Because I am both the first-born son of a preacher and a writer, it was no surprise that I found myself afloat in a body-temperature pool of water on a Sunday morning in January when I might have been in church. That pool, about the size of Thoreau’s Walden Pond cabin, is nested beneath the […]
Ruge’s Automotive Group is celebrating its 90th year in business in 2025 – a remarkable accomplishment. I caught up with Kristin Ruge Hutchins, the president and CEO of Ruge’s, to learn more about the business’ backstory, how the brand has grown and changed over the past 90 years, and what exciting things they have […]
It was exactly 12 years ago in February of 2013 that I interviewed John Harney for the first issue of Main Street Magazine. While still working, he died a year later at age 83. His reserved parking spot remains vacant in front of the Harney & Sons tea factory on Route 22 outside of Millerton, […]
One day, as Holli Stanton was driving home from work at the Bistro Box in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, she noticed that a golden yellow building, previously Flying Church Coffee House at 200 Main Street, was available for rent. Holli had been working at another coffee shop for years, and she decided to begin thinking seriously […]
Cover photo: Lauren and Natasha and the store Catskill Chocolate Co.
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
Charles M. Schultz wrote that. He was the creator of one of the greatest comic strips ever, Peanuts. A wise man. And how prophetic a phrase for the month of February, which […]
Cover photo by Christine Bates. Antique and vintage jewelry from all over the world grace the front window case at Rosemary Rose.
Jessica DeCarlo in her store. She is holding a bell jar of ethically sourced butterflies from Flutter by Katie. Photo by Christine Bates.
After interviewing Jessica […]
How did a Wharton MBA and digital media executive end up owning a reclaimed wood mill in Pine Plains?
During the downturn of 2008, when I saw friends losing their jobs on Wall Street and I was looking for something new, I noticed the emergence of a “maker movement.” I was inspired by businesses that […]
When Lenore Mallett and her husband bought The Colonial Theatre in North Canaan, CT, with the Fiorillo family, they all saw it as an incredible business opportunity. Not only this, but both Salisbury, CT, families were eager to discover what was happening in this town and how The […]
In an interview in 2015, Neal Rosenthal told Main Street his story of building a successful importing and wine distribution business. Now he and Kerry Madigan, long-time business and personal partners, have started a new business in the heart of Millerton, NY. I interviewed Neal and Kerry and Michael Flower, gallery director, on a […]
When Kaleigh Kelley opened The McKenzie Shoppe in Sharon, CT, she wanted to do something different. Given that there are quite a few home goods shops in the region, she wanted to make sure that she was providing something unique to the community.
“I wanted to create a shop that had unique vendors with an […]