Hillsdale, New York

From left: Hillsdale General Store, Rodger’s Book Barn.

through Hillsdale towards Great Barrington is a well-worn path for many visitors to the Berkshires. Nowadays, though, the traffic goes both ways, as Hillsdale has become a destination that Berkshire residents and visitors alike are drawn to.

The formerly sleepy farming town is now a secondhome magnet with a vibrant artistic and commercial culture. Passiflora hung out a lonely shingle in 2009, billing itself as “an eclectic mix of all things contemporary, quirky, and chic” (primarily housewares and personal care products, with an emphasis on local artisans); it’s still going strong. Interior designer Matthew White renovated an 1855 commercial building on the village square into what is now the Hillsdale General Store, with an emphasis on stylish, functional housewares. The same building is also home to Cross Roads Food Shop, a farm-to-table restaurant that serves a great breakfast. They’re serving breakfast all day, and lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. with seating both inside and out.

White then went a step further, starting up HGS Chef, which sells cookware and offers cooking classes (on Zoom for the moment) with top chefs, in another made-over building across the street. Right next door, Tiny Hearts Farm, which organically farms 15 acres in Copake, sells flowers.

A great recent arrival on the scene is the Roe Jan Brewing Company on Anthony Street, not far from the town center: fresh beers and a menu with steaks from a wood-fired grill and tasty salads, along with wines and cocktails. They’re serving indoors and out, all at respectable distances.

The Hillsdale House, right in the center of things, was revitalized after a makeover and is open for both takeout and indoor/outdoor dining. The Village Scoop, created by the owners of Passiflora, serves non-alcoholic cocktails as well as exceptional artisanal ice cream. But, if your hair has gone to hell during the pandemic, you can still get a haircut in Hillsdale, too, at least if the pole outside Trudy’s Beauty Shop is spinning; basic women’s or men’s haircuts $20, beards extra.

And whatever your home needs may be, there’s a Herrington in Hillsdale who can help. For your construction and renovation supplies, visit Ed Herrington, Inc., just west of the intersection of Routes 7 and 23, and their Hillsdale Tile Design Center just east of it. Then, when construction is done, C. Herrington Home + Design, right at the intersection, with a beautiful retail shop and professional design services, can turn that house into the home of your dreams.

Not all the action is in the village. Rodger’s Book Barn, off the beaten track but well worth the ramble, has 50,000 “old and unusual” books on its well-organized shelves. Mirror Mirror, located on Route 23 between the Route 22 junction and the town center, offers both vintage clothing and housewares. And Sideshow Clothing Company has moved from Hudson, N.Y., to the space right next to Mirror Mirror, buying and selling vintage clothing both in the shop and online. There’s more action, of the alpine kind, at Catamount Mountain Resort on Route 23. Straddling the New York/ Massachusetts line, this family-oriented mid-sized ski area offers the most varied terrain in southern New England.

Whether you ski or not, you’ll want to try Little Cat Lodge on Route 23 at the base of Catamount. Under new ownership at the former Swiss Hutte, this mountainside getaway, alpine restaurant and tavern will open for the 2022 ski season.

Turn south on Route 22 and you’ll see O’s Hillsdale Country Diner on your left; the O is for Otto and the food falls in the “fine diner dining” category. The local Stewart’s is there, too, The Rest of the House if you need to refuel your car or yourself. And east of town on Route 23, Berkshire Pottery has been crafting hand-made wares in a 19th century Dutch barn. Their pottery combines old world craftsmanship with modern practicality. Thinking of remodeling other spaces in your home? We’ll help you upgrade any room For D.I.Y. food, try the Hillsdale Supermarket (“home of that could use more style and more storage. the one-dollar sale”), a classic full-service IGA right near the village Visit kraftmaid.com/rooms to explore more ideas throughout the home. square. It’s locally owned and has an excellent meat department; stock up your larder for less. Spend your savings at Hillsdale Fine Wine & Spirits, right behind the IGA. Random Harvest is a worker-owned neighborhood market, café and community space that offers food and goods sourced directly from more than seventy local producers; if you’re coming in from the Taconic, it’s a convenient stop just east of Craryville on Route 23. Catamount Mountain Resort

Thinking of remodeling other spaces in your home? We’ll help you upgrade any room Thinking of remodeling other spaces in your home? We’ll help you upgrade any room that could use more style and more storage. that could use more style and more storage. Visit kraftmaid.com/rooms to explore more ideas throughout the home. We share your passion.®

Hillsdale, NY: 518.325.3131· Lakeville, CT: 860.435.2561· Hudson, NY: 518.828.9431Visit kraftmaid.com/rooms to explore more ideas throughout the home.