Carlo is honoring her late partner, Tom Bradley, who loved to thrift with her.
ADAMS, Mass. — Trisha Carlo took the leap to turn her online secondhand clothing business into a storefront on Summer Street. And named it in tribute to a loved one.
Two T's Thrifting stands for Trisha and her late partner, Tom Bradley, who died in 2022.
"We loved thrifting together, so I thought it was a way that I could honor him, and then also a way I could give back to the community," she said.
Carlo has been selling clothes she's thrifted from her Facebook page for the past couple of years. She found the building at 64 Summer St. about two months ago and opened on Jan. 11.
"There's not many stores here. And I figured being downtown like this, people could walk in, especially in the summertime," she said. "I know there's a ton of people in the area that love to thrift so I thought this would be a really good idea for Adams."
Carlo also wants to make an impact on the community, donating clothing to children in foster care, unhoused people, and those who have lost their belongings, such as in a fire.
High school students sometimes do their community service hours with her, packing clothes bags for these individuals.
"I have clothes that we sell and then clothes that we donate. Usually, in the back room, I have a stack of jeans, a stack of sweats, the shirts, and if we get a certain list from somebody, certain sizes, they'll go through what we have and then put it into a pack," she said. "We'll put it into a drawstring bag or a backpack. It's gone pretty well."
She hopes that in five years she will be able to offer an internship for students. She also plans to expand her store while keeping prices low for everyone.
"I would like to see, maybe like an internship for the kids through the high schools and give them that opportunity. I think maybe expanding someday, storefront-wise, see where we go in the future," Carlo said. "With that, just giving back to the community. I want the kids to learn what it's like to give back. They can come here. They can learn how we donate, how we just help one another, especially with keeping the prices low as well."
Carlo formerly worked in law enforcement and is now an emergency medical technician in Pittsfield. This is her first business venture. She suggests anyone who wants to open their own business to "go for it."
"I'm a first-time business owner, learning as I go, but I get pretty good advice from my parents, who have both been business owners, so they're kind of guiding me through this," she said.
She does take donations for the store but will only pick up, as she does not want anyone dropping off items. You can contact her through the business Facebook page.
Carlo is also asking for donations of old or new Adams business signs as she plans to display them in her store.
Her current hours are Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. She plans to expand her hours to be open later in the spring.
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Cheshire Discusses Road Work, ADU Bylaws
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Bumpy Fred Mason Road is on the is on the Department of Public Works' project list for this summer.
DPW Director Corey McGrath said the summer paving plans are being boosted by an award of $430,000 for the Fred Mason Road project. He told the Select Board on Tuesday that the initial quote for the project was $493,135 and that he will be doing a calcium additive to help with frost and better protect the road.
He also mentioned the DPW plans to shim and pave a portion of Reservoir Road as well as mill and fill a section of Church Street.
McGrath is asking for a total of $472,575 out of Chapter 90 road funds, which was approved.
The Select Board also reviewed bylaw proposals for accessory dwelling units and short-term rentals.
The Planning Board has recently been working with Berkshire Regional Planning Commission through District Local Technical Assistance funding to develop the ADU bylaw while also looking to allow short-term rentals and place them into the zoning table.
Some notable changes include defining an ADU as between 900 and 1,200 square feet with a special permit from the Planning Board; one parking spot per ADU; and requiring special permit for a second ADU.
The dimensional requirements will be the same as already established for principal buildings and structures.
The state allows ADUs by right in single-family residential zones but gives communities some control, such as over setbacks, sizes and permitting.
Select Board member Ronald DeAngelis asked if the planners could look into tiny homes, which tend to be smaller than 400 to 500 square feet, or about half the size of an ADU, and try to have something written for those.
In other notes, the town is preparing to auction of two parcels of land on West Mountain Road and on Shadowland Cove Road.
Select Board members also held off on using a police chief search committee or consultants for the next chief of police to gather more information.
The town is preparing to submit an application for Community Block Grant Funds following the designation of its blighted area on Route 8. click for more
The Board of Selectmen last week approved the closures of the street between Pleasant and Dean Streets from Wednesday through Saturday, April 1 to 4, to allow for the Crewdson's production company to set up for his complex and intricate shots. click for more
The national media and marketing company spotlights independent eateries around the country and was back in the Berkshires to try two more local favorites: M&J's Taste of Home Diner and the Shire Tavern.
click for more
The Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee on Monday approved a level-service budget for fiscal 2027 of $23,990,355 that includes staffing cuts and use of reserve funds. click for more