SHAYNA: TO THE NORTH OF PITTSFIELD, WILLIAMS FIELD AND A FESTIVAL, TO THE SOUTH, SUMMERS INSTITUTIONS.
ANTHONY: PITTSFIELD ITSELF LONG MARCH TO A DIFFERENT ECONOMY, A COMPANY TOWN.
♪ ANTHONY: MORE THAN 12,000 WORKERS ONCE PUNCHED THE CLOCK AT THESE GENERAL ELECTRIC BUILDINGS IN PITTSFIELD.
ONE BY ONE, THE FACTORIES CLOSED UP.
BY THE 1990’S, PITTSFIELD WAS DEVASTATED.
CHRONIC UNEMPLOYMENT, A COLLAPSED HOUSING ENVIRONMENT AND POISONED ENVIRONMENT.
IT WAS ENOUGH TO SCARE THE NATIONAL OTHERS OFF.
>> WE FOUND NEVER TO COME BACK.
ANTHONY: BUT WHEN THE COMPANY THEY LAUNCHED IN BOSTON NEEDED MORE SPACE, BACK THEY CAME, LURED BY EMPTY WAREHOUSES.
THEY FOUND A TOWN WORKING HARD TO CHANGE ITS TUNE.
>> THE TOWN IS TOTALLY TRANSFORMED FROM WHEN WE CAME HERE.
CULTURALLY, IT IS RICH.
WE ARE SURROUNDED BY INCREDIBLE CULTURE HERE.
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF PLAYERS IN THE CREATIVE ECONOMY IN PITTSFIELD.
ANTHONY: MITCH AND SETH NASH HAS PLAYED THEIR PART IN CREATING A NEW, CREATIVE PITTSFIELD.
THEIR COMPANY, BLUE Q.
>> WE ARE A GIFT MANUFACTURER.
WE MAKE EVERYTHING FROM CHEWING GUM, RECYCLED SHOPPING BAGS, SOCKS, AND SANITIZERS.
THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE IN COMMON IS THEY WERE READY TO GET REDONE SOMEHOW AND SCRAMBLED UP AND TURNED UPSIDE DOWN AND RECAST IN AN ENTERTAINING WAY.
ANTHONY: THEIR PRODUCTS ARE UNMISTAKABLE.
A LITTLE BIT RETRO AND FINALLY RIDICULOUS.
CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTS WRAPPED IN CHEEKY, ARTFUL PACKAGING.
>> THAT’S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT OUR BUSINESS, OUR PRODUCT IS NOT A COMMODITY.
NO ONE SAYS I CAN BUY THIS FOR $.20 LESS.
NOBODY ELSE MAKES THIS.
YOU ARE GOING TO BUY IT OR NOT.
ANTHONY: AND BY IT THEY DO.
THEIR FIRST PRODUCTS, LONG SHOULD IN 1988, UNEXPECTEDLY SOLD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS.
SINCE THEN, IT HAS BECOME A CULT BRAND WITHOUT SPENDING A CENT IN ADVERTISING.
THEY HAVE DOUBLED IN SIZE THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH REVENUES IN THE TENS OF MILLIONS.
AT THE ASSEMBLY AND SHIPPING WAREHOUSE, MUCH OF THE HAND WORK IS DONE BY FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES.
>> TURNOVER IS ZERO.
WE HAVE PEOPLE DOWN THERE WITH THIS FOR 15 OR 20 YEARS.
ANTHONY: THE BLUE Q WORKPLACE IS LOOSE AND OPEN IN EVERY SENSE.
THE ONLY DOORS ARE ON THE BATHROOMS.
>> THIS IS A GOOD FIVE PLACE, -- GOOD VIBE PLACE.
GETTING EVERYONE INVOLVED IN MAKING IT FEEL LIKE A BAND.
THERE IS NO LEADER IN THE BAND REALLY.
WE GET EVERYONE INVOLVED IN PLAYING THE TUNE.
ANTHONY: IN THE SAME BUILDIG, ANOTHER HOT COMPANY.
>> YOU MIND IF I TELL THEM HOW WE MAKE FIRE CIDER?
WE START WITH ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR.
ANTHONY: FIRE CIDER, MADE WITH APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, HOT PEPPERS AND ROOTS AND FRUITS.
A TOUGH SELL FOR FIRST-TIMERS.
>> THEY SEEM CONFUSED.
IT IS AN EDUCATIONAL MISSION WE ARE ON.
THE BEST OPTION WE HAVE IS GETTING PEOPLE TO TRY IT.
THEY HAVE WHAT I CALL A LIGHTBULB MOMENT.
YOU CAN ALMOST SEE, I GET IT NOW.
AS THEY EXPERIENCE THE FLAVOR.
ANTHONY: FANS OF FIRE CIDER CLAIM THE HERBAL CONCOCTION HELPED BY JUSTIN, A NEW SYSTEM AND EVEN ENERGY LEVEL.
A SMALL BATCH MADE ITS DEBUT AT HOLIDAY CRAFT SHOW AT SHIRES THAT HE SANCTUARY.
IT DID NOT -- AT SHIRE CITY SANCTUARY.
IT DID NOT TAKE LONG TO REALIZE THEY HAD A HIT.
>> PEOPLE WERE COMING TO MY HOUSE AND SAYING I WANT TO REFILL MY BOTTLE.
WE WERE TOTALLY UNPREPARED.
[LAUGHTER] >> OK, WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE MORE.
ANTHONY: TODAY, FIRE CIDER CAN BE FOUND IN MORE THAN 1000 DIFFERENT HEALTH FOOD STORES AND CO-OPS, AS WELL AS WHOLE FOODS MARKET YOUR BUT THE FIRST WHOLESALE ACCOUNT, DOTTIE’S
COFFEE LOUNGE.
>> SHE FOUND OUT WE WERE MAKING FIRE CIDER AND SHE WAS LIKE, SIGN ME UP.
THAT IS INDICATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY IN PITTSFIELD, EVERYBODY IS SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER, WHICH IS WHY IT IS SUCH A NICE PLACE TO BE IN BUSINESS AND LIVE.
SHAYNA: IN 2012, SHIRE CITY HERBALS, THE MAKER OF FIRE CIDER, THEY TRADEMARKED THE NAME IN IT STARTED A LEGAL BATTLE ONGOING TODAY.
ANTHONY: A LOT OF HERBALISTS SAY IT IS A COMMON NAME FOR AN HERBAL REMEDY AND NO ONE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE IT.
THE COURTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SORT THAT OUT.
MEANWHILE, SHIRE CITY HERBALS HAS EXPANDED TO 1600 OUTLETS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA.
SHAYNA: PITTSFIELD HAS DEFINITELY ARRIVED.
THERE IS A FIVE STAR HOTEL IN TOWN.
>> EVERY ROOM IS UNIQUE AND EVERY ROOM IS FABULOUS.