Berkshire Restaurants Awarded MassDevelopment Grants

10:24AM / Wednesday, October 01, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield restaurants Marie's North Street Eatery, BB's Hot Spot and Mazzeos were awarded grants along side North Adams restaurant Bigg Daddy's.

MassDevelopment announced $900,000 in grants from the Food Insecurity Grant Program for Independent Restaurants, a program in which independent restaurants in Massachusetts receive funding to prepare and supply meals and other food products for nonprofit meal distributors with the goal of helping address food insecurity in the state.

Marie's North Street Eatery was awarded $13,000
BB's Hot Spot was awarded $11,420
Mazzeos was awarded $10,000
Bigg Daddy's was awarded $34,200

A total of 31 restaurants received grants over the course of this year ranging from $7,000 to $45,000 to prepare and supply food to be delivered at no cost to food banks and pantries, senior centers, schools, and emergency food distribution centers supporting individuals and families in the Commonwealth. MassDevelopment contracted with Local Enterprise Assistance Fund and Franklin County Community Development Corporation to administer the grants and work with the restaurants to collect, deliver, and distribute the food.

"The benefits of the Food Insecurity Grant Program for Independent Restaurants are two-fold, strengthening our local restaurants and food-service supply chains while at the same time enhancing access to high-quality prepared meals and food products for those facing food insecurity in Massachusetts," said Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley, who serves as chair of MassDevelopment’s Board of Directors. "Through MassDevelopment, we are pleased to award $900,000 in grants to local restaurants across the state with the infrastructure, staff, capacity, and desire to produce meals and other food products for individuals and families in need."

The Food Insecurity Grant Program for Independent Restaurants was created by the former Mass Growth Capital Corporation. In February 2025, Mass Growth Capital Corporation merged with MassDevelopment, which now administers the program.

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Pittsfield: No E-Bikes on Sidewalk

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Wednesday, October 28, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The city will place signage downtown to remind people that e-bikes are not allowed on the sidewalk.

On Monday, the Ordinances and Rules subcommittee heard an update about e-bike enforcement in response to a petition from Councilor at Large Kathy Amuso and Ward 3 Councilor Matthew Wrinn.

Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales confirmed that under Massachusetts law, it is illegal for any motorized bicycle, regardless of the class, to ride on the sidewalk.

"So, at this point, we will start installing some signage in the North Street area," he reported.

"Doing so for the whole city is going to be very cumbersome, and we're not going to be doing that, but I think there's something to be done in terms of education and outreach and enforcement citywide for that."

Pittsfield has begun to develop what that signage will look like in the downtown corridor. Amuso has received many complaints about the North Street and Elm Street areas; Morales said they could work to locate some key spots on Elm Street for signage.

"I know it's a citywide problem, but I think if we start on North Street and work our way out and come up with a plan, that would be good," she said.

The councilors petitioned to increase enforcement of bicycle and e-bike use on Pittsfield streets, install signage in high-traffic areas, and launch an educational program for kids.

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