It's happening. The plastic Santas, the shimmery ropes of garland, the clear- or colored-bulb strings of holiday lights, all finding their way to a store shelf near you. Weeks before November's traditional "Black Friday" seasonal shopping launch, retailers are reminding us that the days of reindeer on rooftops are nearly upon us.
Those who are in the business of predicting such things have said during recent days that consumer spending is expected to top 2005 holiday spending levels. It may be a very good year for merchants, so say pundits.
Downtowns First
Let's make it a very good year for local merchants.
Let's make our downtowns "holiday central" when we are selecting our gift-giving treasures and trinkets.
Downtown North Adams is no longer a vacant, gaping maw in the city center. The Peebles and Staples store openings have added two new venues to the downtown shopping-scape, and if you haven't already heard, YOU CAN BUY QUALITY MENSWEAR AT PEEBLES!
But shopping isn't limited to the two newest retailers; a stroll along Eagle Street will lead shoppers to Persnickety, a nifty site for toys, games, and other interesting childrens' amusements, or to skiddoo, which hosts an eclectic mix of vintage items, to Molly's for baked goods to take home or to EGL, the former Gideon's Luncheon and Nightery, for a bit of sustenance.
The ever-popular Jack's Hot Dog is on Eagle Street, and the holidays seem a great time to introduce youngsters to the fast and furious grilling pace of owner and cook Jeff Levanos and the one-of-kind taste of the eatery's hot dogs and burgers.
If pizza is the family favorite, Village Pizza is at one end of Eagle Street while Moulton's Pizzeria is at the opposite end. Just a bit farther along, along American Legion Drive, is Papa Gino's. The Steeples restaurant offers a wonderful dining experience, as does the Freight Yard Pub, and don't forget Red Sauce Ristorante, or the Cup and Saucer, the Sugar Llama Cafe, brew-ha-ha or Gramercy Bistro...you get the idea.
If you are shopping the city's downtown, there is no excuse for hunger!
The Crafty Creations store and Moultons General Store are two of the Main Street shopping options. Galadriel's boutique has established a very loyal patron circle. Find out why...visit the store, meet owner Joanne Burdick, and peruse the assortment of clothing and accessories. I am a fan of the sparkly hair baubles.
On Ashland Street, the DiLego Jewelry store offers engagement rings, mothers' rings, wedding bands, birthstone items, bracelets, chains, pendants, watches, cigarette lighters, family tree plaques, and more. There are clocks and photograph frames, items crafted from pewter, and money clips. The store features an "add-a-pearl" opportunity, which allows a genuine pearl necklace to be created over time. Gold, silver, platinum; it's all there at DiLego's.
Atef Fine Jewelry is on Main Street and owner Atef Bolos is most often behind the counter to greet customers. The store hosts glass display cases filled with rings, necklaces, bracelets, and other adornments. Precious metals and precious stones are part of the store's offerings.
Make A Day Of It
Shoppers, don't be shy...travel to the Park Street/Summer Street area of Adams and investigate shops such as Mysterious Wonders and restaurants such as the Red Carpet, the Daily Grind, and the Firehouse Cafe. Head on over to Williamstown and see what the Spring Street "Where'd You Get That?" store has to offer. See what's available at the Colonial Shopping Center's Village Kountry Krafts shop. Investigate the selection at "The Cottage" on Water Street; make a day of it and visit several downtowns.
Southern Berkshire residents are encouraged to visit the locally-owned shops along the streets of Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, and other communities. Dalton and Pittsfield folks would serve themselves and their neighbors well by taking a peek inside the independent shops in those communities.
Almost every Berkshire region community does have something to offer within downtown shopping arenas. And local economies are cultivated by local folks.
Spread The Word
Shop the Berkshire region downtowns this holiday season. Share your experiences with me at suebush@iberkshires.com . Tell me where you found a great gift, praise a particularly helpful store employee, or offer some constructive criticism. Whether from the Northern, Central, or Southern Berkshires, I'd like to know where the best shopping is found.
So many of the region's elected officials and civic leaders have worked hard to revive downtowns. Shop owners have introduced new businesses or maintained existing venues despite financial challenges.
There are success stories of one sort or another in nearly all the Berkshire downtowns.
Let's keep a good thing going.
Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 802-823-9367.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant
Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu.
A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building.
White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.
He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns.
Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot.
A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use.
Cassidy Flynn scattered five hits in a complete-game effort in the circle as Lenox upset top-seeded Hoosac Valley, 3-2, in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament. click for more
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Jason Codey struck out 13, walked two and allowed just an infield single as the Generals earned a 7-1 win over Wahconah to claim their third straight regional title. click for more
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For the boys, Ward Bianchi helped lead the way with a win in the shot put and a second place in the javelin as the Mounties finished 16 points ahead of runner-up Pittsfield (pending the results of the pole vault, which were unavailable at 11 p.m. Friday night). click for more
