Biz Briefs: Jeweler, Health Food Store Open in Lee Outlets
Prime additions: Jewelry retailer Kay Jewelers Outlet and GNC are now open at Lee Premium Outlets in Lee, Mass., just in time for Black Friday and the busy holiday shopping season.
Kay Jewelers Outlet ensures that every diamond is hand-selected to be of the highest quality and is well-matched to one another in a beautiful piece of jewelry. Because Kay Jewelers import more diamonds than any other company in the United States, they can offer the largest and finest diamond selection at the best price. For the fitness buffs and health nuts, GNC is open and offers vitamins and minerals, herbal supplements, health and beauty items, sports nutrition and weight loss products, as well as nutrition recommendations and resources.
These new additions are open just in time for Black Friday at Lee Premium Outlets. The Outlets will open at 6 a.m. this year on Nov. 25. This is a change from midnight openings in years past but will still allow shoppers to both enjoy Thanksgiving and get an early start on shopping for Black Friday deals. A bright and festive morning at the center will include complimentary hot cocoa at select retailers beginning at 6 a.m. and while supplies last; select retailers will also hand out coupons to shoppers upon arrival.
Hey, Siri, find me a home: William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty, with an office in Great Barrington, Mass., has launched the Sotheby’s International Realty Apple TV app, available now on all fourth generation Apple TV devices. The app showcases nearly 50,000 properties currently represented by the Sotheby's International Realty brand worldwide, giving consumers the opportunity to explore homes on a screen larger than ever before.
The ability to explore properties listed by the Sotheby’s International Realty brand worldwide by city, state, country or lifestyle, either through entered text or Siri dictation. Learn more about the Sotheby’s International Realty Apple TV app online. The app can be downloaded from the Apple TV app store by searching for "Sotheby's International Realty."
Business planning program: Applications for the next session of BerkShares' "crowd-sourced" business planning program Entry to Entrepreneurship are now open. Anyone between the ages of 14 and 25 who is interested in learning more about business should submit an application online by Friday, Dec. 16.
In Entry to Entrepreneurship, students learn by doing. On the first day of the program students are asked to consider what we are currently importing to this region that we could, instead, produce or offer here ourselves. Students are encouraged to look at these "gaps" in the local economy as business opportunities, and they spend the rest of the program developing their own business plan to meet one of these needs. Throughout Entry to Entrepreneurship, participants will benefit from expert instruction and community support. More than 30 guest speakers, mentors, and advisors participated in last year’s program, and this year we only expect that number to grow.
Class will be held for two hours each week, on Wednesdays from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m., starting on Jan. 25 and running through April 12, at the South County Center of Berkshire Community College. Students who complete the program by submitting a business plan and presenting their business idea to the public on April 12 will earn 200 BerkShares in start-up capital. During the program, students will also build enduring relationships with members of the business community who are ready to help them turn their plan into a reality.
Beantown fun: Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Berkshire Bank have teamed up to make City Hall Plaza the year-round seasonal activity destination for the next three years. The first season, "Boston Winter presented by Berkshire Bank" is set to open in early December and will debut New England's first custom designed outdoor Skating Path and a Holiday Shopping Market. Open to the public seven days a week, Bostonians and visitors alike will be dazzled by the winter activities, holiday shopping from a mix of local and international vendors, an eclectic array of hospitality experiences at the Urban Lodge, Vinopolis Interactive Wine Experiences, The Chocolate Story, and attractions including Santa's House and a pedal-powered Holiday Tree.
Known for its great corporate citizenship and strong support of small businesses, Berkshire Bank has agreed to a three- year deal to become the official community partner of "Boston Seasons presented by Berkshire Bank." As the community partner, Berkshire Bank will help bring to life year-round programming to City Hall Plaza. For Boston Winter, the brand will be integrated throughout the plaza, including the "Berkshire Bank Community Stage," which will provide an opportunity for local artists and community groups to showcase their talents. Berkshire Bank is also proud to provide discounts at the Skating Path to local educators, students and veterans. In conjunction with Berkshire Bank's expansion into the Boston area, they will also have a dedicated location within the Holiday Shopping Market to engage with the community.
Boston Winter is just the first installment of "Boston Seasons presented by Berkshire Bank," a three-year activation plan created by Boston Garden Development Corp and the City of Boston Property Management Department to revitalize the existing plaza at City Hall and create a vibrant welcome public space for all. Boston Garden Development Corp, a subsidiary of Delaware North, is overseeing the efforts as the city's selected vendor to enhance City Hall Plaza. Programming and activities for upcoming seasons will be announced at a later date.
