image description
Shane Doolan, Katie Law, and Michael Kelly are opening Valhalla next to the Viking Pub on Commercial Street in Adams.

Valhalla Eatery Opens Tuesday in Adams

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story
ADAMS, Mass. — You don't have to go to Asgard to dine like a Viking.
 
Michael Kelly and Shane Doolan will bring food worthy of Odin to 85 Commercial St. with the new eatery Valhalla.
 
"There are enough pizza places around here and I think people want something different," Kelly said.
 
The two also run Cornucopia Food Truck. Doolan said they never planned to open a physical restaurant but after Bigg Daddy's Philly Steak House left the location, they figured the opportunity was too good to pass up. 
 
"It was never our intention to do a brick and mortar," Doolan said. "We just wanted to do the food truck and maybe an out of the way kitchen to do all of the prep work then this came out of nowhere. ...
 
"It would have been ridiculous to not just jump in here at least give it a try."
 
Kelly said the menu and approach of Valhalla will be different than the food truck business. Cornucopia has an everchanging menu that reflects what the two can purchase from local farmers and vendors. 
 
Valhalla will be a little more consistent. 
 
"We will flip it around and we may do seasonal menus, but it won't be like the food truck where it was all over the place," Kelly said. "This will be a little more static."
 
Kelly referred to the menu as comfort food. Aptly named "Freyr's Fire Sword" steak fries, the "Vali Burger" with mushrooms and roasted garlic, and "The Thor" beer braised short ribs with cheddar cheese sauce, roasted garlic, and onions can be found on the menu.
 
There are also various deserts, salads, and other entrees. The menu can be found on the Valhalla's Facebook Page.
 
Doolan said they will offer take-out, delivery, and plan to work in conjunction with their neighbor, the Viking Pub.
 
"If it seems like there are more and more people are coming in and they want to sit down at the pub and eat, we will put a part-time wait staff on duty to go over there and help out," Doolan said. "It's a lot to have a bartender doing all that."
 
Kelly said because of how fast things are moving, they do not plan to make any major renovations in the already working kitchen. He added in time they would like to change the interior a bit to reflect the eatery's name and Norse inspiration.
 
Kelly said they try to buy local whenever possible and support the local economy.
 
"The more money that we can keep in the area the better. The relationships I built with the farmers in Williamstown will be coming here," he said. "I like to know the money that I get and spend goes to someone maybe two blocks down or in a nearby community opposed to a giant company."
 
Kelly added that so far, they have been welcomed into Adams and are excited to open.
 
"Adams seemed really receptive to a lot of stuff we were doing," he said. "The combination of all of these things together made it a no-brainer."
 
Valhalla will have a grand opening Tuesday, Sept. 18. The hours will be Monday through Thursday 11 to 8 and Friday through Sunday 11 to 10.

Tags: new business,   restaurants,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
View Full Story

More Adams Stories