NBCC Celebrating Community at Adams Event

iBerkshires StaffPrint Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition is venturing south to hold its annual meeting in Adams for the first time. 
 
The Adams Theater, reopened and under renovation, will be the site of the 38th annual meeting on Friday, June 28, from 11:30 to 1:30. 
 
Executive Director Amber Besaw sees it as a way to demonstrate that the coalition is really about all of Northern Berkshires. 
 
"We're sort of trying to make sure that people know we serve the whole region by not only having them in North Adams," she said. 
 
NBCC held its annual gatherings at the old Williams Inn, as did so many other organizations, then switched to GreylockWorks in the city's West End when the hotel was demolished. 
 
That worked out but the coalition is eager to include another venue in a community that it serves. The keynote speaker will be Yina Moore, an architect and financier, who purchased the theater three years ago. Moore is working to make the theater a community and cultural hub in Adams. 
 
She's also invested in the Topia Inn, now called the Trail, behind the theater and other real estate in the area.  
 
The meeting will also honor founding board member and NBCC's "biggest champion," the late Steve Green, with the Northern Berkshire Hero Award. "You know he's our hero," said Besaw.
 
Berkshire Catering Co. is serving the light luncheon and the meeting will include a look back over the past year, plans for the coming year and updates on initiatives and on projects, such as NBCC's plans for its new home on State Street.   
Besaw and communications coordinator Suzy Helme said they got some input from staff that maybe the description of the event as a "meeting" doesn't communicate that the public is more than welcome to attend.
 
"We did get a little bit of some thoughts from some staff who are new. We call it our annual meeting. And so people in the community might feel like it's not a thing for them, but it's really a celebration of community," said Besaw. "This is an event that we hold every year but it's really a celebration of community and community members are invited to come."
 
Tickets are $30 per person, but scholarships are available by request. Register online here (preferably by June 21) or for questions or to register by phone: 413-663-7588.

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North Adams Jewelry Store Has New Owner

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

Cheryl Coppens put out a call for someone to take over the jewelry business she began last spring  — jewelry maker Alexandra Padilla answered the call.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Artful Jeweler has a new owner who is looking to expand its offerings.

Cheryl Coppens opened the jewelry store in May, showcasing local artists, offering fine jewelry, and jewelry repair.

But a new grandson in Texas, and the difficulties in flying back and forth to see him, had her looking to move closer to him.

Last month, she posted on the business's Facebook that she wanted someone to take over the space and continue the venture. Alexandra Padilla reached out to her and Coppens said she met all her criteria she was looking for in anew owner.

"You have to really want to be in retail. You have to want to be in this community, priced where people can afford it. Alex is native to North Adams. Her husband, she's got two great kids, so it just felt like they would be able to continue the store," Coppens said. "So the criteria really was somebody that would work the store, not somebody that would just come in and hire employees. I didn't want that."

Padilla started taking over the store in the beginning of December. She has been selling jewelry for about three years, and has an online shop, and has worked in wholesale jewelry for about 15 years.

"I always wanted to have my own thing on it, and I wanted to bring something new, and I want to involve my family, my kids do something, and I want to be independent," she said.

Now Padilla showcases her jewelry in the Ashland Street store and plans to keep some of the local artists' items, like stained glass made by Coppens' mother.

Padilla customizes jewelry and tailors pieces to her customers.

She plans to work around her job at Berkshire County Head Start so she can open store for more hours. 

She also plans to redesign the store a little bit and bring in a couple more lines, like more rings and pearls. 

The store is open on Saturdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays 9 to 2, Fridays 9 to 6, and Sundays 9 to 3. The store has also been open on Mondays 10  to 5 and Tuesdays 10  to 3 for the holidays. 

Padilla thanks Coppens for trusting her and hopes customers continue to support the Artful Jeweler.

"Thank you for trusting me. I'm going to try and do my best and work hard to make it happen," she said. "This is our first time selling retail, so we hope the community supports us in here."

Coppens will be helping Padilla until she is comfortable operating the store on her own. She said it will continue to be a space of community support.

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