthy learning environment.

Community Profile: Berkshire County

By
Sections Supplements

Berkshire County is the westernmost county in Massachusetts, and runs along the New York border, stretching from Connecticut to Vermont. The unofficial hub of the county is Pittsfield, a city of nearly 44,000 people. Other major centers of business and tourism are Great Barrington, in Southern Berkshire County; North Adams, home to the Mass MoCA and the Mass. College of Liberal Arts; Williamstown, home to Williams College; Lenox, home to Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra; and Stockbridge, home to the Norman Rockwell Museum.

Tourism has always been an economic mainstay, with several ski resorts, museums, theaters, and other draws, and it has become a popular base for artisans and, more recently, some technology-based companies and special-effects houses attracted by the quality of life. In all, there are 32 communities in the county, ranging in size from Pittsfield to tiny Mount Washington, with 135 people. Other communities include Adams, Alford, Becket, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Dalton, Egremont, Florida, Hancock, Hinsdale, Lanesboro, Lee, Monterey, New Ashford, New Marlboro, Otis, Peru, Richmond, Sandisfield, Savoy, Sheffield, Tyringham, Washington, West Stockbridge, and Windsor.

The county’s business community is served by the Chamber of Commerce of the Berkshires (www.berkshirechamber.com), and the smaller Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce (www.southernberkshirechamber.com) and Lenox Chamber of Commerce (www.lenox.org).

The Marketplace Opens New Great Barrington Location

By
Daily News

GREAT BARRINGTON — The Marketplace, known for its menu of specialty foods, will celebrate the grand opening of the Marketplace Specialty Food Shop, its newest location at 265 Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington, April 1-3.

Led by chefs David Renner, Kevin Schmitz, Douglas Luf, and Christopher Brooks, the Marketplace offers a variety of choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including a large section of prepared foods such as entrees, sides, soups, and chili. With a fully staffed pastry department, the Marketplace offers cookies, brownies, pies, custards, and cake as well as special-day custom cakes. The specialty shop also features artisan cheese. The full menu, specialty food offerings, catering options, and cafes can be found at marketplacekitchen.com.

“We are excited to offer familiar and beloved savory and sweet items as well as prepared foods that will be new to those familiar with our offerings,” Renner said. “We’re looking forward to greeting our regular customers and meeting new ones in our newly remodeled location.”

Luf added that “food is our passion. The best food starts from scratch, which is what our 20 talented chefs prepare every day for our customers using many local ingredients. Our goal is to be the community’s everyday source for takeout food and your first thought when you need catering for your special event. We love being a part of the community and are thrilled to continue our traditions in our new location.”

The 265 Stockbridge Road location is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Main Street Hospitality Sells Elm Street Market

By
Daily News

STOCKBRIDGE — Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality, announced the sale of Elm Street Market to Verson Inc., headed by brothers Rajesh and Rajeev Verma from New Jersey.

“We have been committed to the long-term stewardship of Elm Street Market for more than two decades, and we’re so pleased to welcome Verson Inc., who bring a deep level of food experience and true enthusiasm about investing in our community,” said Eustis. “The new owners are excited to take the reins, and we’re confident they will maintain and even elevate Elm Street Market’s character.”

New management took over operation of the market immediately when the sale was completed last month. The Elm Street Market, previously owned and operated by Main Street Hospitality, has been a local favorite and community staple for more than 20 years.

“We stopped at Elm Street Market on our way to visit my son at college and immediately fell in love with the restaurant and Stockbridge,” said Rajesh Verma. “The market is a strong community anchor, and we intend to keep it that way, building on its existing strength and evolving its local food offerings over time.”

Verson Inc. is a family-owned business that owns and operates a group of deli and catering shops in New York City. Verma plans to keep the current staff while adding more prepared foods to the menu.

Pamela Sandler AIA Architect Welcomes Norman Anton, Amy Pulver to Team

By
Daily News

STOCKBRIDGE — Pamela Sandler AIA Architect recently welcomed Norman Anton, senior designer and project manager; and Amy Pulver, office manager, to its fast-growing team.

