It is not a foregone conclusion that any brick-and-mortar businesses will thrive in our online shopping and big-box-store era, but JWS Art Supplies in Great Barrington seems to be doing just that. Emily Cox, the longtime manager of JWS, is thrilled to be fully moved into the new space on Main Street, which is larger, brighter, and more visible than the business’s previous location on the retail-dense and creatively diverse Railroad Street. Moving over 14,000 SKUs (stock keeping units in retail lingo) just before the holidays was complex and arduous, but the effort has paid off with customers being more engaged and satisfied with the shopping experience.
According to Tom Levin, the owner of JWS, the store experienced a very healthy December—posting a 30 percent year-over-year uptick in sales. Tom’s first business on Main Street was Tom’s Toys, which he launched in 1996 and has remained a community favorite ever since. He and his team now anchor two large retail spaces on the same Main Street block, which can be seen as a big vote of confidence for doing business in Great Barrington and the Berkshires region.
I sat down with Cox and Levin to talk about JWS and its plans for the future. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
EDGE
Once you decided on moving JWS from Railroad Street, did you ever consider moving the store to another of the vibrant towns in our region?
LEVIN
No. I really like Great Barrington’s old-fashioned main-street shopping experience. We’re in a unique area for many reasons: We have a huge concentration in the arts—visual arts and performing arts. There’s so much going on for such a rural area and we have some pretty serious artists here. And there’s just a lot of community support.
COX
I think it’s very special that we have an independent art store here in town. A lot of small art stores are getting bought up by big companies like Blick or Amazon. We have lots of inventory across all price points, and it’s important to me to let people know there is a store that is affordable for locals whether they are just beginning in art or are established artists.
EDGE
Emily, tell me why you decided to settle in the Berkshires?
COX
I’m originally from Rhode Island but found my way to California to attend fashion school in San Francisco. I have always wanted to be in the arts. I moved back east because this is where family is. One thing that has made me stay is the uniqueness of the Berkshires, the sense of community, and the slower pace of life. There’s also so much culturally here, and BerkShares is part of that. To live in an area that has its own currency is pretty cool.
EDGE
Tell me about JWS’s commitment to accepting BerkShares
LEVIN
We started accepting BerkShares from the start of when they became available in 2006. A lot of the same people use them. Business owners use them. People get them for gifts, and tourists who visit the Berkshires get some to spend because they want to deepen their experience in the Berkshires.
EDGE
What’s on the horizon for JWS now that you are settled into your new space?
COX
We currently have a lot of things for experienced artists, for beginners, and for crafters and at all price points. We want to continue this level of accessibility. Going forward, we want to start offering classes and activities. We started to do it up at the old store before COVID. Now we have more room, and we have a lot of ideas brewing! Tom’s Toys has long been one of the staples of downtown, and we want to be added to that group.
