May Guide – Stop by a participating venue on the first Friday of the month for the artist’s opening reception and the guide for that month.

Laura Curley gives samples of sheep’s milk cheese at the Hilltop Orchards booth.

PITTSFIELD — Rain threatened to dampen business prospects at the kickoff of the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market, which will run weekly through October.

But despite the drizzle, which turned to rain as the day progressed, Abe Hunrichs, who co-owns food producer Hosta Hill, pointed out he didn’t have enough 16-ounce bottles of locally grown kimchi and sauerkraut to go around to customers that crowded around his booth.

“Often new [farmers] markets will take a couple of years to get going,” Hunrichs said. “It’s got good foot traffic. Rainy days are often the doom of an outdoors farmers market, but people don’t seem to mind.”

The market brought out a steady stream of customers who sidestepped water

puddles on their way to purchase locally grown vegetables and meat, potted plants and local crafts. The farmers market will take place every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on First Street between Fenn and Eagle streets until Oct. 26.

“It’s a rain-or-shine farmers market, and today was a real test to that, and people came out,” said Market Manager Jess Conzo, who also serves as executive director of farmers-market partner Alchemy Initiative.

The event was coordinated by the city of Pittsfield, the nonprofit Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., and others.

Participation in the farmers market is “juried,” or selective. Additional information on participation is available on the city of Pittsfield website, www.cityofpittsfield.org, or www.farmersmarketpittsfield.org.

Dan Tawczynski, owner of Taft Farm in Great Barrington, attributed his selling out of asparagus, rhubarb and other products to good event marketing.

“I’ve been part of every market that they try to start up here and none of them made it, but this will make it,” he said.

Pierre Dupleix, the mascot of the 'For the Love of Pie' booth, looks lovingly at the pie display at the first farmers market on First Street in Pittsfield.

Christopher Fink, right, shows Peter Lafayette some marigolds at the Taft Farms booth at the first farmers market on First Street in Pittsfield.

Radishes on display in the Hancock Shaker Village booth at the first farmers market on First Street in Pittsfield.

Market Manager Jess Conzo, Mayor Daniel Bianchi and Downtown Pittsfield Inc. Executive Director Pamela Tobin cut the ribbon on the farmers market Saturday morning.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Farmers Markets returned to the city Saturday morning with dozens of vendors, entertainment and educational workshops.

Organizers cut the ribbon on the downtown market across from the Common at 9 a.m., kicking off a weekly market.

Despite the some sprinkling of rain, the market saw a strong turnout for the first of the season, which will be held every Saturday until Oct. 26.

The market is being managed by Alchemy Initiative in collaboration with Downtown Pittsfield Inc. and the city.

“We are so excited for opening day. This has been a labor of love,” Jess Conzo, from the Alchemy Initiative and the market manager.

The market has been in the making for nearly five months. Both Alchemy and Pittsfield, Inc. wanted to organize one after one being held in Allendale closed. Pittsfield Inc. approached the city in the winter and later the city gave $10,000 in seed money to get it going.

“Every vibrant community has a good farmers market,” Mayor Daniel Bianchi said. “It’s nice to have something in the heart of the city.”

Alchemy was brought in to help manage and a steering committee formed in late December. After meeting with farmers and conducting surveys, the committee settled on the municipal parking lot across from the Common because of accessibility, parking and location.

Pamela Tobin, executive director of Pittsfield Inc., said holding the event downtown will help support the North Street businesses because people can attend the market and then walk to there.

“Anytime you can bring people downtown on a Saturday morning is fantastic,” Tobin said, adding that the vendors come from all over the region so new people get to visit.

The farmer will feature 30 to 35 vendors throughout the summer but they won’t always be the same. There are vendors for various seasons. Additionally, Cultural Pittsfield coordinated entertainment and Saturday featured musicians and magicians.

Educational groups will be providing workshops on various farming techniques. Bianchi hopes that the vendors help “raise conscienceness about eating healthy.”

“It’s important to show the children the need to eat properly,” Bianchi said.

