Two New Bars Planned for Downtown Pittsfield

By Joe DurwinPittsfield Correspondent
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The former Y Bar on the corner of North and Bradford streets will reopen as Y Not Bar under new management.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two former downtown tavern locations will open their doors under new names and proprietors, following approval of liquor licenses for two young local entrepreneurs
 
At the corner of North and Bradford streets, the somewhat obscure, infrequently open local poetry bar Y Bar will be transformed into the Y Not Bar and Lounge under the management of Yuki Cohen.
 
Cohen said the new establishment will be a relaxed lounge atmosphere boasting a full bar and a "farm-to-table"-style menu.
 
"Simple, but good," said Cohen of the menu, which is still in development but will feature local meats, cheeses and produce.  "It's still very preliminary."
 
A "rustic chic" aesthetic invoking "Manhattan in the Berkshires" will inform the atmosphere of the lounge, which is not applying for a club license, so any entertainment offered will be low-key. Cohen told iBerkshires she is seeking to create an atmosphere that will be "elegant, but very laid back and unpretentious," for the lounge, which will be open evenings until midnight seven days a week.  
 
"I love downtown," said Cohen, who will manage the new venture while continuing to work for Berkshire Bank. "I really feel like I can contribute to Pittsfield."
 
Y Not Bar and Lounge is slated to open Oct. 1 of this year.
 
A few blocks away on upper West Street, the former Brix restaurant space will become District Kitchen & Bar. District will be run by North Adams restaurateur Jared Decoteau, proprietor of Public Eat & Drink.
 
Decoteau said the new location will be similar in concept to his popular North Adams eatery, with an "emphasis on full-service restaurant with American craft food," with a full-service bar. 
 
Sandwiches, entrees, a good selection that appeals to a broad section of the community, according to Decoteau, who said he will also attempt to source ingredients locally where possible.
 
"I'm hoping to bring the same sensibility to Pittsfield," from the North Adams establishment, Decoteau told the city's Licensing Board, though the West Street location will be around half the capacity.
 
District will run seven days a week, with a closing time of midnight.
 
The former Brix space, which was briefly open last year as Phineas Gage's Moral High Ground, will undergo some renovation, and Decoteau anticipates an opening date in August 2014.

 


Tags: bars, taverns,   licensing board,   

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Tickets On Sale for Berkshire Flyer

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Amtrak, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), announced tickets are now on sale for the Berkshire Flyer.
 
The Berkshire Flyer is a seasonal summer passenger rail service that operates between New York City from Moynihan Train Hall and Pittsfield. The service, which began as a successful pilot in 2022, is scheduled to resume on Friday, June 21 through Monday, Sept. 2 for Labor Day weekend. Trains depart New York City Friday nights and return at the end of the weekend, leaving Pittsfield Sunday afternoon.
 
In addition, for the first time this year, the Berkshire Flyer service now includes a train from New York City to Pittsfield on Sunday mornings.
 
"We're thrilled to announce this season's Berkshire Flyer service," said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. "The Berkshire Flyer makes visiting Western Massachusetts on weekends convenient, relaxing, and easy. We are pleased to continue our successful partnership with Amtrak, the New York State Department of Transportation and CSX."
 
The Berkshire Flyer departs from Moynihan Train Hall at 3:16 p.m. on Fridays and arrives at Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center in Pittsfield at 7:27 p.m. The train will make all intermediate station stops as the scheduled Amtrak Empire Service train does in New York State on Fridays, which include Yonkers, Croton-Harmon, Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff, Hudson, and Albany-Rensselaer Station. 
 
The Sunday return trip, making all the same station stops, will depart Pittsfield at 3:35 p.m. and arrive in New York at 7:55 p.m. The new Sunday Berkshire Flyer train from New York City to Pittsfield will depart Moynihan Train Hall at 10:50 a.m. and arrive in Pittsfield at 3:15 p.m.
 
The Berkshire Flyer is building upon two successful seasons where some of the Pittsfield-bound trains were sold out well in advance. Based on that experience, passengers planning a trip are encouraged to purchase tickets early by visiting Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.
 
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