One of the positive aspects of these spotlights is that you get to meet the people behind the businesses. Gone are the days of flashing neon signs, obnoxious adverts, and people dressed in costumes waving at commuters. There is such a thing as marketing fatigue and in this day and age, the old fashioned method of advertising is a fossil. A faith based method that is assumed to work. How many of us hear an ad on television or radio and change the channel?

There has been a subtle change. No one cares about bells, whistles, bright flashing signs, and “ad-talk.” We’ve built an immunity and grown to mistrust this form of advertising for the most part. To build trust, rapport or confidence we want to hear what OTHER people are saying. We want to read testimonials. We want to meet the people behind the businesses. We want a relationship with people we are going to give our money to.

How many times have you heard an advert from Care Free Homes? What do you know about them beside the services they offer? If you’ve followed through and actually hired them, you will of course, know more. However, if you haven’t, you would want to know more about them before you used them, wouldn’t you? Who are they? Why have they chosen this line of work? Are they passionate about it and love doing what they do? What do they do for the community?

These are all things we want to know. It places what is most important first, instead of last: people. People are the best asset any company has. Treating your staff right, trickles down to the customer, because a happy staff goes the extra mile, love their job, and that energy is what customers will see.

This is exactly the sort of thing that fuels Care Free Homes. It starts at the top and trickles down through the staff to the customer. Loving what you do and have tremendous pride in that is infectious and if you are a company that places people – staff and customers first you WILL succeed. The mission statement should not be to make a ton of money, it should be people first. The money follows.

This is something that is understood all too well at Care Free Homes. In fact, the Pickup family who own and operate Care Free Homes, made it abundantly clear that the spotlight didn’t promote or push sales, but showcased WHO they are and WHY they do what they do. They wanted the South Coast to know that their support for the community is a deeply committed one. That veterans have a soft spot with them and they appreciate what the armed forces do. That they happily give to local charities, give away roofs in their “No Roof Left Behind” program (a community voted program where a free roof is given away), offer $250 rebates with “Roofs for Troops,” and a $25,000 Home Makeover which included a new roof, vinyl siding, and windows. They offer a variety of ways for everyone to benefit from the many discounts they offer. They do these things, not because they have to, but because they WANT to.

Why are these things important to the Pickup family and their extended family, the staff? Because they grew up right here. This is their community. They have been here for generations and will continue to be here. They raise and are raising family here. Their kids play sports in these schools. Care Free Homes has been in Fairhaven for almost 4 decades.

You’ll spot not only Dana’s sons, but his veteran craftsman brother Bob, and Nate’s wife Stephanie who serves as the Marketing Director. Who is the extended family? I’ll use Stephanie’s words, since I can’t improve upon them: “Kerri Finnerty is our customer service representative, Erin is one of our marketing gals, and Joe Martone is our favorite, blue eyed sun-room guy. We’re all Pisces which explains why we happily share office space! Haha!” In addition, they have an extended family in manager and human resources personnel Andrea Caruso and customer service rep and marketing coordinator Erin Conner.

The company got its start 37 years ago when current President Dana Pickup, Sr., after realizing there was a local need for a quality, reliable home improvement company. Give the people what they want. Initially, Dana’s company was a small roofing, siding, and window business run entirely out of his dining room, before it evolved into the full service home improvement and construction company it is today.

Within a year, word spread that Dana Pickup had something special and he outgrew the humble dining room office. Eventually he purchased and remodeled an old farmhouse and they have been their ever since. Today his sons Nathan ( Company Vice President), Russell (Sales Manager), and Dana Jr. (Project Manager) are partners in the business. But it doesn’t stop there – if you need some convincing on whether one of the South Coast’s largest home improvement companies is family owned and operated, just take a gander at the company’s about page.

The veterans programs and discounts are a direct product of Company Vice President, Nate Pickups military service. After earning his bachelor’s degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1997, he served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army and had tours in Bosnia and Afghanistan. After serving as a commissioned officer for 5 years, he returned home to work in the family business yet continued to serve in the Massachusetts Army National Guard.

Nate and Stephanie – who is also the co-founder/author of Our Heroes’ Tree, a national initiative and e-book which honors the service and sacrifice of the nation’s military and their families – have a soft spot for military personnel and their backgrounds not only define who they are, but define their business ethic. This why they offer these steep discounts and run programs where they give away roofs worth tens of thousands of dollars. In fact, talking with Stephanie one day, she seemed genuinely bummed out that she hadn’t found a way to give away an entire home. Her eyes lit up with the possibility of doing something like that.

