Western Massachusetts

We usually reserve a post like this to celebrate a new year, but so many new and unique businesses have opened in our region lately that we just had to share now. Plus fall really is the most wonderful time of year in New England for exploring and trying new things.

EAT

We’ve got craft beer bars and wine bars but have you ever been to a pie bar? The much-anticipated Florence Pie Bar just opened this past weekend, selling out its baked goods hours before close each day. The Pie Bar will feature a rotating menu of seasonally inspired fruit pies, cream pies and nut pies as well as quiche, meat pies and vegetable pies. Catch up with a friend in this new cozy place over pie, coffee and conversation.

Our region in western Massachusetts is already known for being pretty vegetarian and vegan friendly but there’s always room for more options. Just over the weekend Vegan Palate opened in Northampton and Bliss Café opened in Easthampton over the summer.

Anyone who’s ever spent time in western Massachusetts knows that a staple in our fall diet is cider doughnuts from Atkins Farm Country Market, which now has a second location in the Mill District of North Amherst. Visit this new store and its neighbor Bread & Butter café across the street.

DRINK

Even after having a beery hoppy summer, local craft beer aficionados will rejoice that even more breweries are opening this fall. BLDG 8 Brewing opened last week in the heart of the Baystate Village in Northampton with its flagship IPA available in 16 oz cans. BLDG 8 is owned and operated by O'Brian and Meghan Tomalin (Sierra Grille in Northampton), along with head brewer Mike Yates. Regular tasting room hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 3-7 and Saturdays 10-6.

Brew Practitioners will opens October 10 right on Main Street in Florence. Its tasting room will allow patrons to sample and fill growlers or purchase by the pint. Brew Practitioners also runs Ale Aboard Brewery Tours, western Massachusetts' first craft brewery tour bus company. Each tour will start at Brew Practitioners and venture off to BLDG 8, Fort Hill Brewery, Abandoned Building Brewery and New City Brewery. 

SHOP

Last year Thornes Marketplace redid its outside façade, paying homage to the original McCallum’s department store. This fall the inside of Thornes is seeing a lot of change, including a major renovation of Cedar Chest’s second floor including an expanded Noteworthy stationary shop. Two new places join ConVino Wine Bar which opened late last year: Cookie.Works, a gluten-free cookie kiosk and Nourish Juice Bar. Later in 2016 Herrell’s Ice Cream will undertake an expansion and the Amherst, MA gift shop The Blue Marble will open a second location.

At Ellie’s Oils in Northampton which opened this past July, you can taste a variety of olive oils and vinegars from around the world. If you’ve never been to a store like this, it’s quite a unique experience!

And while it's not new, Faces in Northampton is under new ownership and will be celebrating a grand re-opening this Saturday, October 3 from 2-5, featuring its brand new cafe on the ground level.

If you love rummaging at tag sales and flea markets, The Boutique in Northampton is going to be your new favorite store. Owner Marianne carefully selects items for her store in her own day-to-day travels, curating a fun selection of vintage jewelry and other wares. To find other hidden treasures this fall, check out the new Artefakt Gallery in Amherst (106 North Pleasant Street) which features a careful selection of Asian antiques.