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Dream Away Lodge Reopening in 2023 Under New Ownership

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BECKET, Mass. — The historic Dream Away Lodge is expected to reopen in the spring under new ownership.

It was announced on Sunday that former owner Daniel Osman sold the restaurant to The Dreamaway Lodge RE LLC. 

The plan is to bring back everything that the Dream Away is known for and make it even better.

"The intention is to return the Dream Away to service and to offer all the things we did before but even better — great food, great music, a beautiful place to make a wedding, retreat, or private event, an awesome outing for you and your friends, your partner, your lover, your grandma or your kids," according to a press release from the new owner.

"The Dream Away will once again be the Berkshire's magical spot — so close and yet so far, the secret place your either know about or don't!"

The new ownership group is reportedly comprised of Scott Levy, Sheryl Victor Levy, Daniel Giddings and April Wilson, with Scott Levy the signatory on the limited liability corporation's registration. The purchase closed last Tuesday for $615,000 according to documents on file with the Middle Berkshire Registry of Deeds. 

The storied Dream Away Lodge featured numerous folksingers and songwriters in its nearly 100-year history, including Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan.

It closed during the pandemic and Daniel Osman, its owner for the past quarter-century, recently put it up for sale. It includes the 200-year-old farmhouse, restaurant, music/event room, and grounds.

Earlier this year, the property was subject to a glamping proposal but after loud opposition from residents, the applicants withdrew the special permit application.

More information is expected to come soon. Employment inquiries can be sent to hello@thedreamaway.com.

 


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Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said. 

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