Tu Le did not set out to become a serial entrepreneur in the Berkshires’ North County. In 2014, he was a Pittsburgh-based project manager with an ever-growing community garden as a hobby. When a devastating fire claimed Le’s house, forcing his husband Matt Bertles to escape by flinging himself from a third-story window, the couple decided to “set out to live the good life.”
Inspired by Helen and Scott Nearing, influential authors of “Living the Good Life” and pioneers of the homesteading movement, Le and Bertles were heading to Burlington, Vermont, to scout homes when they “decided to get off the turnpike, drive through the Berkshires—and then we never left,” Le reminisces.
The couple settled in Williamstown, where they began the homestead that would form the basis of a growing number of local businesses. 328North is the name of their vegetable and flower farm. It is also a boutique in Greylock WORKS that supplies their pop-up catering events and, most recently, a Vietnamese cafe at 90 Main Street in North Adams, open for breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday.
Le’s farming focuses heavily on Vietnamese fruits and vegetables, which became a cornerstone of his CSA program. “The farm has always been the foundation for the work that both Matt and I do, as artists, as creators,” Le explains. “But I’m also a designer and chef, and Matt’s a writer, and so all the work we still do now—the farm is the base for that.”
Their CSA was unique in being “recipe-based,” a necessity born from Le’s cultivation of specialty Vietnamese produce that many members were unfamiliar with. This approach not only educated their customers but also fostered a broader conversation about local food systems. “We’re really starting a conversation about what farm-to-table is and how it’s culminated in this,” Le says.
The couple’s commitment to the local food ecosystem extended beyond their farm. With each recipe, they would suggest other local farms where CSA members could source proteins, such as Square Roots Farm in Lanesborough and East Mountain Farm in Williamstown. This collaborative approach resonated with the community, resulting in about four dozen CSA members “with a huge waiting list of, like, 80 people,” Le notes.
Collaboration and community engagement
Le’s approach to business is deeply rooted in collaboration and community engagement in the North County, each venture is designed to enhance local spaces and bring people together. He also presents carefully curated experiences, whether when serving Vietnamese street food on the deck at Tu’sday @ Tourists (Tuesdays in July and August) or in his new role as food director for the Adams Theater, where he is working with founder Yina Moore on building a kitchen and elevated concession program.
“It has to be in line with our storytelling,” Le explains. This philosophy extends beyond food to the 328North Studio at Greylock WORKS, which he describes as “a gallery for our artwork but also a retail space for design collaborations I have.” For example, he stocks “candles I use for event work—made by Berkshire Candle in Pittsfield—that are very specific to the sense I want.”
Like many small businesses, 328North has had to adapt to changing circumstances. Originally planning a flower CSA, Le pivoted to vegetables due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He ran the vegetable CSA for two years, then transitioned back to a flower CSA for the spring and summer. This year, he opted to pause both the summer CSA and wedding flower services to focus on the 328North Cafe at 90 Main Street.
The idea for the cafe emerged from observing the success of an earlier pop-up in the same circa-1960s building (formerly a TD Bank) now being managed by Karla Rothstein and Sal Perry, the developers of Greylock WORKS. Through their design firm and incubator, LATENT, Rothstein and Perry aim to make 90Main (the venture named after the street address) the cornerstone of a revitalization of downtown North Adams by using it to host temporary businesses. Recognizing the community’s desire for a vibrant business on Main Street, Le saw an opportunity to create something more permanent.
Because for Le, his businesses are more than just commercial ventures; they’re a means of reinvigorating communities. “The pop-ups are great because they’re like chapters and stories,” Le reflects, “but the permanence is important because we’re employing people.” Le currently has one full-time and five part-time employees. His ambition is clear: “The ultimate goal is for that number to triple in the next year or two.”
While he aspires to make the cafe a permanent fixture, the future location remains uncertain. It’s slated to run at 90Main until the end of August, with plans to extend it into late September. However, the outdoor-only seating poses a challenge as the Berkshire winter approaches.
But Le believes the business “needs to be kept alive year-round for the town. If people feel the town is invigorated, they’re more likely to stay.” He’s witnessed firsthand the cafe’s positive impact on the area: “You’re invested in a community that has been activated. This street is bustling—Wednesdays during the week, it’s really spreading.”
Through his diverse array of businesses, Le not only showcases his Vietnamese heritage and culinary skills but also contributes to the economic and cultural vibrancy of the northern Berkshires. That’s especially true at 328North Cafe. His enthusiasm is palpable as he describes plans for a seasonal menu, transitioning from summer sandwiches to hearty stews and soups in the winter. Constantly innovating, Le is even considering a dual-purpose space that would operate as a cafe during the day and Vietnamese fine dining in the evening.
Farm-based businesses have their own unique challenges. “I just lost a whole row of corn I was growing for the Williamstown Theatre Festival,” Le shares. While other farms can help fill the gap, the loss was particularly disappointing as Le was “growing very specific Japanese baby corn” for a dish he wanted to make. A recent storm wiped out the entire crop, highlighting the risks inherent in their farm-to-table model.
Reflecting on his journey since first planting trees in Williamstown in 2014, Le acknowledges the learning curve. “Mistakes are a big part of our portfolio,” he confides when asked if he would do things differently looking back over 10 years. “We can’t go backward, we can only go forward, so whatever happened yesterday, you’ve got to build a bridge and move on.”
That resilient attitude has served Le well, especially in the unpredictable world of farming. “Mother Nature’s in control of how we farm,” he notes. This perspective informs his approach to business and community-building as well. “I think having a Vietnamese cafe here in North Adams is really great. Having it year-round would also be great,” Le says of his desire to become a permanent fixture of Main Street in North Adams. Meanwhile, residents and visitors can enjoy a banh mi and a Vietnamese coffee all summer long.
