A year ago, Ana Bradbury decided to take a huge leap of faith and double the footprint of her business, Lanesborough Local Country Store, by moving to a newly available space in the Greylock Village retail center in Lanesborough. She had opened her business in the fall of 2021 but ultimately found that her kitchen space was limiting her strong desire to grow. When a larger space became available at Greylock Village, she eagerly signed a lease, hoping to have her new place ready to open at the beginning of 2026. “It wasn’t a hard decision,” says Bradbury. “We were at a crossroads and we were either going to stay where we were and not be 100% happy or just push through and take the risk.” She decided to push through, but there were unexpected obstacles.
There was a septic system that needed work to accommodate the expansion, a kitchen contractor who didn’t pan out, and, most recently, a well issue at the entire retail complex. Through it all, Bradbury has remained undaunted and, at long last, opened her new doors for business in August. Regular customers will appreciate the familiar “country store vibe” but will also find some charming new additions, including an antique wooden canoe mounted above the fireplace, and an electric train that runs on tracks where the walls of the dining area meet the ceiling. “We’re still doing our deli sandwiches, which everyone loves, and thanks to our new kitchen, we’re also doing hot sandwiches, burgers, wings, fried foods, and a kids’ menu,” says Bradbury. Her fiancé’s brother is the cook, and she’s looking for a full-time baker to help with cupcakes, cookies, and cakes. There’s also an old-fashioned ice cream bar with swivel stools. “We make over-the-top weekly sundae specials, but I’m also going for a bit of nostalgia with things like classic milkshakes, banana splits, and malteds,” she says. Her frozen treats feature High Lawn Farm ice cream.
Perhaps the most welcome change for the community: Lanesborough Local now has seating for 30 or so patrons (more, if you count outdoor tables and the ice cream bar). “We have a lot of workers that come through this area” says Bradbury, “and they always say, ‘We love your sandwiches, but we would like to sit down somewhere—we were standing all day and we don’t want to sit in our hot cars.’ And we’d see our sales go down when it wasn’t good weather.”
Bradbury also envisions her new space as a perfect dining option for families. “I’ve got young kids, and when we’re racing around between sports and school and work, I don’t want to go somewhere and sit for like an hour and a half and spend $100 just to feed two little kids,” she says. Bradbury’s goal has always been to feature local products in the retail portion of her business, and that continues at her new place. Among the local brands she carries: BOLA granola, Ooma Tesoro, Klara’s Gourmet Cookies, Berkshire Wine Jelly, Berkshire Biscotti, Rolling Rock Salt, among others. “We’ve also added a lot more coolers and freezers, so those will be used for more brands, but we’re still trying to keep it small and local,” Bradbury says. “We do a lot of sourcing in Massachusetts, but we’re also going into Vermont and New York.” She’s also committed to being open every day “to be reliable for locals. If there was a snowstorm last night and you need milk, you don’t need to drive to Pittsfield.”
When I ask Bradbury if she knows who will occupy her previous space, her face lights up. “Yes,” she says. “It’s going to stay in the family.” Her fiancé, Tyler Purdy, just signed the lease and plans to open a taproom this fall. “I have a package license and he’ll have a pour license so we’ll double team,” she says. “For people who want food, we can just funnel it over there. It’s exciting.”
LANESBOROUGH LOCAL
20 Williamstown Rd.
Lanesborough
413-496-3088
lanesboroughlocal.com