“We are beyond thrilled to have Norman and Amy with us,” said Pamela Sandler, founder and principal architect. “Our firm has been evolving for more than 30 years, and we nurture colleagues who come to us with vision and unique skills. Norman brings a hands-on approach to his work with clients. Amy is incredibly experienced, and her versatility and community connections are a huge asset, not only to our office but to our clients.”

Anton is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and has lived and worked in Europe and Saudi Arabia. He attended Washington University School of Architecture in St. Louis and has worked extensively in the field with carpenters, electricians, and landscape designers. Prior to joining the Sandler AIA team, he was an architectural designer at Clark and Green. He has a wide range of experience, including historic preservation, corporate interiors, retail showrooms, and residential projects.

Pulver is at the helm of the firm’s mission to create spaces with joy for new and existing clients. Her duties include event planning, facilities management, project coordination, and budget planning, ensuring that the office runs smoothly so that the design team can continue to deliver unique projects to clients and grow its relationship with the community. She brings years of experience to the Stockbridge-based architecture firm. Prior to working with Sandler, she served for nearly a decade in multiple positions and departments within the town of Great Barrington, including Public Works, Planning, and most recently as executive secretary to the town manager and Select Board.

Lee Bank Plans to Reopen Lobbies on July 6

By
Daily News

LEE — As Massachusetts continues its phased reopening plan, Lee Bank is targeting Monday, July 6 as the date it will reopen all bank lobbies for walk-in services. It will continue to post updated guidelines and information on its social-media accounts and website.

In the meantime, lobbies will remain open by appointment only, while other customers are encouraged to use drive-ups (in Lee, Lenox, and Stockbridge), ATMs, and online and mobile banking. Business hours for all branches are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Lenox drive-up is open on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

To schedule an appointment or speak to staff at any branch, call (413) 528-5531 in Great Barrington, (413) 243-0117 in Lee, (413) 499-9922 in Lenox, (413) 445-7270 in Pittsfield, or (413) 298-3611 in Stockbridge.

City of Springfield to Acquire Main Street Properties for Economic Redevelopment

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The city of Springfield and the Springfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA) announced they will utilize funding designated for eligibility of economic development from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to acquire properties for redevelopment in alignment with the Main Street and Convention Center Master Plan.

The properties that the city and SRA will purchase are 113-115 State St., 1139-1155 Main St., and 11-21 Stockbridge St. In 2019, all of the properties were put under the control of Freedom Credit Union and participatory lenders. Due to the city’s concerns that potential investors would not invest in or appropriately tenant them, Mayor Domenic Sarno and Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan reached out to Freedom Credit Union to discuss plans to acquire the properties for redevelopment.

The assessed value for the properties are $1,318,900 for 113-115 State St., $2,105,000 for 1139-1155 Main St., and $303,400 for 11-21 Stockbridge St. The properties were listed for sale for $5 million, and the city and SRA will purchase them for $2,750,000.

“This investment will greatly benefit my administration’s vision of enhancing our downtown district and ensures that that these key properties will not be underutilized or underdeveloped by questionable investors who would have no intentions of properly investing in our city and finding appropriate tenants for this prime real-estate area,” Sarno said.

Sheehan added that the proactive acquisition of these properties has thwarted the adverse impacts of further speculative investment in the real estate surrounding MGM Springfield from occurring, and will ensure that these properties will be reintroduced to the market in a manner consistent with their importance to the economic vitality of the area immediately surrounding the casino, as well as the development objectives of the Main Street and Convention Center Master Plan, as approved by the City Council.”

From May to October 2020, the city conducted extensive due diligence on the buildings and in May 2020 signed a letter of intent to acquire the properties. In June 2020, the SRA approved the purchase and sale agreement, and in July 2020, the agreement was executed. Currently, the city is in a 90-day due-diligence period prior to closing. The SRA will be the owner on record for these properties.

Main Street Hospitality Welcomes Morgan Russell

By
Daily News

STOCKBRIDGE — Morgan Russell has joined the Main Street Hospitality team as the manager of Guest Experiences across four Main Street Hospitality Group properties.

Originally from Boston and having grown up in the Berkshires, Russell brings 10 years of luxury hospitality concierge experience to this new position. Prior to joining Main Street Hospitality, he specialized in building guest-engagement programs for various high-end boutique hotels in Colorado, including the Arrabelle at Vail Square, the Sebastian Hotel, and the Christiana.

