Merchants Association Seeks Nonprofit Status

By Jen Thomas - April 10, 2008
iBerkshires Staff

Summer Street, looking north

ADAMS — The Summer Street Association of Merchants has only been in existence for a few months but the group of business owners is already looking to have a big impact on the community.

At their monthly meeting on Wednesday night, the merchants decided to move forward with plans to become a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit association. Advised by Town Clerk Paul Hutchinson to seek nonprofit status, group co-Chairwoman Kathy Riello said the tax exemption would simplify the process of donating.

"We're not just looking for businesses to come down here. We also formed this association to help," said Riello, owner of the Chop Shop. "We want to give back to the community."

According to Riello, the group has already discussed developing a scholarship for local high schools students and the possibility of donating to Youth Center Inc. With its first event — a "Summer Street Summer Kick-Off" street fair — scheduled for June 22, the business owners are selling raffle tickets to offset the event's cost.

Tickets are $5 and the winner receives a book of 300 two-dollar scratch tickets. The raffle drawing will take place on May 7 and the tickets are available from every Summer Street merchant.

The money raised from the raffle and from the fair's Chinese auction will pay for the group's expenses for its first year but the association will donate any extra proceeds.

"With this being our first year, we're obviously going to have some expenses but it doesn't have to be like this every year," Riello explained to the dozen or so business owners who gathered at the Grille Restaurant. "That's why we want to be a nonprofit, so we can use our money to help the community."

Riello, who co-chairs the association with Colleen's Sweet Treats and Gift's co-owner Roger Hassan, said she wasn't sure how long the process of becoming a nonprofit would take.

In Other Business

At the meeting, Board of Health member Roy Thompson questioned whether or not a street fair should be the young group's first major project.

"Businesspeople don't establish themselves in a place because they went to a party," said Thompson, noting that he thought the association's formation was "the best thing to happen to Adams in years."

Thompson called for brainstorming on ways to attract new businesses to the vacant storefronts along Summer Street and said a street fair would only bring foot traffic to the business district for one night.

"I'm just trying to stimulate some talk," he said.

Selectman Joseph Solomon, who attended the meeting along with Chairman Joseph Dean, Town Administrator William Ketcham and Selectman candidate Michael Taber, said the street fair would help spread the word about Summer Street's progress.

"It can't be a party for party's sake but Adams needs to know that Summer Street is alive," Solomon said.

At a workshop meeting of the Selectmen on April 23, all town merchants are invited to participate in a discussion about ways to help improve the relationship between the town and businesses.

"What the meeting is set up to be is an open forum. We'll be talking about bylaws like signing and something the Selectmen want to talk about and we obviously want to have your input," Solomon told the crowd. "We want to get everyone together to get opinions."

"We want the level of activity you're showing here to exist throughout the whole town," Ketcham said.

Grille Restaurant owner Daniel Paciorek said he'd definitely attend the meeting, though the group wasn't sure who would be sent as its official spokesman.

"If the Selectmen care enough to come to our meetings, we should go to theirs. They're putting up the initiative so I know I'll be there," said Paciorek.

The Summer Street Association of Merchants won't meet again until May but already on the agenda for future discussion is ways to slow traffic along Summer Street and the possibility of selling sidewalk bricks as part of the planned renovations to the street.