Country Store Has Small Town Atmosphere

By Jen Thomas - September 13, 2007

Annmarie Belmonte hopes to keep Corky's Deli and Country Store local.

ADAMS - Anyone craving an early morning cup of coffee and a tasty bagel now has a new place to stop in town. Starting Wednesday, Corky’s Deli and Country Store on Summer Street has officially opened for business and is serving patrons as early as 6 a.m.

"So far, so good," said Annmarie Belmonte, the new store’s owner mid-afternoon on her opening day.

Originally intending to start a bakery at the space located at 87 Summer St., Belmonte instead opted to open a combination deli/sandwich shop and eclectic gift store. In addition to an assortment of breakfast stuffs, specialty salads and homemade Mexican delicacies, Corky’s offers season-themed house decorations, kids' purses and crocheted items.

"I wanted to make sure there was something for everyone, so I started with children and worked my way up," Belmonte said.

Currently, Corky's walls and shelves are lined with autumn-inspired wreaths and other crafts and the ever-present Christmas tree in the window is decorated with leaves tinted red, yellow and orange.

"That tree will be there all year long," Belmonte said, adding that she will decorate it for each holiday.

After working for several area businesses in various levels of culinary arts and general management, Belmonte decided to go into business for herself last month. Within weeks, she had purchased the property and was planning out how to best use the space.

"I was just tired of working for everyone else," she said.

With a desire to keep the store "small town," Belmonte has purchased all of her products locally, if she didn’t create them herself.

"What we’re specializing in at the country store is handmade crafts. The paintings I did myself. The crochet work was done by my mother. We want to keep it local," she said.

"And we invite others to have their stuff here," she continued. "We’ll find space for whomever."

Additionally, all the lunch meats in the deli are from the Pittsfield-based Wohrle’s Food Inc.

A Berkshire resident for more than 25 years, Belmonte is excited to launch her first business venture and she said she’s not at all concerned about failure.

"The way I look at it is, if it goes well, I might venture into something larger with seating. But, if it stays small town, that’s fine with me, too," she said.

Corky’s Deli and Country Store will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. The store is closed Mondays.