Russell will work collaboratively with partners throughout the region to expand the guest-experience program at all of Main Street’s hotels and provide visitors an added layer of connectivity to the Berkshires experience.

“Morgan is the ideal fit for this role, and we are so excited to welcome him back to the Berkshires and to the team,” said Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality Group. “His deep knowledge of experiential programming has allowed him to hit the ground running, forging partnerships with several local businesses from museums and golf courses to outdoor adventure parks and more, all with the goal of enriching each guest’s visit to the Berkshires.”

Russell will build out the guest-experience program at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Hotel on North in Pittsfield, and Briarcliff in Great Barrington.

Russell graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in international affairs. In his early career, he worked at the Red Lion Inn, filling various positions from busboy and bellhop to the sales office. 

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies Departments

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Aldrich, Lisa M.
156 Pleasant St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/24/13

Anthony, Tony
62 Westminster St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/23/13

Arroyo, Ricardo
Arroyo, Milagros
5 Deveau St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/17/13

AZPCO of Hadley Inc.
Arizona Pizza
AZPCO of Clifton Park Inc.
Montra, Inc.
Trask, Robert W.
Trask, Erin M.
3 Silvermine Lane
West Stockbridge, MA 01266
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/13

Ball, Charles M.
Ball, Dawn Y.
1286 North St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/24/13

Barton, Kimberle P.
a/k/a Schneewind, Kimberle P.
4 Mount Vernon Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/13

Boisvere, Michael S.
31 Sunset Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Boyd, Michael A
Boyd, Tammy L.
82 Strong Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/25/13

Bozyk, Christopher
Bozyk, Francisca
a/k/a Navarro, Francisca
2452 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/13

Brownson, Shannon
434 Stockbridge Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/22/13

Casterella, John
23 Westminister St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/13

Conrad, Richard
P.O. Box 811
Goshen, MA 01032
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/17/13

Cote, Kelsey L.
a/k/a Dixon, Kelsey
100 Pequot Point Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Cote, Raymond W.
a/k/a Dukette, Raymond M.
100 Pequot Point Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Crapps, Ronnie E.
Barber-Crapps, Sarah A.
133 St. James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/25/13

Czuchra, Kenneth J.
a/k/a Zukes Mac Shack
25 Rita Mary Way
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/13

D & D Remodeling
Beach, David J.
121 Boston Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Dallmeyer, Mark E.
Dallmeyer, Marcia M.
75 Shaker Lane
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/13

Davis, Donald V.
263 Grove St.
Apartment 1B
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/21/13

DeCaro, Elvia Giovanna
137 Nonotuck St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/13

DeChristopher, Donna C.
a/k/a Jorgensen, Donna C.
26 Old Mill Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/24/13

Dufresne Entertainment
Dufresne, Dusti V.
85 Lincoln St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/13

Echard, Jason B.
Echard, Lisa A.
76 Highland Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/13

Fatima, Bilqis
32 Charbonneau Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/13

Ferguson, Sean A.
14 Royal Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/24/13

Glenowicz, John J.
Glenowicz, Louise M.
405 Ryan Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/13

Graham, James F.
63 Harvard St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/13

Graves, Ashley W.
a/k/a Reopell, Robin M.
Graves, Robin M.
P.O. Box 297
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/13

Gwozdzik, Katherine Ellen
a/k/a Marinello, Katherine Ellen
27 Labrie Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/13

Herr, Traci D.
a/k/a Czelusniak, Traci Donna
955 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/13

JLEM Landscaping Co.
Hulland, Robert L.
a/k/a Hulland, Larry
Hulland, Jill M.
12 Kathy Way
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/13

Kelly, Richard F
Kelly, Debra A.
34 Meadowbrook Lane
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/13

King, Raymond J.
229 Cadwell Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/13

Kirby, Tara L.
92 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/13

Krstyen, Daniel
16 Sargent St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/13

Le, Bong
P.O. Box 81412
Springfield, MA 01138
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/13

Ledoux, Verna
5 Ronald Cir.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/13

Leone, Ann Marie
85 Euclid Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/13

