St. Stanislaus School benefit, 9 to 4 in Kolbe Hall, Adams. Bake sale, snack bar, games, Chinese auctions, money raffle, crafts, and pierogi.
Blackinton Union Church, 1373 Massachusetts Ave., North Adams; 10 to 2. Crafts table, bake sale, Chinese auction, the Christmas table, and kid's grab bag. Lunch $4, $2 kids.
First Congregational Church, North Adams, 9-2.
Nov. 28 Becket Federated Church, Route 8, holiday bazaar from 9-3. Lunch, crafts, baked goods, holiday and other items. Information: Mary Peltier, Parish House, 413-623-5217.
Dec. 5
Holiday Fair at First Congregational Church, 25 Park Place, Lee, from 10 to 3; handcrafted items, raffles, children's shop, bake sale, cut Christmas trees and lunch from 11 to 1. Includes angel-themed goods from SERRV. Information, 413-243-1033 or www.ucc-lee.org.
Dec. 12-13
North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Information: Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.
Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here.
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Mammography Dispute The government's issued controversial new guidelines stating that women shouldn't get annual mammograms until age 50, rather than age 40.
iBerkshires will be meeting with local medical experts Monday. Have a question you'd like answered on this issue? Send it info@iberkshires.com with "mammogram" in the subject line.
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff 09:00PM / Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Moulton's General Store will likely be closed by the end of August. The business was put up for sale last month.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Moulton's General Store will cease operations by summer's end, done in by a drop in traffic, high rent and utilities and a spike in commercial taxes.
"It's time for us to close rather than deal with it all fall and winter," said Mark Moulton, who owns the business with his wife, Catherine. "It was a tough decision to make."
The shop in the former J.J. Newberry space at 77 Main St. was placed on the market a month ago with Century 21 Harold Dupee Realtors for $74,900, inventory included.
Moulton said they'd had a few inquiries but nothing firm. The couple had been hoping to keep the business open a bit longer until a buyer emerged but decided they didn't want to continue into the fall.
On Wednesday, a going-out-of-business sign was written in large yellow letters across large glass windows fronting the store. Everything inside was marked down 25 percent.
The business lasted longer than the Moultons had planned; they'd figured on about five years before selling and trying something else. Cathy Moulton wants to spend more time with their children and take a break from the long hours required to run the shop.
The store opened in 2002 and the Mark Moulton said they've tried changing hours and items and food offerings in an attempt to draw more business. They provided a launching pad for Cathy Moulton's sister, Janice Esoldi, who recently moved her candy business to 85 Main St. The store also took utility bills until June 1 as a public service. It may take them again for a short time at the request of National Grid if certain things can be worked out.
If not booming, business was sustainable until last fall, when the economic crisis led to a significant drop off in sales during the all-important holiday months.
Added to that, the creation of high-end condominiums above the shop increased the value and tripled the commercial taxes, said Moulton. Utility costs increased. There's also been a struggle over the rent with building owner Scarafoni Realty; the shop's been without a lease for two years.
Moulton still thinks the store is a great opportunity for someone willing to invest the time and energy. "If they had different ideas and could work the long hours, they could make it work," he said.
But the closing's bittersweet, considering the investment the couple put into the store. Moulton was frustrated and disappointed that the events designed to bring people downtown also drew loads of outside vendors, slicing into what should be boffo nights for local businesses.
"Why would they walk down to Moulton's to get ice cream if it's being sold right there [from a vendor or charity]?" he said. Yet, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art around the corner is drawing tens if not hundreds of thousands people. "Just give us one percent of that!"
The general store will close by the end of August, leaving yet another empty storefront on Main Street. Hudson's Antiques is also expected to close, having opened a shop in Williamstown.
"This is not the way we wanted to go," said Moulton, who is still holding out hope that someone will see opportunity in a downtown general store.
I'll be sorry to see the store close but, They tried. It must be hard to close for anyone.
The only Country/Primitive Shop around here left is Nonnie's Country Store which is growing and holding on threw these tough times. Locals need to shop local to suport there own.
Kathy B G
from: Kathy
on: 07-29-2009
I have to say, ive lived here,, done business here,, and i can equivically say, the town does not want business!!!! being an owner, being limited, barked at by town officals, over decorations, lights, hours of operation,, its a wonder anyone does business here. There should be a booming downtown!,, Change, change in the way things are done, change in the culture of city government.
