Home About Archives RSS Feed

Decor Store With Local Motives Opens In North Adams

By John DurkaniBerkshires Staff
image description
AP Decor and More offers mostly low-priced craft items.
image description
The store's mascot, Scarlett, helps lighten the mood.
image description
The shop will have monthly raffles.
image description
image description
Duct-tape flower pens will be on sale.
image description
Ashley Priester poses in front of her storefront with her 'child' and store mascot Scarlett.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Ashley Priester took her passion for locally produced crafts and has channeled that into a small business.
 
Her store, AP Home Decor and More, located at 10 Ashland St., opened on Monday and on Saturday will have its grand opening.
 
Priester said the idea for a store came about as her house began to run out of room for crafting and friends encouraged her to open a business. Renee Tassone, owner of Eat to Total Health, encouraged Priester to take a chance at the spot next door to her business.
 
"I just went for it," Priester said.
 
Aside from her candles, the shop currently includes products — jewelry, quilts, massage oils, jams, artwork and knitted hats — from different vendors from around the county — including Katie's Custom Jewelry, Cheshire Cat Creations, Sentient Skin Care, Tanya's Country Kitchen and Angela's Sock Cupcakes and More. Priester said when the store fills up it will feature 40 different artisans.
 
Even the store's displays are locally made, handcrafted by Corey's Country Creations based in Cheshire.
 
"It's definitely about keeping stuff local," Priester said.
 
Prices on items vary. Generally, most cost under $20 —  the candles are $6.25 for a 4 ounces and $12 and for an 8 ounce, most jewelry ranges from $5 to $15. Some of the higher-end items, such as quilts, paintings and crystal jewelry, cost more than $50. 
 
The store also features pieces from younger artisans, and will sell work Duct-tape flower pens by Hope and Hannah Blake who attend Clarksburg Elementary School.
 
Candles can also be made in customized containers.
"I'm looking to get as much unique [items] in the store as possible," Priester said.
 
Priester dived into her candle-making hobby about four years ago and began selling to friends and at craft fairs. She decided on soy candles after researching the process because soy wax burns slower and is easier to clean than paraffin wax; She said to clean soy wax you just need a wet towel. Priester also said soy wax burns cooler, and is safe to touch. The wicks, too, are cleaner, she said, as she opted to make them with cotton wicks instead of lead.
 
On Saturday, the grand opening will feature specials and sales with vendors on hand, raffles and massages from Circle of Life.
 
Every month, there will also be raffles for customers, whether its just stopping in, purchasing a product or reviewing their visit on the store's Facebook page. Priester also hopes host vendor parties and ladies' nights.
 
She's still figuring out more marketing plans, but plans to team up with other small businesses in the immediate area for a coupon book.
 
The store accepts cash, card and check, and is open Monday and Wednesday from 10 to 5:30, and Thursday though Saturday from 10 to 7.

 

     

Support Local News

We show up at hurricanes, budget meetings, high school games, accidents, fires and community events. We show up at celebrations and tragedies and everything in between. We show up so our readers can learn about pivotal events that affect their communities and their lives.

How important is local news to you? You can support independent, unbiased journalism and help iBerkshires grow for as a little as the cost of a cup of coffee a week.

News Headlines
BCC Wins Grant for New Automatic External Defibrillator
Clark Art Screens 'Adaptation'
Drury High School to Host End-of-Year Showcase
Clarksburg Gets 3 Years of Free Cash Certified
Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 Requests
MCLA Men's Lacrosse Falls in League Opener
Letter: Vote for Someone Other Than Trump
Berkshire Art Center's Dance Party Returns
Dalton Committee Seeks Funding for Invasive Species
Dog Daycare Planned for Former Williamstown Restaurant Site

 


Bill Schmick separates the bull from the bears in his weekly columns on investing and market wrap-ups.



Categories:
advertising (10)
agriculture (1)
arts (7)
automotive (5)
awards (16)
banking (41)
Beacon (1)
broadband (1)
business (52)
chamber (25)
closing (5)
development (23)
dining (5)
domestic animals (2)
energy (6)
entertainment (2)
federal (4)
finances (5)
food (5)
fundraiser (3)
green (2)
grocery (5)
hospitality/hotel (5)
housing (0)
insurance (3)
investment (6)
jobs (35)
labor (17)
laws (4)
Legislature (3)
manufacturing (9)
media (8)
medical (4)
networking (33)
new (22)
pricing (1)
projects (2)
promotion (6)
publishing (13)
radio (2)
real estate (8)
retail (29)
technology (13)
training (5)
transportation (1)
volunteer (1)
website (2)
wholesale (7)
workshops (6)
Archives:
Tags:
Breakfast Unemployment Auction Tricks Of The Trade Sales Tax Berkshire Chamber Of Commerce Winstanley Wmeco Wall Street Merger North Adams State Small Business Adams Bj's Nbt Bank Qualprint Pittsfield Currency Walmart Sabic Social Media Berkshire Enterprises Statistics Statistics Store Opening Unemployment Excelsior Baldwin Jobs Expansion Talkberkshires Great Barrington Crane & Co. Williamstown
Popular Entries:
Chamber Drive Nets Donation for Shelter
Pittsfield Jobless Rate at 7 Percent
State Added 12,700 Jobs in July
State Jobless Holds Steady at 7.6%
Excelsior Brings Greeting Card Co. To North Adams
Cranwell Voted Best For Meetings
Super Duper Wally World
Baldwin Brings Berkshire-style Talk to Florida
Chamber Sets Free Workshop on QR Codes
Funding Secured For Pittsfield BJ's Wholesale
Recent Entries:
Biz Briefs: Mr. Tire, Tax Holiday, Business Directory
Berkshire Eagle Parent Mulling Newspaper Sales
Digitial First Puts Vermont News Buildings on the Market
Berkshire Chamber, Neal Hosting Facebook for Business Workshop
Winstanley Wins Big at Annual ADDY Awards
Eggs & Issues Event Focuses on Rail Cars, Development
State Unemployement Rate Drops Slightly
New Biotech Firm Setting Up in Pittsfield
Crane Museum Opens Retail Store
License Commission Approves River Street Package Move