Northampton’s Business Improvement District, created last month by the city council, has endured significant opposition, including about half the potential property owners choosing not to join, a lawsuit alleging it was created in violation of state law, and a protest march through downtown which resulted in two arrests.

(A correction to an error in this article is in the "comments" section at the bottom of this page.)

Food co-ops keep consumers’ money in the local community, unlike chain supermarkets like Stop and Shop or Price Chopper. The Greenfield food co-op opened in 1980; the Brattleboro one, also in business for decades, is the size of a small supermarket.