I attended a planning board meeting a few months ago, and a business owner, wanted more hours, just two more,, wanted to go from 11, to 1, and the town said no,, why,, no reason, just NO,, now the owner is authorized by the STATE LIQUIR board to be open to one,, but the peacocks on the board decited he ruffled there feathers!
from: republic of north adams
on: 07-24-2009
very unique store, loved going in to shop or just browse the girls were always very pleasant to talk to always went out of the way to help it will be very sad to see it go they worked very hard it will be missed
from: mike l.
on: 07-22-2009
I'm very sorry to hear it's closing. My husband and I make an effort to buy locally, and we enjoyed the old-fashioned experience of Moulton's - but didn't shop there much just because we have a tight budget and spend only on necessities. Despite this closing and many others over the years, I think overall North Adams' downtown is starting to build up a bit again, and I'm glad to see that.
from: EK
on: 07-21-2009
How does a store survive when doors away its neighbors are selling their signature product? You do not do business in a small town by selling duplicate merchandise. We are not a big city. Be unique, creative and stand alone. Moultons is a unique business which has carried a wide variety through the yrs. They have kept changing with the times and although would often be out of an item have you ever once considered the size of the store and the money it had to take in to fill it? Fudge was its first product that it became well known for. A neighboring store began an import of the very same brand name product. I asked where it came from was told the Wig Wam. Now why would anyone choose to do business this way? Noone will survive. As for personalities being laid on the line. Stop. Give credit to hard working people. Nicest sisters you will meet work in that place and I dont look forward to the day its gone. Open a shop and see if you can do a better job. Only then post nasty words.
from: Joe S. N.A.
on: 07-17-2009
Cathy and her staff have always been wonderful to deal with. They know the names of their customers and have gone out of their way to help find just what they are looking for. I am sorry they are closing because I will miss the small town feel of the store but good luck to Cathy and her family.
from: Robin
on: 07-17-2009
The Moultons said they had a 3-5 year plan. It went seven and the economy bottomed out. I never heard them blame anyone for their decision, just personal reasons, high expenses, and a bad econ. Why so angry at them? Downtown N.A. is non exsistant. Whos fault?? Certainly not the Moulton's. Wishing them all the best and hoping the rest of you find a life and maybe try, and attempt, to invest a little in the downtown!
from: NA Supporter
on: 07-16-2009
Affordable? MGS had gifts that were vry reasonalbe as well as some higher priced things. You get what you pay for (come on!). Friendly? Are you kidding? I was in there 2-3 times a week and the rudeness I saw was that of the customers or the bill payers (and by the way the girls handled very well). As far as having to wait 2 minutes because one of the girls was making an ice cream.... come on, I waited longer for form a happy meal at McDonalds for my daughter the other day. Get a life!
from:
on: 07-16-2009
I think "accountability", "hello wake up", and "can you hear me now" must be teenage exes or very jealous like priviously mentioned.
from:
on: 07-16-2009
Sad there's another empty store. But make it affordable for one, make it freidnly for 2. And at some points of day it is. Make there be enough help on so I dont have to wait. 3. Ive seen been in there with one girl running crazy trying to make ice cream pay peoples bills and help the customers. You cant run a business this way. It is sad. Too bad because of potential that is lost but learn from it and dont repeat it again. Pizza place was 1 error. Store 2. Sad to see some people leave. North Adams needs to go back to the old days.
from:
on: 07-16-2009
Comments below, Accountability, HELLO!!!!!!!WAKE UP and NOT SURPRISED just clarify in my mind the ignorance of some people.
from:
on: 07-16-2009
Sounds like jealousy. A family puts thousands of dollars in our downtown and all you can do is trash them. Imagine if they did not have three store fronts the past years. How would main street look then. Give credit where it is do. MoCA has not brought in to the downtown 10% of what it was supposed to do. It is too bad all No Adams will have left to shop will be Walmart. And it will be because of the mentally of all you negative and jealous peoople. Sad.
from:
on: 07-16-2009
stick to selling your high margin, overpriced hearing aides, mark. it's a knock down sale with the elderly and requires no imagination or sales skills. heck, it's nice when there's no competition in town for your product, isn't it?
from: can ya hear me now?