The market runs from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Truly a family affair, the Powells, including their wives, Shauna and Shana, who will continue to run the business and office end of both restaurants, have been working diligently for several months to open a second restaurant, J. Allen’s Clubhouse Grille at 41 North Street in downtown Pittsfield, just a stone’s throw away from Patrick’s Pub . With the space previously home to a restaurant and plenty of parking in the back, the transformation to a family friendly sports-themed restaurant relieved some stresses that may normally come with this sort of project. However, if you visited the space in the past, you will definitely feel like you’re in a different place! A relaxed and fun environment – there are 20 televisions, on which six of them will have national trivia games, a jukebox, a pool table to rent by the half hour and plenty of seating. Micah and Patrick’s Pub Head Chef, Nick Lovallo, have been developing the menu which will differ from Patrick’s Pub. However, J. Allen’s menu will include ten creative variations on chicken wings, for which Patrick’s is known, like Honey Chipotle or PB&J. The food will be moderately priced and include items like personal pizzas, sandwiches and other fun, new food and drink combinations which Micah and Nick have perfected.

“We don’t want anything to change at Patrick’s. We love Patrick’s,” said Dave Powell. “We’re excited about being able to offer our patrons another dining option where they will know what to expect based on the quality and service they are familiar with already. We’re hiring 20-25 people for J. Allen’s Clubhouse Grille and we have very high expectations and standards for our employees.”

If all goes as planned, J. Allen’s Clubhouse Grill at 41 North Street will be open just in time for the Superbowl on Sunday, February 3. If you’re interested in applying for a job, stop by Patrick’s Pub for details.

Berkshire Bank, America’s Most Exciting Bank℠, is celebrating the grand opening its new state-of-the-art branch in Downtown Pittsfield, located at 99 North Street.

The grand opening celebration kicks off with an official ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, January 16 at 11:00 a.m.

The festivities continue with a family day celebration, Saturday, January 19, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. featuring special contests, giveaways and refreshments including a Treasure Chest Key Promotion offering community members a chance to win an iPad mini, cash or a gas card.

The celebration culminates with a free showing of “The Wizard of Oz” at the Beacon Theater Sunday, January 20 at 11 a.m. Seats are limited. Stop by the 99 North Street branch starting Wednesday, January 16 to reserve your tickets, then pick them up on Saturday, January 19, at the family day celebration.

For more information, contact Higgins at 413-236-3142.

Mary McGinnis

The award is given annually to honor a person who has made a significant impact on downtown Pittsfield. McGinnis was instrumental in creating the First Fridays Artswalk which takes place on the first Friday of each month in downtown Pittsfield. McGinnis currently serves as Chairwoman.

The initiative was born out of her love for art and her dedication to the artist community. As an author and illustrator of children’s books, she has worked tirelessly to take her concept to implementation enlisting downtown retailers, restaurants, and offices to partner with an artist and turn their venue into an art gallery for the month. Each first Friday of the month venues and artists host a reception on opening night. Marrying artists and businesses became an instant success and win-win-win for the artists, the businesses and the community.

As an enticement to the event, lead sponsor Berkshire Money Management, created the Artsbucks program to encourage art purchases. Nearly $15,000 was generated in direct art sales during the month long promotion. In addition, several hundred thousand dollars has been generated by visitors shopping and dining during the event.

For more than three decades, Mary McGinnis, a Pittsfield resident, has served our community as an LPN at the Berkshire Medical Center and has been involved in community organizations for 25 plus years and has received several other awards. She is married to Kevin McGinnis, and enjoys living in the downtown area and walking with her husband and German Shepard Addie.

This is your last chance to register to win an iPad during your visit with Santa or while shopping in downtown at the following merchants: Aerus Electrolux, Ancient Language Collection, Asian International Market, B&G Restaurant Supplies, BBE Office Interiors, Berkshire International Market, Bespoke Costume, Bisque, Beads & Beyond, Brits R’ Us, Carr Hardware, Circa, Custom Window Treatment, Deidre’s Special Day, Independent Mobility, Jess et Mia, Jim’s House of Shoes, Just Kidding Around Consignment, Mad Mac’s, Mary’s Carrot Cake, Massive Graphics, Molari Employment & Healthcare Services, Museum Facsimiles, MyCom Federal Credit Union, New Berry Place, The, Ordinary Cycles, Pasko Frame & Gift Center, Pateez Boutique, Persnickety Toys, Pittsfield Health Food Centre, Retired & Senior Volunteer Program, RJ Stohr Diamonds & Fine Jewelry, Shoe Medic, Steven Valenti Clothing for Men, Unusual Wedding Rings, Westside Clock Shop.

