Cedar Chest and Stay Golden in Thornes change hands

NORTHAMPTON — Two longtime downtown businesspeople, Lauren Gunther and Alex Feinstein, have together purchased two stores in Thornes Marketplace — Cedar Chest, which is in its 75th year, and Stay Golden, a new business on the first floor.

Gunther, previously the merchandise manager for both businesses, and Feinstein, the former owner of GoBerry in Northampton and Amherst, purchased the stores in mid-April from Rich Madowitz, who also co-owns Thornes. Gunther and Feinstein are both natives of Hampshire County.

Feinstein, who grew up in Easthampton and Northampton, closed his Amherst shop early in the pandemic, and the GoBerry in Northampton closed in January 2022. Gunther, who grew up in Williamsburg, has been with Cedar Chest for 13 years.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising and retailing from Framingham State University and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. He earned a bachelor’s in fine arts from Connecticut College and has worked in finance and IT in Boston.

Cedar Chest carries everything from home décor to stationery, loungewear, bath and body products, and holiday items. Its new sister store, Stay Golden, which opened in October 2022, offers primarily casual and business clothing for women along with jewelry and other accessories.

About 30 people work at the shops, with a half dozen dedicated to Stay Golden.

Gunther and Feinstein said they do not have plans to make changes to merchandise in the stores, but they will be looking at creating efficiencies that will allow them to make their staff team stronger.

Florence resident Vercellotti honored for teaching excellence

SPRINGFIELD — Florence resident Tim Vercellotti has been named the recipient of the 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award at Western New England University. Winners of the award are nominated by students, faculty, and administrators for outstanding contributions as educators and advisors.

Vercellotti is a professor of political science, director of the University’s Polling Institute and the University’s London Summer Program. He teaches courses in survey research, media and politics, and political behavior. His current research projects focus on public assessments of public schools in the U.S., youth political participation in the U.S. and Britain, and shifting norms of political discourse in the British House of Commons.

Vercellotti holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Notre Dame.

The presentation of the WNE Teaching Excellent award took place May 20 at the university’s commencement ceremony.

Florence Bank celebrates 150 years with giveaway

FLORENCE — To commemorate 150 years in business, Florence Bank is drawing on its partnership with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield to offer a chance for 12 community members to win complimentary use of the popular venue’s birthday room.

In addition to the use of the room, one winner from each of the bank’s 12 branches will receive 10 general admission tickets to the Hall of Fame and a goody bag for each party guest.

In hopes of celebrating a birthday alongside Florence Bank’s 150th, those entering the giveaway can complete a ballot at any of the bank’s branches or visit florencebank.com/bday. The contest began Friday, May 5 and ends this Friday. Winners will be chosen Monday.

May 6, 1873, marks the date of the first 25 deposits at Florence Savings Bank, totaling $825.75. Henry Bond was the bank’s first treasurer, and its founding president was Alfred T. Lilly.

The first trustees and corporators were business owners, shopkeepers, farmers, and community leaders, and the mission of the community bank was to help citizens safely save their money and make a significant contribution in the lives of the people of Hampshire County.

CISA welcomes new board members

SOUTH DEERFIELD — Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) has welcomed Hameed Bello, Samaita Newell and Jeremy Werther to its board of directors. The three were voted in during CISA’s annual meeting in April, and will serve three-year terms.

CISA’s board members provides strategic leadership and guidance to help the organization meet its mission.

Bello, the owner/operator of Agric Organics, has more than 10 years of experience in farming and managing complex business challenges. His specialties include organic farming practices, crop management, operational strategy, suply chain management, relationship building, inventory management, research and patient/customer care.

Newell is the owner/operator of Fruit Fair Supermarket and has been working on increasing healthy food access across the gateway cities of Chicopee and Springfield.

Wether, a University of Massachusetts Amherst alumnus, is the chef and owner of Homestead in Northampton. He returned to the Pioneer Valley and opened his own restaurant after six years of working at Boston eateries.

Greenfield Coop participating in homeownership assistance programs

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Cooperative Bank has been selected to participate in Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston’s homeownership assistance programs, Equity Builder Program and Housing Our Workforce.

The Equity Builder Program provides grants to financial institutions to assist local income-eligible homebuyers with down payment and closing costs as well as homebuyer counseling and rehabilitation assistance. Borrowers earning up to 80% of the area median income are eligible to receive up to $29,000 in assistance on a first-come, first-served basis. Buyers are required to complete homebuyer education/counseling if they are a first-time homebuyer.

Housing Our Workforce provides assistance to financial institutions to help local homebuyers earning more than 80% and up to 120% of the area median income with down payments on owner-occupied primary residences. Borrowers can receive 10% of the home sales price or up to $25,000 in assistance on a first-come, first-served basis. Buyers are required to complete homebuyer education/counseling if they are a first-time homebuyer.

Greenfield Cooperative is eligible to receive up to $350,000 in 2023 through the EBP and up to $260,000 through HOW depending on availability of funds.

To learn more about applying for assistance through these programs, contact Missy Tetreault, vice president of mortgage origination at 413-773-6180, or e-mail mtetreault@greenfieldcoopbank.com or Kimberlee Gates, Mortgage Originator at 413-322-7116, kgates@greenfieldcoopbank.com.

Greenfield Cooperative Bank and its Northampton Cooperative Bank Division is a local community bank, primarily serving Franklin and Hampshire counties. It has 10 branches located in both communities.

]]>