If the Pickup men are the muscle and brains of the operation, Stephanie is the heart and brains of the company. She simply does not mention Care Free Homes without bringing up anecdotes about the people the company has touched through the discounts, Roofs for Troops and other programs. In fact, she virtually fought back tears when sharing many anecdotes about the homemade cars, notes, and gratitude she gets frequently. She feels that seeing firsthand the dramatic effect a new room, roof, or renovation has on a family’s life is the most rewarding aspect of her job.

One anecdote in particular even got me a little teary-eyed. I also have a soft spot for the military, particularly older veterans, so it doesn’t take much. When Care Free Homes ran their “No Roof Left Behind” program, a WWII veteran’s son nominated his dad to win the free roof. When 94 year old Manuel Leite got wind of it, he made his son call Care Free Homes’ office and strike his name from the list. The veteran didn’t want something he didn’t work for, and felt that it would be better if someone else who needed it, got the roof.

Stephanie wanted to talk to the veteran herself to see if she couldn’t convince him to remain in the drawing, but he didn’t budge an inch. “Fighting” a WWII Marine veteran is a losing battle – that is one dog that has no quit.

As I mentioned above, Stephanie has a huge heart and was in no way letting this veteran ride off into the sunset. She was as determined to honor this amazing individual as he was in refusing it. She contacted friend and coordinator of the Fairhaven Veteran’s Day Parade, Gerry Payette to see what could be done.

It was decided that Leite, who was shot through the lung while invading Saipan and was awarded the Purple Heart, would represent all WWII veterans as the Parade Marshal in the Fairhaven Veteran’s Day parade this year. Unfortunately, as we all know, rain canceled this year’s parade. Like the trooper that Mr. Leite is, he simply responded with a “Looks like I’ll have to stick around for another year!”

This type of compassion and empathy characterizes the Pickup Family. They don’t separate who they are who what they do. They treat their employees and customers as extended family. They love waking up each day and doing what they do and have a deep passion for it. And it shows in stories like this one.

You may be thinking “All that is fine and dandy, but at the end of the day, are they qualified, are they reputable and are they affordable?”

Care Free Homes has been an A+ member of the Better Business Bureau for over 20 years, they are fully licensed and insured in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, have received the GAF Consumer Protection Excellence Award, a Best of Houzz for Service Award, and 10 consecutive Great Reviews Badge on Guild Quality.

The entire family and extended families biographies and qualifications can be read on the About Page. The university degrees, credentials, qualifications and decades of experience are simply too numerous to list.

Suffice it to say, that if you are a homeowner seeking a local, quality home improvement and construction contractor, especially roofing, siding, and window services, you couldn’t find a more qualified, knowledgeable and experienced company. roofing, siding, and window services. If you are looking for guarantees, Care Free Homes, won’t take a penny from you until the project is complete and you are satisfied. In fact, they would never take a deposit for any of our exterior home improvement projects. That’s putting money where your mouth is. They are that confident in what they do.

All the product warranties are backed by a 10 year workmanship guarantee. As GAF MasterElite, Harvey Elite Series and Mastic Elite contractors – they offer warranties to their customers that a handyman in a truck could never provide.

Looking for a deal or discount? If you are serving in the military, you are eligible for the $250 Roofs For Troops Rebate and military discounts. Not in the military? Inquire about their Fall into Winter Savings which can save up to $2,500 or get free financing for a year. The website is jam packed with a full list of services and high quality products that they offer . In addition, you can schedule a FREE quote online. Of course, you can get a good idea of what Care Free Homes is from their website, but nothing beats talking to a living, breathing, person. Remember days when customer service had live people?

Since the entire company is comprised of locals, you will likely recognize someone from this article. They buy local, play local, are always at local events, and of course, supporting their children at local sporting events. Of course, the best way to get an idea of who they are, what Care Free Homes does, why they have been so successful at doing it, is to give them a call and meet someone from the family. No impersonal website, no automated voices, no corporate sales people – family.

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Care Free Homes Spotlight
239 Huttleston Avenue
Fairhaven, Ma
Phone: 508-997-1111 or Toll Free: 1-800-407-1111
Email: info@carefreehomescompany.com

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri: 8:00am-5:00pm

Facebook: facebook.com/carefreehomes
Website: carefreehomescompany.com/

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I know you are probably thinking “A travel agency?” Yes, a travel agency! Sure, they are as ubiquitous as coffee chains, gas stations, cell phone stores and pajama pants – but, lend me your ear…er…eyes.

