Even though I've been a full-fledged Berkshire county resident since 2019, I bet you didn't know that during my days of working in New York's capital region, I spent time in the Pittsfield area (our production Director Eric Greene can back me up on this one for sure) and one memory that stands out are a few businesses that were frequented quite often by yours truly. So without further ado, let me share this stroll down memory lane with all our readers:

ReeYees Retro TV Via YouTube
ReeYees Retro TV Via YouTube
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One of the places I miss in Berkshire Mall (I wish they would re-open as plenty of time was spent shopping and browsing, the quintessential day trip if you ask me) is Hills Department Store as my aim was to come out of this shop with a bevy of items that were purchased at amazing prices. Clothes, footwear, groceries and I even bought some vinyl, cassette tapes and CD's that STILL enhance my musical library back home. It's too bad the company went out of business because the deals were astronomical in nature. A fond memory embedded forever, if you ask me.

Vinyl
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Another stop for purchasing vinyl, cassettes and CD's was Strawberry's located on North Street in downtown Pittsfield. Ironically, I frequented this record store (Yes, I'm nostalgic in nature) in neighboring New York and Connecticut. In this instance, they had hidden bargains, but I'm happy to say it was a successful venture where I bought something and never left empty-handed.

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There's an eatery that used to be in our area that I sorely miss. There have been many occasions that I spent time at Bonanza on Crane Ave. in Pittsfield where they served up an AWESOME all-you-can-eat buffet for a reasonable price. These days I'm reluctant to tackle this option for lunch or dinner, but back in the past, this location had a wide variety of food available that satisfied all patrons, plus the soft-serve ice cream was rated A-1 in my books. Getting together with friends also complimented these priceless get-togethers, no doubt about that!

Bennington, Vermont
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One more addition: I recommend a day trip to Bennington, Vermont. There is SO much to see north of us in The Green Mountain State including a pit stop to the historic Bennington Monument, the birthplace of Grandma Moses, the exact location of where The Battle of Bennington occurred, a stroll in the heart of downtown, a visit to Old Bennington village and a variety of unique restaurants for your dining pleasure. never a dull moment in this charming New England hamlet. When I was in the Albany area, a quick 45 minute ride on route 7 east from Troy took me into a different and tranquil atmosphere. Nice to know I'm not that far from this frequent destination as this will be a must-stop when the weather gets warmer since I need to do some extra power walking.

Bennington, Vermont
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To sum things up: Our past may have evaporated, but the lifelong memories continue to remain in the back of our minds.

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