New Children's Clothing Store Opens in North Adams

By Justin SaldoiBerkshires Intern
04:35PM / Wednesday, July 16, 2008Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS — A veteran children's clothing discounter has set up shop in the downtown with the grand opening of Kids ... Deals in the L-Shaped Mall.

"Our philosophy is nobody should have to pay exorbitant prices for quality-brand children's clothes," said Cathy Cohn, the chain's president and founder on Wednesday as employees put the finishing touches on the new store's displays.

Kids ... Deals offers a wide variety of brand-name children's apparel up to 75 percent off retail prices. Brands such as The Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch and Phat Farm in sizes for infants to 12-year-olds fill the space formerly occupied by Rent-A-Center.

Cohn says she can offer such steep discounts because of the way she acquires her inventory.

"I travel the United States looking for the best distributors to do business with so my customers get the best deals," she said.

Cohn has a great deal of know-how when it comes to children's clothing with more than 30 years experience in the business. Fifteen of those years were spent operating her first business, Priceless Kids, which she started with her cousin Peter Elitzer, owner of Peter Harris Clothing. (Peter Harris is the parent company of Label Shopper, which recently opened a store in the mall building.)

Priceless Kids grew into a 32-store chain that gained wide popularity with parents in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and here in Massachusetts for its principle of selling brand-name children's clothes at discount prices. Cohn and Elitzer sold the chain off and in August 2006, Cohn opened first Kids ... Deals in Albany, N.Y., along the same principles of her first successful chain.

That first store didn't fare well. Cohn closed it in April after two years because of disappointing sales, according to The Business Review. However, two other Kids ... Deals are in operation in Malone and New Hartford, N.Y., and Cohn was upbeat about the chain's potential in the smaller North Adams market, saying the area had good demographics.

Kids ... Deal had its grand opening on Wednesday afternoon with a full staff of 12 employees from the area. Hours are weekdays from 10 to 9, Saturdays from 10 to 6, and Sunday, 11 to 5. The store will have first area sale, a "Winter Outwear Sale," beginning Aug. 14 with every winter jacket, coat and snowsuit priced at $15.99. For more information, call the store at 413-664-0454.

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Your Comments

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While i welcome any new business to north adams,, I do have to wonder if there is a message here somewhere,,, label shopper/discount kids,,, are we a town of poor people,, is that the demographic that there talking about? if we are truely an art community, with culture, and tourism,, where are the kitchy nichey mid level stores? can north adams embrace soemthing that doesnt have discount/ or bargain in the name?
from: resident	on: 07-17-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Wow, you must live in Williamstown and have a lot of money to toss around! Sorry but a good deal will attract most people, I know I will be shopping there....
from: 42906	on: 07-18-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I think its great. Wal-Mart can use the competition, and North Adams needs more to draw people downtown. I am amazed with the negative comments. Has anyone been in the store yet? Let more innovative business come in. North Adams is on the correct path. L Shaw Vermont
from: Loren Shaw	on: 07-21-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Dear "resident" Have you seen the price of gas lately or do you not care about your money? I am a foster parent and to be able to buy high-quality clothing for our placements or our own son at discount pricing is a Godsend. Foster parents in Mass. make, in a 24 day, $.75 per hour fostering. Between that and the price of gas, I'll take any discount chain. And, by the way, my wife and i moved up here 6 years ago for the scenery and quietness and NOT for the art. So, Ms Cohn, we will be sure to check out your store...soon.
from: Mike	on: 07-23-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I think it is great North Adams has embraced this store. Even tourists look for the discount buys! Word travels back to their home areas of the great deals they got while visiting an area. It doesn't portray we are a poor area but an area that has great opportunities for all levels of life. In todays world, those who can still afford to travel for a vacation are pinching pennies and to find a place to shop where they can still have a great experience is a positive action, not a negative one. Kudos to you North Adams for the new business that fits many tight budgets for the locals and the visitors! Denise
from: Denise	on: 07-24-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I used to live in Rhode Island and LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, DID I SAY LOVED! The Price less Kids store, it was such a relief to know that I didn't have to spend so much on our kids clothes because we do have three and they could get more that lasted longer for our budget. Good to see you in North Adams, I live in Adams and I will be making the trip to North Adams.
from: Michelle	on: 07-25-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I worked as an Asst Manager for Priceless kids. Not only was it a great place to shop, it was a great place to work! Having such a caring owner who didn't see us as numbers but as the people who strived to make her company succeed was an inspiration. I helped to set up the store I managed and unfortunately also helped to close its doors. I would love to see her stores down here in the South. We certainly could use a fantastic kids store here. I would certainly be in line with my resume' BEST OF LUCK!
from: Cheryl-Florida	on: 07-29-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I used to shop religiously at Kids...Deals in Albany and was so sad when they closed. It's nice to see that one is still within striking distance. Can't really understand why someone would think this store brings some sort of bad connotation to an area - in this day and age, only the idle rich, uninformed and unintelligent pay full price for Stride Rites :) Editor: Unfortunately, the store closed last fall. We haven't had time to do an update so we're not sure why.
from: Missing them in Albany!	on: 01-27-2009 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

North Adams, Pittsfield Mark King Day With Calls for Activism

By Tammy Daniels & Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:01PM / Monday, January 19, 2026

Alÿcia Bacon, community engagement officer for the Berkshire Taconic Foundation, speaks at the MLK service held Price Memorial AME Church in Pittsfield.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Wendy Penner can be found pretty much everywhere: leading local initiatives to address climate change and sustainability, championing public health approaches for substance abuse, and motivating citizens to defend their rights and the rights of others.

That's all when she's not working her day job in public health, or being co-president of Congregation Beth Israel, or chairing the Williamstown COOL Committee, or volunteering on a local board.

"Wendy is deeply committed to the Northern Berkshire community and to the idea of think globally, act locally," said Gabrielle Glasier, master of ceremonies for Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's annual Day of Service.

Her community recognized her efforts with the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peacemaker Award, which is presented to individuals and organizations who have substantially contributed to the Northern Berkshires. The award has been presented by the MLK Committee for 30 years, several times a year at first and at the MLK Day of Service over the past 20 years.

"This event is at heart a celebration of our national and local striving to live up to the ideals of Dr. King and his committed work for racial equality, economic justice, nonviolence and anti-militarism," said Penner. "There is so much I want to say about this community that I love, about how we show up for each other, how we demonstrate community care for those who are struggling, how we support and and celebrate the natural environment that we love and how we understand how important it is that every community member feels deserves to feel valued, seen and uplifted."

King's legacy is in peril "as I never could have imagined," she said, noting the accumulation of vast wealth at the top while the bottom 50 percent share only 2.5 percent the country's assets. Even in "safe" Massachusetts, there are people struggling with food and housing, others afraid to leave their homes.

In response, the community has risen to organize and make themselves visible and vocal through groups such as Greylock Together, supporting mutual aid networks, calling representatives, writing cards and letters, and using their privilege to protect vulnerable community members.

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