Letter: Passing the Torch in the 1st Berkshire State Representative District

Letter to the Editor03:05PM / Wednesday, August 26, 2026Print Story | Email Story

To the Editor:

The voters of the 1st Berkshire State Representative District have the opportunity to pass the torch to the next generation of leadership in the State House.

Councilor Andrew Fitch has demonstrated in his time on the North Adams City Council what an energized "next generation" legislator can accomplish while holding to the core values of our community. Councilor Fitch has not only put forward important legislation but has also set a tone and direction for a City Council that had lost its way. The bridges and coalitions that have been built in Andrew's time on the City Council could not have been imagined four years ago. We now have a City Council that is focused on solving problems and using their powers to move North Adams forward.

I have worked with Councilor Fitch from his first campaign and supported his initiatives. The value of his energy, enthusiasm, vision, and determination should not be underestimated. It is time to bring these qualities to the work of the statehouse so that the entire 1st District can move forward to a better future.

Virginia Riehl
North Adams, Mass.

Tags: election 2026,

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North Adams Restaurant to Closing in Two Weeks

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
02:18PM / Wednesday, November 04, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A downtown restaurant announced on Wednesday that it will be closing.

In a Facebook post, Door Prize stated its last day of service is Saturday, Nov. 14.

"We are not making this decision lightly and wish there was another way forward," read the post by owners Bryan "Swifty" Josephs and Jenny Klowden.

"We feel great pride for our successes and for a wonderful year of serving our community. Now on to the next adventure!"

They also thanked their staff and patrons who enjoyed their food

The restaurant opened over a year ago in Hotel Downstreet after Josephs and Klowden previously had a residence at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, where they sold some of their signature dishes, as well as working in area restaurants, bringing their food to farmers markets and operating a catering business.

The two named the restaurant after a John Prine song that they danced to at their wedding. Josephs described their fare as European comfort food, with one of their most popular dishes being pierogies.

They also successfully renovated the covered porch outside the restaurant for dining, raising $7,000 through a Kickstarter

While their post did not allude as to why they are closing, iBerkshires has reached out for more answers.

The 90-room hotel has reportedly been sold, with a closing expected by the end of the month. Owner Peregrine Group put the former Holiday Inn up for sale earlier this year after purchasing the property for $4.45 million in 2021. According to reports in The Berkshire Eagle, the cost of renovations to the 55-year-old property put a dent into revenues that limited the hotel's ability to cover obligations.

It's not clear if this has anything to do with the restaurant, which operates as a separate entity.

"We are not looking for a public discourse on our business model or the closure," the Door Prize post states, inviting patrons to personally contact the Josephs or Klowden rather than comment on the posting.

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