Great Barrington — JWS Art Supplies, previously located at 38 Railroad Street, will be moving to 291 Main Street in the fall.
The store will occupy the space that previously housed Evergreen Fine American Crafts. Evergreen operated for 44 years, including 34 years at its Main Street location, until owner Barbara Faecher Watkin announced that she would be closing the store in March.
Tom Levin is the owner of JWS Art Supplies, as well as Tom’s Toys, which is located at 297 Main Street.
“The main reason we’re moving is because we need much more space,” Levin told The Berkshire Edge. “We’re a little crowded where we are now. The other reason is because I would like to move the store to the building that I own.”
According to the town’s property database, Levin has owned the building, officially located at 293 Main Street, since July 2021 under the name Tom’s Toys Realty. Levin has operated Tom’s Toys since 1996, and he has also operated JWS Art Supplies since 2000.
Levin was raised in New York City but has been in and out of Berkshire County since the 1960s. He moved to the area full time in 1985. “I am very committed to Great Barrington,” Levin said. “I would like to think that both stores have endured for so long because we do such a good job at what we do. We offer items that you can’t get from Amazon, Walmart, or any other big box store. And much of that is personal service and advice.”
Levin said that JWS Art Supplies would move to its new Main Street location some time in October.
