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Artisan Consignment Gallery Opens on Eagle Street

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A new business on Eagle Street will allow local artists and artisans to display and sell their goods.

North Adams native Jennifer Beverly opened Eagle Street Artisans, a consignment style artisan gallery, at 27 Eagle St., the former Molly's Bakery building. The building more recently was the location of the Party Place and a very short-lived art supply store.

"I feel like everything in my life has come full circle and this is where I am supposed to be," Beverly said. "I can do what I love and help others at the same time."

She said there are many artists and artisans in the area that need a hand.

"We don't have anything like this in North Adams and I feel like there are a lot of things that focus on drawing artists in, but we need to help the artisans and artists that are here," Beverly said. "A lot of people here have other jobs and families, and it is not a lot of extra money but that little bit can help fill in the gaps, pay a bill or help their kids play softball or something."

Beverly said she charges those interested in displaying their creations $25 a month and a 15 percent commission. She said it is important to her to keep her fee low.

"I know with smaller-priced items sometimes it is hard to make it worthwhile so I try to keep the prices low so everybody kind of has a chance," Beverly said. "It is too hard if we are all on our own."

She said already she has about 10 artisans signed up to use her space and more people contact her every day. She said many of her clients are from North County.

"I try to bring in people from around here," she said. "Any money that comes in here goes right back into our community. I know how that cycle goes and we need it."

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.