Commonplace is a good thing. We live in a capitalist society and that means, for any business to survive when the services they offer can be found readily, they must competitively price these services and products. The consumers win. Once the prices bottom out and every business is on the same page, what then separates a business is the quality of service and the products. Another win for consumers.

Not everyone gets this. You’d be surprised how many business owners don’t. They abide by the maxim “Location, location, location.” as if it’s the “be all, end all.” It’s certainly a fine start. Superlative customer service, frequent and intelligent marketing, and high quality products need to accompany that maxim or that business is doomed to fail.

When a business owner is aware of this and dives headlong into offering these things, their business will make all the others look like hacks, amateurs, and ham ‘n eggers. Recently, a travel agency made headlines for taking a number of people’s down payments for trips, and high-tailing it, so it’s good to let people know which businesses take theses things seriously. And it’s even better to recognize businesses and business owners who consistently offer affordable prices, professional, warm service, and have integrity and pride in doing what it is they do.

One of these businesses is Somerset Tours & Travels, owned and operated by Kathleen Scallon. Kathleen retired from the U.S.P.S. as a letter carrier in 2007 and was in a position where she had to decide on a new career path. She thought to herself “If I had hit the lottery and didn’t need to work for money, what would I do?” The answer was an instantaneous one: Kathleen’s fondest memories in life revolve around travel. In fact, before becoming a letter carrier straight out of high school, she attended and graduated from Johnson & Wales with a Travel & Tourism Marketing Degree. Life just seemed to take her into another direction.

Now, she could reconnect with that passion that she had put on the back-burner for decades. She started to rekindle this passion by taking a gig at a travel agency in Rhode Island for a few years. She attended every class she could from here to Florida, with the goal to stay current in the industry, learn about the newest technology and hottest destinations. In spite of amassing a number of certificates along the way, her eagerness to learn has never waned and she continues attending these seminars and courses.

She is assisted by a number of independent travel advisors. Susan LePage and Wendy Roberge who are veterans with more than 40 years combined in the industry. Wendy is a special needs teacher in New Bedford, is studying and actively training to be a travel adviser. Susan Lepage is a 30 year experienced travel agent and very knowledgeable in many areas. Her daughter, Kayla Freeborn who has first-hand experience having traveled all over the world, first with Royal Caribbean Cruise ships as a principle Figure Skater, now as a Flight Attendant for American Airlines. There is even a Disney specialist, Deanna Whitten, a golf specialist Connie Palagi, who has golfed in the most beautiful golf courses in the US and Europe. They have all the angles covered!

She recently added to her team world renowned traveler, Bryce “Catch me if you can!” Gruwell, who spent 6 years touring with “Holiday On Ice” throughout Europe AND Asia, Bryce is also an American Airline’s flight attendant. This guy knows everything there is to know about every major city in Europe, the best places to eat, where NOT to go eat, where you simply have to visit, all the “must dos” and “must don’ts.”

Kathleen and the staff at Somerset Tours & Travel simply want to reach those people who have the same love for traveling, especially those who incorrectly think that it can’t be done affordably. They see travel as a way to experience life in a deep way. While a vacation may only be a few days long, the memories formed at these destinations with some of the most important people in your life, will absolutely last a lifetime.

They want people to know that you should go to those places and have those types of vacations that you DREAM about. They feel that the wrong way to approach a vacation is “What can we afford?” Kathleen and crew want to find a way to change your initial question to “We can go anywhere on the planet. Where do we want to go?” They will find a way to make your dream vacation happen and feel it shouldn’t be any other way. You can go anywhere you wish!

They are so determined to prove this point that they offer payment plans for as far out as two years in advance. In addition, Somerset Tours & travels offer a Best Fare Guarantee (BFG) Program – they will beat any competitor’s rate for the same package. All you have to do is show them a written quote for the same vacation – of course, you will have to confirm a reservation with Somerset Tours & Travel. It doesn’t stop there – they will not only match it, but give you a $25 Visa gift card or perhaps even a $100 one!

“What is value?” started Kathleen when asked about affordability. “Getting more than you pay for: it’s not getting it cheaper, it’s getting it better at the best rate possible. There is a huge difference between great value and the cheapest price. As the old saying goes ‘You get what you pay for!’ We hold our clients hands if need be – we want to remove all concerns and allow them to enjoy themselves. From the planning stage until they arrive safely home. Your vacation is not only a huge investment but a lifetime of memories.”

