Spice Latest in String of Restaurant Closings

Staff reportsiBerkshires
04:05PM / Tuesday, March 18, 2008Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD - The popular Spice restaurant on North Street closed its doors on Monday, reportedly because of financial hardship.

A posting on the restaurant's Web site says it will be closed from March 16 to March 30 but The Berkshire Eagle is reporting that the upscale eatery will be shuttered indefinitely.

"Unfortunately, the present economic model is not particularly viable in Pittsfield," owner Joyce Bernstein told The Eagle on Tuesday. "And at this point, we have no other choice but to close and see if we can reconfigure [the restaurant] in a different way."

It was known that the owners had planned a budget and financial review at the end of February/beginning of March.

The restaurant was hailed as a symbol of the city's cultural reawakening and the rebirth of North Street and was a frequent gathering spot for political and community events.

Last November, it became the first Berkshire County business to receive an Award of Excellence from the 10-year-old Retailers Association of Massachusetts. It was nominated for the 2007 RAMAES for Restaurant of the Year by state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield.

Burger, which Bernstein and business partner Larry Rosenthal opened in November adjacent Spice, will remain open with shortened hours for the next two weeks, The Eagle reported.

Bernstein launched Spice less than two years ago with partner Larry Rosenthal in the former Besse-Clark building at 297 North St., across from the YMCA. The building also houses the partners' other business, Link to Life. They bought the building 2002 for $270,000 and invested $6 million in it.

A number of North County eateries have closed because of financial woes over the past few years, including the Taconic Restaurant in Williamstown and Steeples, Gideon's and Milan at 55 in North Adams.

Milan is expected to reopen as The Hub under Kate and Matthew Schilling of Williamstown; the Holiday Inn is searching for a new owner for Steeples. Gideon's Fine Dining is now Taylor's Fine Dining and the former Gideon's Nightery on Eagle Street is being revamped by new owners.

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it's too bad...the owners put a lot of money into that place....oh and how dare anyone say we are in a recession....
from: ctrem	on: 03-18-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Who in their right mind would spend 6M dollars to open a restaurant in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The politicians will save the town!
from: HELLO!	on: 03-18-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I feel so much better - I only spent $1 million on my place. www.bloom-restaurant.com Whew thanks!
from: Wow	on: 03-18-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

the money they spent helped pump millions into the local economy.....they had a vision....unfortunatley the only vision going on around here is lately is clouded by reality....
from: ctrem	on: 03-18-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

the 6 million wasn't just on the one restaurant. there is also a reception hall, a burger place and a business. it was spent on the entire building not just spice.
from:	on: 03-18-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

while the 6mil may have been invested in the entire building i'd say 2-3 mil went into the restaurant...banquet hall...burger....fries....what ever....spice was done right with state of the art and top quality materials....i've never been there, but i have been to the lantern....now there's a good burger....
from: ctrem	on: 03-18-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Let's see....$44 for a NY Strip Steak? $9.00 for mushrooms? Really, people? I'll take some fresh button mushrooms for $3.99, and a NY Strip for $19.99 from Dakota Restaurant, thankyouverymuch!
from: Shocking....? No.	on: 03-18-2008 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

In RE: to the "politicians will save the town".....more like WE will save the city, the TAXPAYERS....after all, it will probably come out of our tax dollars. And um, hey, did we EVER get out of that other debt that we had? Do you all recall lol? Now will we have ANOTHER one?! Whoever opened SPICE in the first place had a good concept unfortunately it was WAY too overpriced for it to work. I had a feeling that it wouldn't work. They say the first year a place is open is the toughest....it's where, they say, a place will sink or swim. Unfortunately, SPICE sank like the TITANIC. It was too big for its own good!
from: Caroline3572	on: 03-19-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I WOULD NOT CARE IF THEY WERE GIVING THE FOOD AWAY! AS LONG AS ALL THE DIRT BAGS ARE ALLOWED TO ROAM NORTH ST. AND INTIMIDATE THE PUBLIC, NOT TO MENTION THE SMELLY, FILTHY PARKING DECK, I WILL NEVER GO AND SPEND MY HARD EARNED MONEY ON NORTH ST. NOT NOW, NOT WHEN THERE IS A MOVIE THEATER...NEVER!!
from: DAVID	on: 03-20-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

DId these people do any sort of market research?
from: Curious	on: 03-25-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

If you really want to see crime and corruption ask the owners of Spice about the enormous tax breaks they have on the building and the intended failure of the restaurant to offset enormous income from other realestate investments, and the willingness of the city to give those tax breaks?????
from: insider	on: 06-18-2008 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

Pittsfield Subcommittee Supports $15M for Water Plants, Files Wastewater Ask

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:06AM / Friday, March 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city has subcommittee support on $15 million in borrowing for water treatment system upgrades, and will return with a refined proposal for the wastewater treatment plant.

On Monday, the Finance Subcommittee supported a request to borrow $15,000,000 for upgrades to the Ashley and Cleveland water treatment plants. Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales explained that this is the very first step in a multi-phase project. It is expected to conclude in 2033.

The subcommittee filed without prejudice a request to borrow another $15,225,000 for the construction of a new administration and laboratory building at the wastewater treatment plant. There was a robust discussion about the proposal at the last meeting, with councilors focused on ensuring it is appropriately scaled, fiscally responsible, and transparent.

Morales reported that the city will take a step back and revisit the basis of WWTP design, and return with a refined proposal that addresses concerns.

"While the current design was developed from the recommendations outlined in the 2016 Facility Plan, we did not conduct a full alternatives analysis comparison," he wrote in a communication to the subcommittee.

"That analysis, along with a deeper review of building type, footprint, and value engineering opportunities, is warranted."

Subcommittee members were invited to the water treatment plants for site visits, and, on Monday, representatives from the AECOM infrastructure consulting firm detailed the scope of work and timeline.

Councilor at Large Kathy Amuso thanked the water department for the visit, explaining that she was impressed with the number of staff and their knowledge. She said it made a big difference.