Great Barrington — After six years in the Berkshires, the gypsies are moving on. The Weller clan, proprietors of the Gypsy Joynt at 293 Main St. across the intersection from Railroad Street, has decided to relocate the restaurant down to Galveston, Texas, the hometown of co-owner Lori Weller. Gypsy Joynt will close its doors on Sunday, April 24.
“What made the decision was our lease is up,” said Weller, “so we decided to make it another gypsy move and pack up.”
Though the Joynt’s final business day is just over a week away, Weller said the decision to close was not made lightly. “This has been a great town. We’ve been well received. Everybody has been like extended family here. I feel wrong in a lot of ways on leaving, but I just have to go home. It’s like my wanderlust is over.”
At the time of its 2009 move to the Berkshires, the Weller family –– consisting then of co-owners Keith and Lori, their five children, a grandchild, and a son-in-law –– had spent 10 years operating a restaurant in North Carolina. The gypsies had set up shop on Old Stockbridge Road across from the K mart plaza, where the Meat Market is now. Weller said the decision to try Massachusetts was “an Arlo Guthrie groupie kind of thing.” After her son Jordan’s first pop concert, Weller thought it was important for him to learn about folk and roots music. She took him to see a Guthrie family concert, after which he learned to sing and play the guitar and wanted to visit the Guthrie Center. Of her first time in Great Barrington, Weller said she “sat on a bench and watched the town for hours. We were moving our restaurant in town in North Carolina and decided ‘why not just move it where we really like?’”
Two years later, in April of 2011, the Wellers moved their homestyle cooking and funkelic sensibility to downtown Great Barrington, to the center of town on Main Street and to far larger quarters where they established a popular restaurant and music scene. And the family had grown to include a daughter-in-law and two more grandchildren, all of whom will be making the trek to Texas.
“Everything has to be packed,” said Weller. “We have five apartments. We have a restaurant full of stuff.”
The Wellers’ other business, the Gypsy Joynt Clothing Co., will also be relocated to Texas. A third Weller venture, the barcade on Bridge Street known as the Gypsy Joynt Jive, closed its doors in November after being open just a year and a half. Weller said it was hard to keep up with two businesses so similar in nature.
In addition to giant cinnamon buns and a cozy hippie vibe, the Gypsy Joynt is known for its eclectic live music nights. “Leaving the music is going to be one of the hardest things. The bands are like family to us.” The Joynt’s last weekend will include performances from Highland on Thursday, April 21; Wes Buckley and the Chums on Friday, April 22, and Lovan on Saturday, April 23. As for whether or not a major event is planned for the final night, Jordan Weller said, “I’m going to do something. I might do it pizza party-style. It’ll probably be a bunch of bands all day.”
