Let’s GATHER on May 23

Issue #36 | Thursday May 19, 2022

Let's gather at Greylock WORKS !
Free Chamber networking event on May 23 at 6 p.m. in gWorks' new studios.

As we move beyond the pandemic and look forward to summer, the NA Chamber wants to do an even better job serving you and your business.

We need your help clarifying our mission, rethinking how we operate, and choosing the types of services we offer.

We want to make sure each and every single business in North Adams has a voice in this process! After all, the Chamber is your community.

Please take a few moments to respond to 3 simple questions.

Be as honest as possible in your responses and don’t hold back! Feel free to share with your colleagues and other business owners.

Thank you for your help! We’ll share the results later this summer!

What’s Happening?

New Smoothie and
Juice Bar

Berkshire Blends is rolling out their new shop this week in North Adams. The grand opening is this Saturday 5/21

Located: 20 Marshall Street
Follow the shop on social media for more information.

New Home Decor Shop

LifestyleR is the newest addition to Berkshire Emporium located on the Holden Street side of the store. It is a home decor, gifts, and refurbished furniture store with modern farmhouse, boho, Scandinavian, and French provincial influenced items and furniture for sale all styled by owner Renee Tessier.

Renee is opening this week!

iBerkshires article

Hours: 11-4 Sun-Wed, 11-5 Thurs-Sat
Location: 59 Main Street, North Adams inside Berkshire Emporium

Savvy Celebration

Join Jessica Sweeney at her new store, Savvy Hive – 53 Main Street on May 20th from 5 pm-8 pm for a grand opening. Savvy Hive started in May 2021 at Berkshire Emporium and has since grown as its own shop on Main Street.

Sweeney plans to sell secondhand clothing, handmade and eco-friendly items, and products made within about a 100-mile radius of North Adams, including handmade kid’s toys and handmade and hand-designed clothing. She also offers small business consulting and plans to use a portion of the store as a co-working and consulting space.

Berkshire Eagle story

Hours: Thurs-Sun 12-6
Location: 53 Main Street, North Adams

Installation Space

OPENING RECEPTION

Friday, June 3, 4:00 pm-8:00 pm

with a live performance at 7:00 pm

THREADS OF ASSUMPTION

An interactive installation and performance by artists Maria Finkelmeier, Sofie Hodara,

U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo, & Martha Rettig

On View June 3 - July 24, 2022

Threads of Assumption responds to real stories about experienced bias, gathered on a virtual, anonymous conversation platform and analyzed by artificial intelligence (AI). The resulting exhibition is a visual, sonic, and tactile representation of human truths and errors. The project asks us to reconsider our assumptions surrounding bias and what we accept as normal. How can we expect machines to extract meaning from what we don’t yet understand?

New Dog Walking Business

Welcome Berkshire Pup People! The group is made up of local dog lovers Michelle and Tiffany. They launched earlier this year and have been hosting Pup Play Dates at the North Adams Dog Park on Sundays from 1-2. Meet them at the next one on May 22.

Location: On River Street to the right of The Porches Inn

1Berkshire “Best Foot Forward” Downtown Facade Improvement Grant

May 10, 2022 - Berkshire County, MA - 1Berkshire is excited to announce the launch of a pilot micro-grant program to support downtown business facade improvements throughout the region going into the summer season of 2022. Funded through a one-time grant received by 1Berkshire, at least 30 micro-grants ranging from between $500 and $1,000 will be made available to small for-profit and non-profit businesses and organizations located in downtown business districts across the Berkshires.

Funding is focused on providing these businesses and organizations small injections of capital that will help them execute non-construction facade improvements, such as awning repairs, updated signage, trim painting, window washing, power washing of entryways, hanging plants, outdoor seating, and window lighting. Collaborative applications are strongly encouraged in cases where multiple businesses can leverage the joint contracting of a single service provider together, such as for window cleaning or power washing services. Through these improvements, not only will our small businesses be able to put their best foot forward during the busy visitor season, but the overall aesthetics of our downtowns will be improved.

Applications for microgrants are open now, and will be reviewed by a committee on a first-come, first-served basis. Grants will be awarded until the $30,000 has been exhausted, and no more than $5,000 will be awarded within any single municipality.

Apply

nbCC's 36th Annual Meeting | Friday, June 17th, from 11:30AM – 1:30PM

We’re looking forward to celebrating our 36th Annual Meeting this June at the event space at Greylock WORKS.
We hope you can join us. Register here: https://conta.cc/3vAyjCW
Tickets are $25/person. Scholarships available.
We’ll be honoring Dr. Kerri Nicoll with the Peacemaker Award, and Mary Morrison with the Neighborhood Heroes Award.
Buffet lunch will be catered by Grazie.