Lovely, Michael Arnold
Lovely, Allison Marie
854 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/13

Lyne, William R
Lyne, Dina M.
a/k/a Peters, Dina M.
54 Kensington St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Mann, Holly Marie
4B Cummings Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/13

Manning, Susan
9 Grant St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/13

Meeker, Harold A.
119 Acrebrook Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Moreno, Lawrence A.
55 6th St.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/13

Muzzy, William
Muzzy, Adrianne
43 Noblehurst Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Orange Blossom
Royal, David W.
Royal, Leanne
85 Lincoln Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/24/13

Pavlakos, Antonios
Pavlakos, Jacqueline Ann
11B Sunnyside Ave.
Rutland, MA 01543
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Pelletier, Maria S.
149 Fernbank Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/13

Poreda, Michael J.
125 Beech St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/13

Rand, Jill A.
75 Commercial St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/13

Rent to Own Autos
Gaynor, Brian David
127 North St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Rogers, William I.
P.O. Box 609
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/20/13

Savage, Katherine M.
47 Mountainview Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/13

Shamleffer, William Paul
Shamleffer, Noel Alwood
18 Wesson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Sherokow, Dana G.
Sherokow, Candace L.
a/k/a Thibodeau, Candace L.
101 Regal St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/23/13

St. Pierre, Kathrine J.
30 Tom St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/13

Subocz, Jason E.
12 Harvey St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/13

Swanson, Philip L.
303 Fairview Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/13

Torres, Janessa M.
98 Brandon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/24/13

Vail, Michael Kane
Vail, Jennifer Marie
73 Hall Road
Apt No. 10
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/13

Vescovi, Paul A.
Vescovi, Domenica A.
46 Arthur Ave.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/13

Vickery, David R.
18 Kent Ave., Apt. 1A
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/13

Waters, Kristopher Alan
178 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/13

White, Darnelle
65 Broadway St., Apt. 10
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/13

Wolons, Martin D.
23 Mt. Jefferson Road
Hubbardston, MA 01452
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/24/13

Woods, Kelly
77 Laurel St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/13

Wright, Bruce G.
38 Jasper St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/13

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the months of January and February 2023. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

AGAWAM

Greta’s Beauty Bar LLC
430 Main St., Unit 200
Greta D’Mours

The Home Owner’s Handyman
48 Hope Farms Dr., Feeding Hills
Patrick Devine

Jamie Beth Photography
168 Valley Brook Road, Feeding Hills
Erik Sudnick

Parrotta’s Cycle
357 Main St.
Bruno Parrotta

Phipp’s Discount Liquors
1350 Springfield St., Feeding Hills
Spero Phillips

Sharp
674 Springfield St., Feeding Hills
Rachael Boido

Valenti Real Estate
7 Cooper St.
Joseph Valenti

AMHERST

Lazy Langz
96 North Pleasant St.
Joseph Dior

Legacy Title & Escrow
437 Main St.
Michael Gove

Professional Painting Plus
27 Bedford Court
Jose Martinez Velasco

Wanderlust Tattoo
71 North Pleasant St.
Stephen Lambert

XN
155 Lincoln Ave.
Patrick Malone

BELCHERTOWN

RE/MAX Connections
1 Stadler St.
Peter Ruffini, Dawn Ruffini

CHICOPEE

FTF Construction
52 Ellabree St.
Raymond Lucia

JR’s Painting Plus
18 Mellen St.
Richard Knight III

Pro 2A Products
126½ Cochran St.
Darren Descoteaux

Salon on Britton
498 Britton St.
Jennifer Consedine

Star Dental
415 East St.
Carla Santiago

United Sons Auto Sales LLC
400D East Main St.
Talal Hamad

Wooden Rabbit Clean Services Corp.
43 Dickinson St.
Christopher Bendtson

EAST LONGMEADOW

Ichiban
422 North Main St.
Ming Chen

Irina’s
100 Shaker Road
Irina Kulenok

JMG Salon
225 Shaker Road
Jennifer Guinipero

Liz’s Hair Care
42 Harkness Ave.
Elizabeth Porter

Maple Dental Associates
79 Maple St.
Iqra Vohra

Michelle Murray LMHC
15 Benton Dr.
Michelle Murray

MVPT Physical Therapy
14 Center Square
Steven Windwer

Omega Cleaners
14 Harkness Ave.
Hanbyual Chang

Powerhouse Training
80 Denslow Road
Jonathan Davis

Sola Salon Studios
60 Shaker Road
Sharon Gates

ENFIELD

Logic Impact Group
31 Palomba Dr., Unit 651
Michael Beaudry Sr.