on: 07-16-2009
Editor: The somewhat hysterical response to this is interesting. Should Mr. Moulton have lied about his circumstances (which would have to be revealed to any prospective buyer anyway)? What does his management skill have to do with taxes and a global recession over which he has no control? The lack of traffic from Mass MoCA is a perennial complaint of downtown merchants; Mr. Moulton is hardly alone in voicing it. Their reasons for closing are as much personal as financial. They have invested massive amounts of time at the store as do most mom-and-pop operations. Why the invective? Why trash people who kept a business going for seven years here? I find it sad that there will be yet another empty storefront on Main Street.
from:
on: 07-16-2009
"Why would they walk down to Moulton's to get ice cream if it's being sold right there [from a vendor or charity]?" he said. Yet, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art around the corner is drawing tens if not hundreds of thousands people. "Just give us one percent of that!"
This is just a cop out if you had something in the store to attract them they would come. "just give us one percent of that" what is that? GO GET IT YOURSELF.... you have to ask yourself what things you did to help yourself??????? i see it as there was no effort put into it at all and that is no one elses fault but yours. HAVE A NICE DAY
from: HELLO!!!!!!!!! WAKE UP
on: 07-16-2009
mr. accountability said it best. what more can be said.
from: NOT SURPRISED
on: 07-16-2009
I am so tired of hearing people claim they are "afraid" to talk or "afraid" of the Mayor's wrath. Please. Are the Moulton's really afraid of the Mayor? No, they're not. If they are, they're acting like children. If you don't like the Mayor's personality, fine, but stop claiming he's some kind of all powerful force that can prevent you from doing anything just because he yells at you or doesn't like what you have planned. Let's face it, Moulton's Pizza was failing miserably until they sold it to the guy who now runs it. He turned it around. Why? Because the product when the Moulton's owned it was just plain awful, and the guy who bought it knows pizza and Italian fare. Who's to say the General Store isn't much the same story? As for comparing the downtowns of Northampton, which has FIVE colleges right next to it and Williamstown, which has a college right in its downtown, to North Adams, what an idiotic comparison. MCLA is much smaller than Williams and the percentage of campus-resident students at Williams is significantly higher (and many don't have cars, so yes, they shop on Spring Street) than MCLA.
from: HUH?
on: 07-16-2009
the moulton's have identified all sorts of reasons why their general store isn't successful on main st. and not one of them is a critique of their management and retailing skills. there seems to be a lot of finger pointing towards external forces as reasons they're folding. it sounds good and is convenient but i have to believe there's more to it than that. take acountability instead of pointing fingers. it makes you sound like bitter whiners.
i also find it ironic that they're trying to sell the place while pointing out, so publicly, all the negative aspects associated with it. sure, i'll pay the $75,000 asking price! yea right! nice selling job! it's no wonder you're closing.
from: accountability
on: 07-16-2009
I have been a very strong city government supporter for 20 years, but enough is enough.
The Headline says it all....Yay North Adams Leaders!! Be proud. This is now getting ridiculous (sorry Moultons..you at least tried)! Get people out of that Museum (which I support) and into OUR Downtown NOW. No benches for a single, elderly visitor,tourist, or $ spender to sit on, meters everywhere, no real Mass MoCA presence to be found Downtown at all...zip,zero, zilch.....no vibrancy...MCLA can only do so much. If the Mayor (who I've supported for decades)wants a vibrant downtown then prove it! Please prove it! He definitely has the power to do so (maybe he simply doesn't want to..and change terrifies him)I am beginning to think status quo works for him....I am very tired of the same..........Downtown should be BOOMING by now! Economy my butt!! Northampton, Great Barrington, Williamstown..BOOOOOMING.!.!.!.We have Mass MoCA, MCLA, Natural Bridge, The Mohawk Theatre (albeit now a small, more community venue)and still tumbleweeds roll on by... all day, every day! I am seriously thinking about a new check mark placement in November ( I am far far far from alone in these feelings, most fear talking)
-Best Success Moulton family
Also afraid to talk
from: Does The City Care??
on: 07-16-2009
I knew Moultons Gen. Store wouldn't last.Its not their fault. Its sad when you drive down Main St. at high noon and there is nobody around. There is no other attraction, a typical ghost town! So sad! Thank You to Mark and Cathy for your years of business.
from: not surprised
on: 07-16-2009
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