Drawing will be held at 1 pm, December 22^nd at the Colonial Theatre.

This special event is made possible thanks to Pugzee Farms and Downtown Pittsfield Inc. After visiting with Santa be sure to stay for the matinee of A Christmas Carol at 2pm and 7:30pm.

Reprinted from Berkshires’ Best Buys Business & Beyond

Pop into Unusual Wedding Rings and More in Pittsfield, and you’ll see in a heartbeat what “more” really means.  Built on 35 years of experience in the diamond district of New York City, this shop is your gateway to a world of glittering possibilities beyond your wildest diamond-encrusted dreams.  Thanks to owners Herman and Gayle Rotenberg, and their connections with the best jewelry sources in the business, customers enjoy unbelievable prices on everything from precious metals and stones, to “fantastically fake” replicas.

“We try to be innovative,” says Herman Rotenberg.  “We’ve created a jewelry store that’s a little bit different, that’s a cool and affordable store. We’re here to help people, whether they want to spend $10 or $10,000.  We love challenges, and we love customization.  When people come in with ideas, we make their dreams come true.  We manufacture a lot of our own pieces in our workshop, and we also have good relationships with the best jewelers in New York.  We know diamond cutters, refiners, pearl stringers, and people who make things for the trades and not for the public.  These guys are good.  Because there’s no intermediary, just us and them, we don’t have to charge people a lot of money.”

Though appreciative of the benefits of their New York connections, the Rotenberg’s are happy to be living and working in Pittsfield full time.  Gayle’s father, William Schifrin, is a Pittsfield native who moved to the city to open a jewelry store on 47^th street some 65 years ago.  That’s where Herman learned the business inside and out.  When the time came last year to bring the family story full circle and return to the Berkshires, Herman and Gayle were pleased to run into George Whaling, president of Whaling Properties, who introduced them to an ideal storefront in Pittsfield’s Crawford Square.  Now you can find them cheerfully minding the shop and looking after their two main websites, unusualweddingrings.com and gayweddingrings.com.

“Reputation to me means everything.  It’s been our credo for long time, and you can thank my father-in-law for that,” notes Rotenberg.  “We’ve always liked doing things other people don’t want to do, because they think it’s not worth it, but to us everything’s worth it.  Some things I can fix for $3.  Why? Because we’ve always been on the customer’s side and helping people isn’t a waste of time.  The word ‘problem’ doesn’t exist in our vocabulary.  The word ‘no’ doesn’t exist.  We’re a friendly store that invites people in, and we stand behind what we do and what we sell.”

Unusual Wedding Rings and More is definitely a smart choice for repairs, as the Rotenbergs’ industry contacts are often able to fix chipped diamonds and other pieces that few other jewelers will touch.  The shop can also do appraisals for insurance purposes, and with the rising price of gold, many jewelry owners may want to take advantage of this service.  In addition, the store is a regional leader in the trend of eco-conscious precious metal recycling, and is prepared to melt customers’ existing jewelry into whatever new creations they request.  But why just scratch the surface? Drop in and say hello to the Rotenbergs, and learn about everything that Unusual Wedding rings and More has to offer.

Herman & Gayle Rotenberg, Owners
Unusual Wedding Rings and More
137 North Street
Pittsfield MA 01201
413-236-9300
www.unusualweddingrings.com

Did you know. . .

~BCC and MCLA offer classes at the Intermodal and Conte Federal Building – both on Columbus Avenue in downtown Pittsfield, MA.

~There are two classrooms: one lecture room complete with state of the art smart classroom equipment, and one computer lab with sixteen stations.  There is also a conference room  that accommodates 12 people

~Currently about 1,000 people/students per year attend classes, workshops, meetings, workforce development programs at the Intermodal.

~Courses include: math, psychology, English, etc.

~On average about 15 non-credit workshops per semester are offered

~Business Enterprises schedules monthly breakfast meetings

~Corporate computer training utilizes the computer lab

~Meetings and seminars for community organizations and school departments

~OLLI (Osher LifeLong Learning) has  at times also scheduled workshops

~BCC and MCLA each have three state of the art classrooms, again complete with instructional computer consoles, LCD’s and smartboards.