Lorrie A. O’Brien MSW
10 Allen St.
Lorrie O’Brien

Starling Aesthetics
160 Hazard Ave.
Gary Golliher, Noah Starkey

Triple J Home Services
30 Meadowlark Road
Johanna Torres-Bonilla, Erasto Canals-Filpo

GRANBY

Warren & Sons
20 Lyn Dr.
Stewart Warren

GREAT BARRINGTON

Mac’s Garage
974 Main St.
John Missaggia

Mary Huggins Salon
2 Abbey Hill Dr.
Mary Huggins

McCormick Murtagh & Marcus
390 Main St., Suite 1
Kathleen McCormick

McFarland Soil & Water
156 Christian Hill Road
Scott McFarland

Michael Martin Builder
10 Laurel St.
Michael Martin

Miller’s Pub
280 Main St.
Christopher Brooks

Mooncloud
47 Railroad St., Unit 1A
William Paul

Petco
740 Main St.
Richard Skeen

Rebelle
783 South Main St.
Community Growth Partners Great Barrington Operations LLC

Rising Well
7 Manville St.
Miral Kruh

Riverside Capital Management
390 Main St., Suite 1
David Strassier, Robert Strassier

The Salix Mountain Collective
72 Christian Hill Road
Scott Buquor

Sapere Aude Landscape Services
72 State Road
Milton Javier, Quizhpi Uzhca

SAVIA Leadership
7 Meadow Lane
Sabrina Jaffe

SETT
276 Main St.
Andrew Pruhenski, Abigail Webster

Stockbridge Motorcar Co. Inc.
691 Stockbridge Road
Matthew Sutton

Timber Craft Homes
247 Monument Valley Road
Mark Rosengren

Truhan Design
6 Hemlock Hill Road
Ardith Truhan

Wind in the Pines
949 Main St.
Robert Hatch

Yellow House Books
252 Main St.
Bonnie Benson, Ray Garrett

GREENFIELD

Kevin’s Auto Body & Sales
35 Montague City Road
Kevin LaBelle

Mike’s Fins
114 Adams Road
Michael Krawczyk

New Possibilities
31 Pond St.
Wyatt McDaniel

Peter Pan Music Shop
106 Federal St.
Peter Skolnick

Returning to Wholeness
63 French King Highway, Suite 9
Deborah Wilson

Salon 20
20 Church St.
Christine Roth

Serenity Senter
45 Bank Row
Laurie Dulude

Shir Glassworks
139 Conway St.
Madeline Shir, Ori Shir

Shree Brahmani Mataji Corp.
256 Federal St.
Priyankkymar Patel

Studio Seven
229 Main St.
Rachael Katz

Toes to Go
22 Abbott St.
Marilyn Erickson

Wild Edge Floral
211 Green River Road
Katherine Stafford

Yasov Electrdysis & Skin Care
224½ Federal St.
Sophia Koblinski

HADLEY

Nature’s Finest Creations
31 Huntington Road
Fredrick Wilda

Precciozzi Tailors
16 Meadowbrook Dr.
Aida Precciozzi-Chalfin

Taco Bell
348 Russell St.
GF Enterprise LLC

HOLYOKE

Red Leaf Investigations
34 Joanne Dr.
James Albert

Relco Compliance Services
51 North Canal St.
Margaret Morneau

RJ Café
341 High St.
Roberto Almonte

Stop and Go
399 Hillside Ave.
Rajendra Modie

TJ Maxx #1244
33 Holyoke St.
The TJX Companies

LONGMEADOW

Maggi Marriage Ceremonies
58 Robin Road
Robert Maggi

LUDLOW

Ludlow Eye Associates
200 Center St.
Katarzyna Babinki

Ludlow Family Dental
77 Winsor St., Suite 102
Binca Warren

Ludlow Smoke Shop & Convenience
246 East St.
Khaled Saleh

Luso Financial
187 East St.
Antonio Goncalves, Luis Dinis

Pioneer Valley PDR
7 Circuit Ave.
Stephen Nodurf

