COVID Updates

UPDATE (1/8/2022) - We are NOW OPEN for customers!
 

UPDATE (8/6/2021) - The Great Barrington Board of Health issues an advisory to recommend that people wear masks indoors when in public, regardless of vaccination status.

We now provide free masks in our lobby, and ask you to not enter the building without wearing one.

Read the city's Board of Health statement here.

UPDATE (6/7/2021) - Our fully vaccinated staff are now being given the option to go maskless.

UPDATE (5/29/2021):

  • May 29, 2021 marks the lifting of the mask mandate in Massachusetts for those who are fully vaccinated.
  • Those who are not yet vaccinated are still required to wear masks when indoors.
  • We ask that those who come into the store wear masks if they have not been vaccinated.
  • Those customers who are fully vaccinated can go maskless in accordance with the State's new guidelines.
  • Our staff are all fully vaccinated, and will continue to wear masks when interacting with customers.

First off, thank you to all of our customers who stuck with us through the ups and downs of the pandemic, and thank you to those who have told us that we were their first stop, other than for groceries, when they were comfortable leaving their homes. We very much appreciate you! As you know, Governor Baker of Massachusetts has announced that this Saturday, May 29, 2021 will mark the lifting of the mask mandate in our State for those who are fully vaccinated. Those who are not yet vaccinated are still required to wear masks when indoors or when unable to adequately social distance. For small retail stores like ours, this has created something of a conundrum. How do we know who has been fully vaccinated? Is it more intrusive to ask customers to show proof of vaccination or to ask them to keep wearing masks? So here is what we have decided to do, to both respect our customers privacy and to still be cautious on behalf of the many people who are not yet vaccinated: Our staff (who are all fully vaccinated now) will continue to wear masks when interacting with customers. We respectfully ask that those who come into the store wear masks if they have not been vaccinated, and encourage those who are not comfortable around others to keep wearing masks if that eases your transition to our new normal. Those customers who are vaccinated can go maskless in accordance with the State's new guidelines. We ask, as always, that all our customers be respectful of others' choices and trust that we as a community have our neighbors' well-being at heart. Thank you again for your patience as we all work our way through this together! Pam Pescosolido owner, The Bookloft

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First off, thank you to all of our customers who stuck with us through the ups and downs of the pandemic, and thank you to those who have told us that we were their first stop, other than for groceries, when they were comfortable leaving their homes. We very much appreciate you!

As you know, Governor Baker of Massachusetts has announced that this Saturday, May 29, 2021 will mark the lifting of the mask mandate in our State for those who are fully vaccinated. Those who are not yet vaccinated are still required to wear masks when indoors or when unable to adequately social distance. For small retail stores like ours, this has created something of a conundrum. How do we know who has been fully vaccinated? Is it more intrusive to ask customers to show proof of vaccination or to ask them to keep wearing masks?

So here is what we have decided to do, to both respect our customers privacy and to still be cautious on behalf of the many people who are not yet vaccinated: Our staff (who are all fully vaccinated now) will continue to wear masks when interacting with customers. We respectfully ask that those who come into the store wear masks if they have not been vaccinated, and encourage those who are not comfortable around others to keep wearing masks if that eases your transition to our new normal. Those customers who are vaccinated can go maskless in accordance with the State's new guidelines. We ask, as always, that all our customers be respectful of others' choices and trust that we as a community have our neighbors' well-being at heart.

Thank you again for your patience as we all work our way through this together!
Pam Pescosolido
owner, The Bookloft