So whether you’re thinking of a tropical paradise, a European vacation on the Rhine or Danube, a romantic getaway, a historic trek or an exotic adventure in Africa or Asia, Somerset Tours & Travels wants to make that happen. Of course, there are other reasons besides “Just to get away.” for getting out there – Somerset Tours & Travel will help you with your honeymoon registry, special needs travelers, a specific cruise line or air carrier, gift certificates or anything “extra.”

How determined? Kathleen has actually driven customers to Logan Airport herself to make sure it happens. That’s customers with an “s”!

The job of a travel agent is not only to make your dream vacation happen in an affordable way, but remove all the worries and time consumption of arranging these trips. Otherwise, you would just do it yourself. Somerset Tours & Travels gets promotions from their vendors on a daily basis. They need to fill the buses, planes, and resorts and when they don’t fill, they have to offer steep discounts.

Beyond all the deals, discounts and service is a burning passion. I know – I drone on about having passion in these spotlights, but it’s integral to a business and to customer service. In my opinion, it’s the foundation for success. When you discover a business full of people who love their job, you know that you are going to get taken care, perhaps get more than you asked or paid for. You get that at Somerset Tours & Travels. You don’t have to take my word for it, you can read the reviews of satisfied customers. A perfect 5 stars!

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Somerset Tours & Travel Spotlight
1016 County Street
Somerset, Massachusetts
Phone: (774) 365-4288
Email: Kate@somersettours.com

Hours of Operation:
Mon, Tue, Thurs, & Fri: 10:00am-7:00pm
Wed: 12:00pm-4:00pm
Sat: 10:00am-5:00pm
Sun: By Appointment

CTA (Certified Travel Associate), member of ASTA, (American Society of Travel Agents), IATA ( the IATA Card is the ONLY globally recognized industry credential for the travel professional. CLIA ( Criuise Line International Association)
Facebook: facebook.com/somersettravel
Website: somersettours.com/

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Does your best friend need a little exercise or behavior adjustment? Want him to learn some “tricks”? Learn to develop his “nose”? Feel like he sits around too much and doesn’t get enough challenge physically and mentally? Back in March we told everyone about MJ’s Pet Training Academy in a spotlight article. MJ’s is the South Coast’s #1 destination for our pets to get exercise, develop social skills, remove anxiety, aggressiveness, and nervousness, and just be happy little campers.

MJ’s helps pets with their obedience, manners, impulse control and behaviors using a system based in positive reinforcement, enrichment and activities. Leash walking, confidence building, and even competition fall under her purvey. She offers a variety of courses in private and group sessions, usually based on your best friend’s personality and needs. There is a puppy essentials class for those furry friends new to the world and an obstacle course based Canine Freestyle class. And if Rex or Princess need a haircut, MJ’s offers full service grooming which goes beyond a cut and a bath, and include Paw Pad Treatment, Hand Stripping, Dead Sea Mineral Mud Scrub, and Specialty Scissoring. A one stop shop!

Since the spotlight, owner Melissa Viera has been quite busy making connections and bonding with hundreds of owners and their pets. It’s no wonder, since Melissa and her staff are animal lovers through and through and Melissa herself is as affable a person as you will ever meet. Melissa’s life revolves around her love for animals, so it should come as no surprise that when she has free time, it’s spent writing about animals for magazine publications. She has been featured in a number of well-known publications including Entrepreneur, Pet Guide, Groomer and others. Of course, she frequently contributes to her own blog.

One of the other reasons for MJ’s success is the sheer accessibility of Melissa’s courses. Since these courses are cleverly designed to NOT be date restricted, MJ’s is more accessible than many other places. There’s no fretting because you found out that a course is already underway and you’ve missed its start. You can take the courses at MJ’s at any time – when you and your pet are ready. Winning.

Spending a few moments at MJ’s, seeing the facility, the staff in action or meeting Melissa is enough to fall in love with the place. Melissa is always looking for feedback on how to improve MJ’s Pet Training and the people have spoken and requested that she expand her services. With that in mind Melissa now offers a few new classes:

• Freestyle Heeling: Practice competition level heeling for freestyle, obedience, or just for walking your dog. Pivots, backing up, and more are taught. For a fun twist on heeling freestyle moves and tricks are mixed in. Prerequisites: Dogs in this class must have a good foundation of manners and basic obedience taught in our Manners for Dogs Class.
• Grooming w/ MJ: Between your dog’s spa visits at MJ’s you might be wondering how to best care for their coat, nails, teeth, and ears. In this class you will get professional grooming advice for at home maintenance. Dogs also practice behaviors that help them prepare for both grooming and vet procedures for stress-free visits. Both dogs and puppies of all coat types are welcome. Nail trim and bow or bandanna included with workshop.
• Scent Games: Scent games allows your dog to put their nose to work. Dogs learn to search for target odors with runs ranging in difficulty from easy to challenging. Dogs of all experience levels are welcome to join this class. Scent games is a great way to give your dog a mental workout.