Purely Caribbean Sunless Tanning
271 East St.
Katie Schebel

Smooth Innovators
242 East St.
Richard Rodriguez

Sugar Nails & Spa
36 East St.
Danyun Huang, Yan Jinjin

MONSON

RAD Goon Saloon
3 Green St.
Carrie LaVallie

RCK Consulting Service
137 Thayer Road
Ronald Klisiewicz

Seasons Pool and Patio Inc
450 Boston Road
Cheryl Lemelin Hickman, Daniel Lemelin

NORTH ADAMS

The Synthesis Project
495 Church St.
Tiffany Kuzia

PITTSFIELD

Malon Construction
331 Highland Ave.
George Malon Jr.

Matt Cusson Music
11 Cherry Hill Dr.
Matthew Cusson

Muffy’s Management LLC
38 North St.
Cheryl Gajewski

Oral & Dental Implant Surgery
3 Dalton Ave.
Oral & Dental Implant Surgery

Panda Garden
724 Tyler St.
Chun Hui Lin

Phoenix Theatres Beacon Cinema
57 North St.
Phoenix Theatres Berkshires LLC

Powerback Consulting
1000 North St.
Genesis Eldercare Rehabilitation Services LLC

Powerback Rehabilitation
169 Valentine Road
Genesis Eldercare Rehabilitation Services LLC

Powerback Rehabilitation To You
1000 North St.
Genesis Eldercare Rehabilitation Services LLC

Powerback Rehabilitation To You
169 Valentine Road
Genesis Eldercare Rehabilitation Services LLC

Powerback Respiratory
1000 North St.
Respiratory Health Services LLC

Pro Facilities Maintenance Services
82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100
Pro Services Inc.

Pure Consulting LLC
814 East St.
Pure Enterprise LLC

Radiant Whitening & Jewelry
457 Dalton Ave.
Toni Satrape

State & Zodi
82 Wendell Ave.
Ltoya Leigh, LLC

Tellus369
44 Demont Ave.
Kristina Turner

Unistress Corp.
550 Cheshire Road
Elizabeth Kopec

Vallone’s Automotive
111 Francis Ave.
Frankie Vallone Jr.

Vestal Energy
727 East St.
Travis Orsi

Wake Up Works
158 Daniels Ave.
Maria Pinheiro

SOUTH HADLEY

Dunkin’ Donuts
497 Newton St.
Lori Donuts

DHENRYPRO
103 Alvord Place
David Henry

THI Meets
5 Carol Ann Dr.
Steven Thompson

SOUTHWICK

Donna M. Houghton, LMT
405 North Loomis St.
Donna Houghton

Security Fence and Kennel Co.
15 Babb Road
Jason Labrecque

WARE

Patriot Firearms
317 Palmer Road
Heath Grimes

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Memo’s Restaurant
1272 Memorial Ave.
Dominic Pompi

Odessa Auto Group
167 Norman St.
Igor Mazur

Once Upon a Child
1458 Riverdale St.
Lawrence White Jr.

Parachute
1095 Westfield St.
Yousuf Jaafar

Pat’s Auto Service
163 Norman St.
Richard Parenteau

Pisst Fish Tattoo Co.
1270 Memorial Ave.
Kevin Ondras

Ray’s Liquidations
20 River St.
Ramon Sanchez

Sanders Family Rustic Wood Works
19 Cora St.
David Sanders

Sandy Stylist
242 Westfield St.
Sandra Pereira

Stella’s Bones Pet Sitting & Dog Walking
640 Elm St.
Lesley Maple

Total Women’s Health Care Inc.
46 Daggett Dr.
Aleli Villanueva

Twisted Emportium
117 Hampden St.
Eric Dumas

Welcome Inn
2041 Riverdale St.
Rajendrasinh Mahida

WILBRAHAM

KB’s Landscaping
2 Kensington Dr.
Karl Brown

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