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The Licensing Board is pressing for Chili's to find a new owner for the vacant space as it is tying up an alcohol license.
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The owner of Pancho's on North Street is changing up the look and the menu of the Mexican eatery.

Pittsfield's Panchos Plans Rebrand, Wander Secures Entertainment License

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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Wander Berkshires was approved for an entertainment license. It will host sober evening events in expanded space adjacent its cafe.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A longtime North Street restaurant will change its name, its branding and its menu.

On Monday, the Licensing Board approved the name change of Pancho's Mexican Restaurant to Iztac. The eatery will still operate under Columnna LLC.  

Attorney Loretta Mach explained that owner Gabriel Columna is rebranding, including renovations to the restaurant and some new offerings.

Columna said he would like everything fresh, "and I want to make a little different food, all different." 

He purchased the business in 2022.

The board also approved an entertainment license for Wander Berkshires, a cafe and event space on Depot Street that has been open since November and celebrated with a ribbon cutting last week. It is a queer and transgender-founded, recovery-focused space.

"We are a cafe by day and then in the evenings, we're looking to have just some community events. We did a sober dance party that I got a one-day entertainment license for, we're going to do book readings, book club, nothing wild," founder Jay Santangelo said, adding that it is a sober space that does not serve alcohol.

The cafe will soon host a community darkroom with help from MassDevelopment funds. Wander is a part of the Transformative Development Initiative's Creative Catalyst Cohort that received $125,000 for a Downtown Pittsfield Creative Alliance.

Santangelo said the space is behind Tito's Mexican Bar & Grill and formerly housed the Berkshire Running Center.

"It's 3,000 square feet but we don't use all of that," they said. "The back part is going to be a community dark room. We have an occupancy of 129 people, we never see anywhere coming close to that. That's not what we're trying to do there."


The board also saw an update from Pepper Dining Inc. about the status of Chili's liquor license, which didn't yield any new information.

"There are several interested parties in the restaurant. Nothing is concrete yet but I talked to legal last week and they did say there was a couple of interested people," Northeast Director of Operations Alan Anderson reported.

"So nothing new, though, at this time, other than we're just going to keep maintaining."

The lease agreement goes out to 2029 and the company is looking for another business to carry it out.  The restaurant opened for business in 2018.

There are currently 15 other Chili's in Massachusetts, according to a company map of the locations.  Chili's branding has been removed from the building at Berkshire Crossing.

Chairman Thomas Campoli pointed out that there is an interest in having the license used or sold.  
In Pittsfield, if a liquor license is revoked if not replenished. He hopes to see news by June.

"I hope that you guys are diligently pursuing somebody," he said.

"Because at some point with the law, I'm just telling what the law says to us, is we have to start putting some pressure on the licensee to do something with the license because there might be folks out there that could use it or have something going on, either there or somewhere."


Tags: alcohol license,   entertainment license,   

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Updated Guidance on Suspected Avian Flu Cases Reported

BOSTON — State environmental and health officials are informing the public that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus, which rarely infects humans, is suspected to be the cause of death in cases of both wild and domestic birds in several Massachusetts municipalities.

The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), and the?Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) are advising the public to refrain from handling birds or other animals that are dead or appear sick and report suspected cases.  

Since early 2022, Massachusetts has had recurring incidents of HPAI. In January 2025, an outbreak of HPAI was suspected of causing the death of Canada geese, swans, and other birds in Plymouth. Preliminary positive cases are being reported at other locations across the state. Evidence suggests that HPAI is widespread in Massachusetts and is likely present even in places where there has not been a confirmed positive. State officials are working with partners to test suspected cases and collaborating with municipalities to safely dispose of dead birds.

Both wild and domesticated birds can become infected with HPAI. Raptors, waterfowl, and other aquatic birds are most at risk for infection, although any bird species should be considered susceptible. Birds may be infected with HPAI without showing any signs of illness. Wild mammals, especially those that scavenge on birds, such as foxes, can also become infected.

Report Suspected Cases: 

  • Report Wild Birds: The public should report observations to MassWildlife of sick or deceased birds if 5 or more birds are found at a single location, using this simple form at mass.gov/reportbirds

  • Report Domestic Birds: The public should report sick or dead poultry or other domestic birds by calling MDAR's Division of Animal Health at (617) 626-1795 or through mass.gov/reportpoultry

Humans are rarely infected with avian influenza viruses. Humans that have direct contact with animals infected with HPAI are the most at risk of becoming infected. People with questions about the public health impact of HPAI can visit DPH's Avian Influenza webpage or call the Division of Epidemiology (available 24/7) at 617-983-6800.

Tips for the Public:  

  • Avoid handling birds and other wildlife:?The public should strictly avoid handling wildlife, especially sick or dead birds or other animals. 

  • Keep pets safe: Dogs and other pets should always be leashed and away from wildlife. Cats are highly susceptible to HPAI and may die from an infection. Cat owners in affected areas should keep their pets indoors to prevent exposure to infected wildlife. 

  • Hunting: While eating wild game meat is generally considered safe, licensed hunters can minimize the risk of wildlife diseases by following best practices when handling and processing game.   

Tips for Livestock and Poultry Owners: 

Since wild migratory birds are natural carriers for Avian Influenza viruses, including HPAI, preventing wild birds from mixing with or having contact with domestic flocks is essential to disease control and prevention.

  • Poultry owners should continue to practice strong biosecurity measures to keep their birds away from wild birds, particularly wild waterfowl, feathers, and droppings.

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