me.’” Planning is now underway for this summer, including movie screenings and other alley activations. Last year, WANDER hosted an unofficial Pride party. This year, it’ s official—-the space will serve as the after-party venue for Berkshire Pride on June 20.

Around the corner, in the old Berkshire General Store space, Brazzucas Market bursts with color and culture. Owners Nazira Vargas and Fabia Raquel Atherton opened the market in June 2023 after struggling to find Brazilian staples locally— the couple used to drive two hours to stock up on goods from their home countries of Brazil and Costa Rica.

The two have been together for 19 years, having met at La Fogata on Tyler Street. They’ ve built a space that is equal parts grocery, gathering place, and a cultural bridge.

“ We wanted to make a space for food and market items of Brazil,” Vargas says.“ We are gay, so it’ s also a place where we could feel safe and people could get to know us and our family and see that we are just like any other family. It’ s safe to come in and we will not judge you.”

The store carries more than Brazilian goods. Shelves stock items from Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Venezuela, and Colombia. Familiar menu items are available to order.“ We wanted to give the community a different experience with the Brazilian food, Atherton says.“ We have all types of different customers.”

The family’ s involvement in the broader community extends to Berkshire Pride, where they have served food at the festival for multiple years and plan to return this year. Their children participate in Berkshire Pride’ s teen programming and events as well.“ We try to participate as much as we can,” says Atherton.“ We are very, very close to the community.”

A few blocks up North Street sits Indie Readery & Records, a new and used bookstore, record shop, and gift store owned by Laurie and Emma Lenski. The shop opened in October 2025.

Laurie spent roughly 25 years working as a painter in home renovation. In recent years, she and Emma began looking for a new direction.“ We had been looking at some existing businesses that were looking

to sell,” Laurie says,“ but we both really loved books.”

The store also carries personal history. Emma’ s grandfather was a book collector who always dreamed of opening a bookstore. Emma serves as the Director of Education and Outreach for Berkshire Pride, a role that shapes the store’ s identity as much as its shelves do.“ It was just a shared passion for books and music,” says Laurie.“ There was no bookstore in downtown Pittsfield. We were, like, that will be a good idea.”

Indie Readery & Records features a dedicated social justice section and highlights local Berkshire voices. Events include drag story hour, book clubs, and collaborations with Berkshire Pride and neighboring businesses like Hot Plate Brewing on School Street. The store also operates an eco-friendly“ refillery” for common household goods like laundry and dish soap. The business received consultation support from the City of Pittsfield, as well as a PERC grant. Laurie says the sense of mutual support among downtown businesses is something she feels

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May / June 2026 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // 91