Christmas Tree Shops Express Coming to Berkshire Mall

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LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — A Christmas Tree Shops Express is opening in the Berkshire Mall in time for the holiday season.

The temporary store will be located in the vacant 10,000 square foot space near JC Penney.

The store is already hiring temporary positions with interviewing continuing outside the food court on Saturday from 10 to 5 for temporary/seasonal positions, shift supervisors, customer service associates, merchandise processing and cashiers.

Express shops usually remain open through the holiday season and into January. The smaller stores offer a selection of merchandise focused on Christmas gifts, decor, gift wrap, cards and holiday foods, according the company.

Despite the size, the announcement of the store has generated some buzz on the iBerkshires Facebook page and hopes that it may lead to a larger, more permanent presence.

Jennifer Smith, marketing director for Pyramid Management Group, the mall's owners, said she did not have a set date for the store's opening though it is expected to open by the beginning of November.



"Obviously, we want to make sure folks know it's coming and although it is just a seasonal store, it is an exciting addition to have!" she wrote in an email.

Attempts to contact a spokesman for Christmas Tree Shops were unsuccessful.

The closest stores to the Berkshires are at the Holyoke Mall, in Albany, N.Y., and in Manchester, Conn., an hour or more away for many residents.

The discount chain was founded on Cape Cod in 1970 and is now owned by Bad, Bath & Beyond. It has locations in 18 states, with stores up to 58,000 square feet in size (six times the size of the Express planned for the mall).

Additional information regarding the Berkshire Mall can be found at www.theberkshiremall.com and on Facebook.


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Victim Identified in Fatal Richmond Crash

Staff ReportsiBerkshires

RICHMOND, Mass. — A 25-year-old South County man died Thursday in the fiery crash on Route 41. 

The Berkshire District Attorney's Office on Friday reported that the victim was Christopher Lee Kilmer, 25.

The single-vehicle accident took place on Route 41 in Richmond near 2715 State Road. A Hyundai Sonata driven by Kilmer was travelling northbound when it crossed into the southbound lane and off the road; the car was engulfed in flames when first responders arrived.

According to the DA's Office, West Stockbridge Fire and County Ambulance declared Kilmer dead at 9:53 a.m. when the Fire Department "was able to extinguish the fire." 

"It was at this time (when the fire was extinguished) that first responders observed a single occupant in the vehicle and made the declaration of death," according to the press release.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has taken custody of the body. 

On Friday morning, several South County fire departments posted tributes on Facebook to Kilmer, who they reported was a member of the West Stockbridge and Alford fire departments.

"Every first responder carries a fear that one day the next emergency call will involve someone they know, a friend, a neighbor, or someone they love. But perhaps the greatest fear of all is when that call involves one of our own," the post read. 

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