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North Street mainstay Dottie's Coffee Lounge and adjacent Dorothy's Estaminet are on the market.

Dottie's Coffee Lounge in Pittsfield is For Sale

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Dottie's owner Jessica Rufo poses in this iBerkshires file photo.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dottie's Coffee Lounge is listed for sale after nearly two decades in business. 

The business announced the news on social media on Thursday. Listed by Carrie Lobovits Wright of William Pitt Sotheby's Lenox office, the business at 438/444 North St. is for sale for $550,000 and includes the coffee shop as well as Dorothy's Estaminet in the former Mission Bar and Tapas

It stipulates that the sale is for the business and fixtures only and does not include real estate. The coffeeshop had expanded into abutting spaces over the years. 
 
"Seeking someone so special and so passionate to take over my first love, my first baby… my gift to this world….," a post on the Dottie's Facebook Page reads. 

Owner Jessica Rufo opened the coffee shop in 2007 to bring New York City-style coffee to the community. 
 
Both the shop and restaurant are named after her late grandmother, Dorothy "Dottie" Rufo, who passed away in 2019. Naming the space after her grandmother was a way to show her gratitude for her grandparents' help, plus she liked the way "Dottie's" sounded, she's said in the past.



"Dottie's Coffee Lounge & Dorothy's Estaminet, a beloved staple in the heart of Berkshire County, is now presenting a rare opportunity for new ownership," the listing reads. 

"Renowned for its commitment to sustainability and locally sourced offerings, this legendary establishment has served as a community hub for food enthusiasts, coffee connoisseurs, and art and music lovers alike. This ethos has cultivated a loyal customer base and contributed to a sustainable community that values the connection between local produce, culinary excellence, and culture. This is more than a business transaction; it's a chance to carry on a legacy that has been an integral part of Berkshire County's fabric."

The space is 3,617 square feet. 

In 2024, adjacent space, now named Dorothy's, was renovated to connect to the coffeehouse and expand on the "welcoming and interesting" vibe that patrons love about Dottie's but also combine it with a "louder," "swanky" "sparkly" nightlife, Rufo said in an interview with iBerkshires. 

About 10 years ago, Dottie's expanded into what was formerly a barber shop and turned it into an art gallery space.  

The coffeeshop has been an anchor for food and entertainment on North Street and a frequent campaign stop for state and federal politicians and candidates over the years, such as U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, Quentin Palfrey, Martha Coakley, and Shannon Liss-Reardon.


Tags: coffeeshop,   commercial purchase/sale,   restaurants,   

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Companion Corner: Fox at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a sweet and energetic dog at the Berkshire Humane Society waiting for his new family.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Fox is a 3-year-old Pomeranian who has been at the shelter for about a month.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Fox. 

"He's a bundle of joy. He would love a family who's home with him a lot, because he's just, he's very social and wants to be with his people a lot. And he would be fun to bring out and about, bring a lot of places, because he's very happy to go anywhere," she said.

When Fox enters the room he is immediately a puffball of energy that goes around and around the room.

He came to the shelter after his former owner could not take care of him anymore. 

"The owner was just not able to care for him anymore. Had he came in with another dog, Wolf, and she already did find her forever home just last week," said Olivieri. "The two of them were left with a friend of the original owner, and the owner did not come back to pick them up, and the friend had too many animals in the house, and too much going on, and she just couldn't continue to look after them, so they did end up coming to us."

Fox can go home with cats and children but is not recommended to go home with other dogs as he gets too excited.

"He would love a home where people are home quite a bit to give him all the attention that he so desires. He loves kids. He absolutely adores children. So he would like a home with kids to play with. He could live with cats. We are saying that he should not live with other dogs. The only reason is that he gets very humpy, and he does not leave the other dogs alone," she said.

With his energy it is recommended he goes to a home that can keep him active whether walks or hikes and even fetch in the yard.

Fox does need to learn more about walking on a leash and has a tendency to mark in the house but he was recently neutered. Olivieri said belly bands will be sent home with whoever adopts him to help prevent marking and managing it.

"He would like an active home. He really does like to go for walks daily. He likes to run around in the yard. He does need a little work on leash walking. He sometimes gets a little tangled still under your feet, and he's learning how to walk on a leash," she said. "So, someone who's got some patience and some time to work on some training with him."

"He also is not fully potty trained, so he does know to go potty outside. However, he will still mark, urinate in the house sometimes, and he might poop here and there in the house."

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