~This semester BCC offered seven credit courses, 4 in criminal justice, one each in sociology, math and history

~Various community and school groups use the conference room

~There is an advisor at the Federal Building two days a week

NOTE: MCLA shares space with BCC at both locations. MCLA offers courses for its fast track program, its PMBA program as well as graduate education classes and business administration classes in downtown Pittsfield.  For additional information visit www.berkshirecc.edu.

Press Release by Downtown Pittsfield, Inc.

Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. Partners with City and Local Businesses to Light Up Downtown Pittsfield for the Holiday Season

“Holiday Lights Downtown” Kicks Off Holiday Season on Thanksgiving Weekend

PITTSFIELD, MA – Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI), is thrilled to announce a new initiative – Holiday Lights Downtown – in Pittsfield this holiday season. Beginning Thanksgiving weekend, storefronts, buildings, streetlamps and trees along the South and North Street medians will be illuminated by bright white lights. This exciting new effort is being led by a DPI task force co-chaired by Kate Maguire, Artistic Director of Berkshire Theatre Group, and Laura Roudabush, Director of Marketing at Barrington Stage Company. The Berkshire Bank Foundation has awarded a grant to the Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association to support the Holiday Lights Downtown initiative.

The beautiful spectacle of holiday lights throughout downtown and the wintery, holiday scenes filling storefront windows will create a warm and inviting experience for visitors and residents who shop, dine or attend an event during the holiday season.

Peter Lafayette, Executive Director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation and Board President of Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. said, “I see this as a great opportunity to illuminate the many wonderful things happening downtown and encourage the community to come together and enjoy what their city has to offer. I’d love to see Holiday Lights Downtown become an annual tradition that the city becomes known for.”

The Holiday Lights Downtown task force also includes downtown store owners, Steven Valenti and Joe & Deidre Torra; Carr Hardware, Store Manager, Gerry Miller; Laurie Mick from the City Department of Community Development; and Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. Board member Elie Hammerling, supported by Kristine Hurley, Assistant to the Executive Director at Downtown Pittsfield, Inc.

Holiday Lights Downtown kicks off a season of expanded holiday events in Pittsfield. On Saturday, November 26, downtown business owners invite the community to stroll along the expansive display of holiday lights and stopover at various locations to enjoy the variety of special events planned within stores, including music, refreshments, product demonstrations, gift with purchase offerings, storewide discounts, exclusive items … there’s a little something for everyone to enjoy. Don’t forget to stop in to The Colonial Theatre lobby for Pittsfield’s 250^th Birthday Celebration. Reminisce and enjoy light refreshments while viewing pictures and stories from Pittsfield’s past and highlights from the 250th Birthday Year.

Holiday Pittsfield: A Downtown Celebration – a collaboration between the City of Pittsfield, Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. and the many businesses and cultural organizations in downtown Pittsfield – will take place December 2-4. This includes the annual Christmas Tree lighting on Park Square, several appearances by Santa, Alchemy Initiative’s Handmade Holiday Festival, the Berkshire Museum’s annual Festival of Trees, various holiday inspired theatre productions, ornament decorating, classic and new holiday movie previews, a gingerbread house decorating party and so much more.

“I look forward to seeing downtown Pittsfield aglow with holiday lights and the sidewalks thronged with families, good cheer and holiday shoppers,” said Pittsfield Mayor James M. Ruberto. “We’re thrilled to host a holiday celebration in our beautiful downtown for the whole community. I want to encourage everyone to shop local this holiday season and support your friends and neighbors.”

Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., in cooperation with downtown merchants, will also host Small Business Saturdays in December, offering a variety of items and special offers enticing holiday shoppers to “Shop Small” this season. With all that the downtown shops have to offer, shoppers can check everyone off their shopping list. Additionally, select merchants are providing goodies for a Holiday Gift Basket Raffle each Saturday, from December 3-24. There is no purchase necessary for visitors to enter the raffle. Each Saturday, participating merchants will have entry forms available for visitors to complete and return by 4:00pm and one winner will be chosen.

Pittsfield’s downtown will be the place to shop, dine, and enjoy during this holiday season. For more information on Holiday Lights Downtown, Holiday Pittsfield: A Downtown Celebration, Small Business Saturdays and the Holiday Gift Basket Raffle, call 413-443-5601 or email info@downtownpittsfield.com.