New eatery coming to Great Barrington

The Triplex’s Sam Handel, left, turns over the keys to restaurateur Josh Irwin.
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The Triplex’s Sam Handel, left, turns over the keys to restaurateur Josh Irwin.
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Berkshire County restaurateur Josh Irwin will open a unique food establishment in a space adjacent to the Triplex Cinema.
“I was looking for something on a different scale, something much more accessible, simple,” said Irwin, “but with a real systematic approach in mind.”
Plans call for a 550-square-foot space, accessible from both the interior of the Triplex and the exterior on the Triplex patio via a takeout window.
Juju’s will open in May to kick off the summer season. The Triplex patio will be open for outdoor eating in the warmer weather.
“There will be tables inside the theater lobby and upstairs,” said Irwin. “In the spring, summer and fall, we’re going to deck out the patio with tables and chairs, try and pump some energy into that space.”
Irwin and his wife, Emily, rose to fame in the Berkshires as the chef and owners of the beloved New Marlborough hotspot Cantina 229, which closed in February 2023 after nearly eight years in business.
Irwin is also a partner in the popular Mooncloud cocktail bar, located around the corner from the Triplex on Railroad Street, and is also embarking on a number of other new local food-related ventures.
The fast-casual food concept of Juju’s will feature a specially created popcorn-sized fried chicken as well as popcorn-sized fried vegetable treats, two salads packed with items, and Irwin’s beloved soft serve ice cream in cones and cups.
“I don’t mess around when it comes to flavor, and with a very concentrated menu, I’m excited to land some pretty awesome flavors right off the bat and keep them coming bright and strong,” Irwin said.
Also on the menu will be homemade mint iced tea and lemongrass lemonade. Additional beverages will be available in the adjoining Triplex lobby.
Emily Edelman contributed to this article.
The HVRHS boys rejoice around Jackson McAvoy after he scored the game-winning goal against Shepaug with just two minutes left to play.
WASHINGTON — Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s boys varsity soccer team advanced to the Berkshire League tournament final after a 1-0 win over Shepaug Valley High School in the semifinal game on Friday, Oct. 24.
Jackson McAvoy scored the game-winning goal with just two minutes remaining.
The victory marked HVRHS boys soccer’s first victory over Shepaug since 2020.
“Finally,” said HVRHS Coach Adolfo Portillo after the game.
HVRHS will play top-ranked Nonnewaug High School in the BL final. Nonnewaug advanced to the title game by beating Northwestern Regional High School in penalty kicks (4-3) after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
The championship game will be played at Nonnewaug beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28.

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Students dressed in neon lined the soccer field for senior night under the lights on Thursday, Oct. 16. The game against Lakeview was the last in a series of competitions Thursday night in celebration of Homecoming 2025.
As homecoming week reaches its end and fall sports finish out the season, an air of school spirit and student participation seems to be on the rise across Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
But what can be attributed to this sudden peak of student interest? That’s largely due to SGA. Also known as the Student Government Association, SGA has dedicated itself to creating events to bring the entire student body together. This year, they decided to change some traditions.
Spirit week from Oct. 14-17 was unlike those of the previous years. From wearing Housatonic merch to Boomer vs Baby day, this year’s spirit week held a little friendly competition to see which grade could participate the most.
“I think that students are bored of the same old activities and events, so it’s good to switch things up even slightly to incentivize interest within students,” said SGA president and senior Mollie Ford. “Plus the point system is super beneficial because it gives students a reason to participate.”
The school spirit sentiment can be seen outside of just the school. Senior Simon Markow is known for his photography throughout the community, and has dedicated time to help Housy sports teams’ social media posts.
“Since I’ve started photography, I think school attendance [at sports games] has gone up,” Markow said. “I feel this year, students will be more aware of games and are more likely to be at the games.”
Whether it’s a pink-out volleyball game or an under the lights soccer match, it’s likely you’ll see some familiar faces.
Social media has played a large role in this over the years. Almost every student organization at Housatonic has an Instagram account, and it’s helped reach students more efficiently than a poster or email would.
“The increase of social media use, with the help from me but as well as the teams themselves has definitely increased student interest,” Markow said. “With Housy teams posting more about their upcoming games, and my help showing the cool goals, spikes, or touchdowns, it’s enlightened students to watch the games themselves.”
In a small school, promoting pride has proven to be a challenge. But this year’s senior class has made some adjustments in the hopes to change that.
“The SGA community has spent the last few years really focusing on student participation, because we think it’s the students who contribute to a better climate,” Ford said. While Housatonic’s student body may be small in size, it seems they certainly aren’t small in spirit.