Business Closures in Berkshire County

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A number of businesses have closed or are closing their locations. Here are some recent closures in Berkshire County you might have missed.

Last week, the Pittsfield Marketplace Cafe announced on Facebook that it was closing the North Street location after 15 years.

"From our heart to yours — it truly has been a pleasure to get to know each and every single person that has come through those doors," the post stated.

"We are honored to have had such an amazing group of people around us to help make this place what it was. Every staff member through the years, and every person that has worked on North Street. The theatre community and those just stopping for a bite on a drive through."

It also noted gift certificates will be taken at other locations, including the Sheffield Cafe at 8 Elm Court in Sheffield and the two Great Barrington locations at 240 and 265 Stockbridge Road.

Market Cafe was located at 53 North St. and opened late in 2010.  

Phoenix Theaters Beacon Cinema then posted on its Facebook that a "new and exciting use" for the space will be announced soon.

"We want to thank Marketplace for the many years they spent here in downtown Pittsfield. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors and appreciate the partnership along the way," said Cory Jacobson, owner of the Kinnell Kresge building and Beacon Cinema.

In South County, Shire Donuts decided to close its Lenox location at 51 Church St.

Owners Heather and Jeff King explained on Facebook that they want to focus on their other shop in Dalton at 813 Dalton Division Road.

"After a great deal of thought and reflection, Heather and I have decided to close our Lenox shop in order to focus more time on our Dalton shop and our real estate clients. We will miss our Lenox and south county donut-loving customers but we hope they'll come see us at our Dalton shop."

Their shop in Dalton opened in 2022, not long before closing their Adams location on Summer Street.

You can visit the Dalton location Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon.

Lastly, Big Elm Brewing decided to close the brewery after more than 13 years of operation. The business posted on its Facebook how hard the decision was.

"The decision to close has not come easily. It has been one of the hardest choices we’ve ever had to make," the post states.

"We cannot fully express the gratitude and love we feel for your unwavering support as we step into a new chapter of our lives."

This decision comes just months after closing the tap room in Great Barrington.

The brewery will be celebrating Feb. 28 with a Cabin Fever Party; it will be open through the end of March or until the beer runs out.

According to their website, the owners, Bill Heaton and Christine Bump started their own brew in Pittsfield in 2005; after five years, they closed in Pittsfield and opened the brewery in Sheffield in 2012.

You can visit them at 65 Silver St., in Sheffield from Tuesday to Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.


Tags: brewery,   business closing,   

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Pittsfield Families Frustrated Over Unreleased PHS Report, Herberg Slur Incident

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Parents are expressing their frustration with hate speech, bullying, and staff misconduct, which they said happens in Pittsfield schools. 

Community members and some elected officials have consistently advocated for the release of the redacted Pittsfield High School investigation report, and a teacher being placed on leave for allegedly repeating racist and homophobic slurs sparked a community conversation about how Pittsfield Public Schools can address injustices. 

The district's human resources director detailed the investigation processes during last week's School Committee meeting.

"People are angry. They feel like when they spoke up about Morningside School, it was closed anyway. They feel like they speak up about the PHS report, and that's just kind of getting shoved under the rug," resident Brenda Coddington said during public comment.

"I mean, when do people who actually voted for all of you, by the way, when does their voice and opinion count and matter? Because you can sit up here all day long and say that it does, but your actions, or rather lack of action, speak volumes."

Last month, School Committee member Ciara Batory demanded a date for the 2025 report's release to the public.

Three administrators and two teachers, past and present, were investigated by Bulkley Richardson and Gelinas LLP for a range of allegations that surfaced or re-surfaced at the end of 2024 after Pittsfield High's former dean of students was arrested and charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for allegedly conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine in Western Massachusetts.

Executive summaries were released that concluded the claims of inappropriate conduct between teachers and students were "unsupported." Ward 7 Councilor Katherine Moody countered one of the unsupported determinations, writing on Facebook last week that she knows one person can conclude with confidence and a court case that pictures of the staff member's genitalia was sent to minors. 

"During this investigation, we sought to determine the validity of allegations about PHS Administrator #2 sharing a photograph of female genitalia with PHS students on her Snapchat account," the final executive summary reads. 

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