You can sign up or register online for these classes, as with all her classes. New customers must first attend an orientation (free and held monthly), or come in for an evaluation before joining group classes. We can’t have these furry guys and gals beating one another up, so the evaluation of temperament and personality is paramount. These can also be booked online. If the time/day doesn’t appear to be available online it is always worth calling, and Melissa will gladly accommodate you. For dogs who are not yet ready for a group class, or are shy, fearful, or reactive, private lessons are offered.

Because Melissa knows that budgets can be tight and pet training can be a luxury, she is always offering free events, (monitor the website and Facebook for those) deals, and even sweepstakes. Her current sweepstakes is for four $15 gift certificates and runs until November 25th, 2015. All that is required is that you head to her Sweepstakes Page and enter your name an email address and you are entered to win!

As always, we never say take our word for it: see what everyone else is saying. You can find ample testimonials on her website or Facebook. Even better, simply stop in and meet Melissa and staff and see how they interact with all the dogs. You be sold in an instant!

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MJ’s Pet Training Academy
132 South Main St., Suite C6
Acushnet, Massachusetts
Phone: (774) 992-6929
EMail: mjsdogtraining@gmail.com

Facebook: facebook.com/MJsPetTrainingAcademy
Website: mjspettrainingacademy.com/

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We all know what a gun range, accessories and collectibles are, but what in tarnation is a gun orphanage? In a nutshell, it’s a facility that buys unwanted guns and parts. Bachant’s Gun Shop in Lakeville, MA also offers a variety of accessories, and a very eclectic set of guns. Some you simply won’t see anywhere else. They may one-of-a-kind finds, extremely rare, or even a bit strange.

Owner, buyer, personality, Bill Bachant has been in the gun business for 25 years, assisted by son Garrett and Cindy Parola who is in charge of disposition, packing and shipping. The business is a “front” for his passion: all things guns. Strike up a conversation with Bill and that passion will come oozing forth. He loves guns, their history, the craftsmanship and building of them and everything else. In addition, he owns Bachant Builders Inc. and LaForce Realty. Building, Guns and Real Estate!

Stroll through his shop and you will come across many popular guns up for sale. The “expected” standards come and go at some pretty unbelievably affordable prices. Stop in frequently, since Bachant not only offers guns, parts and accessories – he also buys ALL weapons and parts for cash. That means, if you haven’t stopped in for some time, you may miss something rare, unusual or unique.

What are some of the rare or more interesting items Bill has bought that you may come across on a visit? Recently he purchased a Civil War cannon, he once bought a pickup truck load of military gear and gun parts, a dummy flintlock, a dueling kit, a complete inventory from a retired gunsmith, and a cache of guns and parts that included an AK-47, Revolutionary War Musket – 200 guns and 30,000 rounds of ammunition in total.

Have unwanted firearms? Bachant will take them off your hands – everything from BB gun to machine gun, in any condition to boot. Have a beat up firearm? Is it in pieces? No problem, Bachant will take them too. You can get rid of these safely and legally, keeping them from getting into the wrong hands. Bill is a federally licensed Class II manufacturer of firearms, so your junk firearms are “treasures” to him.

Often people, will take their unwanted guns and deposit them at the local police station. Why do that, when you can get paid instead? Contrary to popular belief, you do not need a gun permit to sell the gun to Bachant’s. Don’t feel comfortable transporting it? Cal Bill and he’ll stop by your house and buy everything right on the spot. “We don’t cherry pick. I won’t rummage around. I’ll scoop up everything you have.” Bill told me. Bill is so eager to buy, that he even offers a 10% finder’s fee for $1000 or more in a single pick up. If you have a scoop, let him know.

Reading this article and live some distance from Lakeville? You can mail your firearm and Bachant will send you a check!

Outside of the gun orphanage aspect of the business, Bachant’s offers all the firearms you could possibly be interested in. His website, not only contains his current inventory of shotguns, rifles, pistols, flare guns, BB guns, magazines, clips, optics, and more, but each image contains information and price. You can stop in or shop online and have it shipped to you. As expected, there are some collectibles and antique items to accompany the modern selection.

