image description — The restaurant had closed abruptly in 2016.

Old Country Buffet Expected To Be Razed To Make Way For New Restaurant

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
07:04AM / Saturday, January 13, 2018Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The former Old Country Buffet at Berkshire Crossing is expected to be razed.

The plaza owners Brixmor Property Group received the OK from the Conservation Commission to take down the restaurant. The plan is to construct a new, 5,500 square-foot restaurant in its place.

"The footprint of the proposed restaurant is significantly smaller. The existing restaurant is a square, rectangular shape. The concept is we've located the restaurant in that same building footprint but completely out of the riverfront area," James Scalise of SK Design said.

Scalise said there is a tight schedule for the owners to finalize the lease. Which restaurant will take its place was not disclosed on Thursday.

Old Country Buffet has been closed for the last two years. It closed with little warning in February 2016 as workers arrived there one morning to find a sign announcing its closure.

The restaurant was one of 74 closed by Ovation Brands at the time. Now it appears another company is interested in taking over the location.

What would you like to see there?

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Dalton Fire District Seeks State OK for Permanent Chief

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
03:26PM / Wednesday, March 11, 2026

DALTON, Mass. — The Fire District is considering interim Fire Chief Christopher Francis Cachat for the permanent chief position, pending required state approval.

Cachat has been serving as chief since January 2025, with the duties being split between himself, Administrative Deputy Chief Charlotte Crane, and Capt. Dennis Tinker.

However, one challenge to making his appointment permanent is that Cachat is older than 65, the mandatory retirement age for firefighters in Massachusetts.

In 1987, the state eliminated the maximum age and mandatory retirement requirements for most public employees, but firefighters were exempt from this ruling.

The law requires the personnel administrator to study whether a firefighter can serve past the mandatory retirement age, considering job risks, physical demands, and the costs of injuries for older personnel.

Towns and cities can seek a home-rule petition from the state Legislature and governor to allow an individual to continue serving in a position past the age of 65, and the Fire District is in the process of doing just that.

State Rep. Leigh Davis filed a home-rule bill last March on the district's behalf to allow Cachat, who has been with the department for four decades, to continue serving until age 70, provided he remains physically and mentally capable of fulfilling the role’s duties.

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