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Date: 12/14/2023
CHESTER — The Pease Store, at 11 Main St. in Chester in the historic Fay Building, first built in 1896 to house a clothing and a household furnishings store, has a new life this holiday season.
Charles Pease and Moses Terrill purchased the clothing business in 1912, and members of the Pease family ran it as a clothing store until 1982, when it was sold to John and Diane DeMoss, who continued the tradition. In 2022, the DeMoss family sold it after 40 years of ownership to the owners of the Drowsy Dragon commercial kitchen, who had purchased the original Fay homestead next door.
Still called the Pease Store, it is now open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., to coincide with town dump hours, and is once again selling clothing. Currently run by Chester resident Judith Dalesandro, the store has a wide selection of hard-to-find caps and sweatshirts personalized with the names of local Hilltowns, with some including ZIP codes and elevation in small lettering on the sides. The caps are also sold at Take Charge Nutrition at 275 Elm St. in Westfield.
The Pease Store also sells pants, shirts and jackets in adult and children’s sizes at reasonable prices, such as men’s winter jackets for $30 and jeans for $20, and men’s and women’s sweaters marked down for December from $15 to $10.
Dalesandro said people who come to shop are surprised by the selection. She said while the store first opened with existing inventory, it is now offering new items to meet the needs of the Hilltowns, and revitalizing the store to a more modern feel. In addition to the Saturday hours, she will open the store by appointment, and may be contacted at 413-875-2803.
A new Saturday addition is Melissa McAuliffe of Mel’s Kitchen, who is selling fresh breads, scones, cookies and other sweet treats. Dalesandro said the fresh-baked goods sell out fast and warns people to “get there early.” Another local vendor, Joann Kelton of Downstairs Quilting, will start to offer her wares on Dec. 9 at the store. Also available is jam from the Drowsy Dragon Kitchen.
Dalesandro said the Pease Store is a great place to shop for the holidays and the only place in town to shop for needed winter items for children and adults.