Quick Trip to the Big Apple

PITTSFIELD, MA – Amtrak, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), are announcing pilot seasonal passenger rail service to operate this year and in 2023 to be known as the Berkshire Flyer, with a route between New York City and Pittsfield, MA. The service will be initiated on July 8 and will operate on weekends through the summer months with a similar schedule next year. The Berkshire Flyer will include a Friday afternoon departure from New York’s Penn Station to Pittsfield, MA, via Albany-Rensselaer, NY. A return trip will be provided on Sunday afternoons. Each train will make several station stops.

“We are pleased to work together with our partner agencies to run passenger train service between Pittsfield and New York City on weekends during the busiest tourist times this summer,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Western Massachusetts and the Berkshire Region offer a whole host of cultural and recreational opportunities during the summer and we hope this pilot service will encourage even more visitors to this part of our state.”

Full Story

Funding Opportunities

Biz-M-Power Matching Grant
Deadline: May 30, 2022

The Biz-M-Power crowdfunding matching grant program offers small businesses in Massachusetts financial assistance with their acquisition, expansion, improvement or lease of a facility, purchase or lease of equipment, or with meeting other capital needs for the business. Eligible applicants will be empowered to advance their business with an innovative approach to obtaining capital. Through crowdfunding campaigns, these businesses connect with their local residents and stakeholders to advance projects that support economic success and transformation for their business and in their communities. This program is funded by the Commonwealth’s Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2021.

APPLY HERE

Empower Digital Grant
Deadline extended to June 30, 2023

Beginning in May 2021, $3,800,000 will be made available for the Empower Digital Grant. This grant program provides funding for the needs of Massachusetts-based small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals seeking tools and services to develop their digital capabilities in partnership with a Small Business Technical Assistance (SBTA) provider for up to $5,000.

APPLY HERE

Help Wanted

The Rotary Club of North Adams is looking for volunteers to help operate their hot dog and lemonade booth at Solid Sound.

You'll receive free entry passes as a volunteer!

Here are the shifts that need extra volunteers:
Friday 5/27 from 4 - 8 pm
Saturday 5/28 from 5 - 9 pm

This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the North Adams Rotary.

If you or you know someone interested in helping out, please email Rotary President Joanna DeRose at Joanne.DeRose@nationalgrid.com by 5 pm (5/19).

The Store at Five Corners is hiring

Interested in working at The Store At Five Corners? We’re always excited to meet talented, hardworking folks who might be a good fit on the small but mighty Store At Five Corners crew. Reach out here

Webinars

Business Planning Basics
May 24 | 1 p.m.
REGISTER

This workshop provides an overview of writing a business plan. Topics include:

Why you need to write a business plan
Overview of each section of a business plan
Research and writing tips
Resources for help and support

Launch Your Dream Business
May 24 | 1 p.m.
REGISTER

This workshop is for you if…

You have an idea for a service-based business and you want to BE YOUR OWN BOSS doing what you’re passionate about AND be able to support yourself financially.
You’re drained after hours at the ole’ day job, and feel overwhelmed with all the things you need to do to get started. You’re not sure what the RIGHT first step is.
You feel like you don’t know anything about marketing, and you’re secretly wondering if you’ll really be able to find clients that will actually buy from you.

SAVE THE DATE

(IN-PERSON) SOCIAL MEDIA BOOTCAMP
June 22 | 3-7 p.m.

Social Media can be confusing especially if you are not a "PRO". What platforms are good for marketing, branding, or selling? Which do my customers frequent? What can be accomplished on each of these platforms and how often do I need to post (what is posting)? Why does a brick-and-mortar business need a social media presence?

IN-PERSON at:
Western Regional Massachusetts Small Business Development Center
Western Regional Office
Scibelli Enterprise Center
One Federal Street, Building 101
Springfield, MA 01105

More details to be announced.

Stay in Touch

North Adams Chamber Business Development Team

Marketing: Makayla-Courtney McGeeney
Business: Nico Dery

Need help with your books, business proposal, or assistance with loan applications? Can’t quite wrap your head around social media? The North Adams Chamber of Commerce Business Development team can help! Email for a 1-1 free consultation at our NEW office on 85 Main Street. Virtual or in-person consultations available.

Contact: businessdevelopment@nachamber.org