I have crossed paths with Brian MacKay-Lyons over a period of more than 40 years. His award-winning work has consistently been of the highest quality and especially responsive to its setting. I have complete confidence that the Porches is doing North Adams a great service.
Sincerely,
Howard Itzkowitz North Adams, Mass.
Architect (retired), Professor Emeritus, Southern Polytechnic State University
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North Adams Restaurant to Closing in Two Weeks
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A downtown restaurant announced on Wednesday that it will be closing.
In a Facebook post, Door Prize stated its last day of service is Saturday, Nov. 14.
"We are not making this decision lightly and wish there was another way forward," read the post by owners Bryan "Swifty" Josephs and Jenny Klowden.
"We feel great pride for our successes and for a wonderful year of serving our community. Now on to the next adventure!"
They also thanked their staff and patrons who enjoyed their food
The restaurant opened over a year ago in Hotel Downstreet after Josephs and Klowden previously had a residence at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, where they sold some of their signature dishes, as well as working in area restaurants, bringing their food to farmers markets and operating a catering business.
The two named the restaurant after a John Prine song that they danced to at their wedding. Josephs described their fare as European comfort food, with one of their most popular dishes being pierogies.
They also successfully renovated the covered porch outside the restaurant for dining, raising $7,000 through a Kickstarter
While their post did not allude as to why they are closing, iBerkshires has reached out for more answers.
The 90-room hotel has reportedly been sold, with a closing expected by the end of the month. Owner Peregrine Group put the former Holiday Inn up for sale earlier this year after purchasing the property for $4.45 million in 2021. According to reports in The Berkshire Eagle, the cost of renovations to the 55-year-old property put a dent into revenues that limited the hotel's ability to cover obligations.
It's not clear if this has anything to do with the restaurant, which operates as a separate entity.
"We are not looking for a public discourse on our business model or the closure," the Door Prize post states, inviting patrons to personally contact the Josephs or Klowden rather than comment on the posting.
However, preparations for the project are starting now with the removal of trees, placement of utility poles and installation of drainage down Oak Street this fall — dependent on weather.
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