Belltower bought out the inventory of the former Toonerville Trolley.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Belltower Records has settled into the community as a hub for music fans, musicians, and audiophiles alike.
It is easy to lose a few hours on the third floor of the Norad Mill digging through the overflowing record crates at the independent music store.
"We have just been longtime collectors, my wife and I, and we have been looking to do something for a while and we basically stumbled upon this," owner Wes Nelson said recently.
With news that Hal March, owner of Toonerville Trolley Records in Williamstown, was looking to close and sell his business in 2017, a shockwave rippled through the Northern Berkshire record collecting community.
Collectors knew that in the near future they would have to travel farther than Williamstown to satiate their need to fervently dig through crates of records.
That day came and a "closed" sign was fixed to March's door.
It was over.
But in 2018, Nelson and his wife, Andrea Belair, announced that they had purchased March's inventory and planned to open up their own record store in the Norad Mill in the West End.
"We opened this October and business has been steady," Nelson said. "There is still lots to be done in the building but it has been good ... it has been pretty much full steam ahead."
So the local record store was saved but collectors were still dealing with another loss: March, their local record store guy — an important relationship in any audiophile's life.
But Nelson and Belair seem to be fitting the bill and are able to bring in what the people want.
"Our collection is largely our own taste but we do take note of what our customers like," Nelson said. "We try to keep it diverse in that way and cater to peoples' tastes."
Beyond selling records, CDs, and even cassette tapes, Belltower looks to be part of the larger music community.
"I wouldn't say that we are the locus of any community here but we are part of it," he said. "We are new here and want to contribute. "
Belltower hosts live shows and Nelson said they use their connections to bring in live acts that may be on tour.
"If we have friends on tour we hook them up with a little gig," Nelson said. "We try to serve the music community."
Typically the shows take place in the store but on Saturday, Aug. 10, Belltower will host a larger show in the mill's reception room on the third floor.
There are more than 10 acts included in the lineup for Summer Jam II and Wandering Star Brewery will be selling beverages.
Vinyl has gone through a revival and many would argue that it sounds better than its digital counterpart, with more sonic information packed into the grooves.
For others it is about participating in a tradition; an older way of listening to music without an internet connection or a cell phone.
Nelson is less concerned with how people listen but rather the fact that people are listening. It is more important to be open to new sounds than it is to be a vinyl purist.
Which is what Belltower Records is all about: new sounds from the past, new sounds from the present, and introducing people to new music through live entertainment.
"I don't know if it is about getting into vinyl," he said. "I think it is about getting into music, period. It is about maintaining a curiosity and a willingness to explore."
More information on new products and upcoming shows can be found on the store's Facebook page.
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McCann Nursing Graduates Urged to Be 'Positive Influence' on Health System
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — McCann Technical School celebrated the graduation Tuesday of 17 new nurses from its licensed practical nursing program.
"I can say, without reservation, that I am incredibly proud of each and every one of these individuals before you," Christa Berthiaume, program coordinator and doctor of nursing practice, said to family and friends in the school gym. "This class has come together as family to support each other, grow, learn, laugh, and even cry together.
"Thank you for joining us this evening as we celebrate this accomplishment in their lives and thank you for providing the support and guidance that has fostered the success of these amazing people."
When they interviewed for the program last January, Berthiaume said she told the program would be hard but that they wouldn't understand until they had gone through it.
She asked them to think back of their first day —what they could do then and what they can do now.
"Throughout this year, we have seen so much growth in each of you. Whether it was overcoming the fear of a certain procedure, going to a clinical site that you were not exactly looking forward to, improving your critical thinking and clinical judgment, and yes, even your nursing-test-taking skills," she said. "The growth is immeasurable."
The 10-month, 1,155-hour program began in January and included clinical rotations on evenings and weekends. Many of the graduates were assured of jobs after taking their licensing exam as they were sponsored by entities such as Berkshire Health Systems and Integris Healthcare, which covered costs and paid them a salary.
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