If you aren’t in the market for a firearm or don’t have something to get rid of, you may be interested in his gun safety classes: NRA Pistol Safety Course or International Small Arms of the World Class. The NRA Pistol Safety Course is necessary for Massachusetts residents to get their Class A license. The class covers the single and double action revolver, semi-automatic pistols, AR-15 and the AK-47. Students get a certificate and study guide.

The International Small Arms of the World Class covers a myriad of firearms like the M-16, AK-47, MP-5, MAC-10, MG-13, RPG7, M-14, FNC, MP-40, Sten, MK2, and many more. This class is 8 hours long and includes lunch, a certificate and one of his “badass” T-shirts.

If none of these interest you, because you already have your firearm collection maxed out, and/or you already are certified and experienced with firearms, you may still be interested because of the edged weapons or hunting accessories Bachant’s offers in the form of safety orange clothing, vinyl Gille suits, camo gear, or woodland Gortex boot covers. In the edged weapons department you will find include bayonets, Chinese fighting claws, or WWI German Ersatz.

As mentioned above, stop in frequently since Bill often purchases something daily. There is always something new on the shelves and there’s always someone seeking the eclectic types of items Bachant’s offers, so if you don’t stop in frequently enough you may miss out on that special something!

Bachant’s Gun Shop has become so popular, that Bill is currently working on opening a retail shop in Lakeville – stay tuned!

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Bachant’s Gun Orphanage
Lakeville, MA
Phone: (508) 295-7712
Email: bgslakeville@gmail.com
“Always Open” online

Facebook: facebook.com/Bachants-Gun-Shop-288873367826028/
Website: bachantsgunshop.com/

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Back in March of last year we told you about North Atlantic Tattoo in a spotlight article. Since then, the response has been overwhelmingly positive and North Atlantic Tattoo has been catapulted into top position when it comes to talent and service. Now booked months out, everyone now knows what we knew: the South Coast has one of the best shops in the country.

Because of the response, current owners Jae and Andrew have expanded their staff to meet the demands of locals. They’ve brought on board Rhode Island native, Tom Butts – who started his apprenticeship at Providence’s Hope Street Tattoo in 2005 under the watchful eyes of Luke Taylor and Matt Brotka.

After a lengthy 3 year apprenticeship he continued to work his craft there until 2010. Sometime around 2008 he began to add Newport’s Anchor Steam Tattoo to his resume, working part-time and eventually switching to a full-time gig. Since then he has traveled as far is Virginia to hone his craft, under some well-known talent including Nate Moretti, TJ Mcinnis, Pete Fortune, Forrest Curl just to name a few.

Tom’s love for art goes so far back, that he can’t recall a time when he wasn’t drawing, painting or creating. In fact, his love for the specific medium of tattooing goes back to his earliest childhood memories when he was surrounded by friends and family who were soldiers and airmen. Growing up, his particular circle of friends – skateboarders and musicians – were bedecked with tattoos, especially those in the Punk Rock scene. This would inspire him to get involved in tattooing as an art-form and had a huge influence on his individual approach to tattooing.

While he is from Rhode Island, Tom has always visited friends in the greater New Bedford area and has always enjoyed New Bedford’s colorful history. He has an affinity for historic New England towns and cities like the Coventry he grew up in, and has always had a fondness for Melville’s ‘Moby Dick.’ So, when he found out there was an opportunity for an artist to develop his craft even further, in one of greater New Bedford’s premier shops – it was a no-brainer. To be around experience and talent of Jae and Andrew’s caliber was something he wouldn’t turn up.

This isn’t the first time Tom has heard of Jae and Andrew – Jae and Tom have been friends for approximately 20 years and he was a mentor to Tom in his early years of tattooing. He met Andrew a couple years ago while he and Jae worked together in Swansea. He has been a friend and fan of Andrew and his work ever since.

So, how would Tom define his style of tattooing? I’ll let his words speak for themselves: “I am primarily a traditional tattoo artist with a heavy nautical background …but I like to think of myself as a jack-of-all trades – though I am not a portrait tattooer. I can take anything and render it into a solid, clean tattoo. I love to do clean, solid, bright, and bold tattoos that will stand the test of time, large or small.”

His tattoos are quintessential American Traditional. Perfect for the blue collar, hard-working person – the one Tom has been around his entire life. His family consists of mostly military, civil servant or tradesman, so working in a geographical region, like New Bedford that is high with these types of professions is important to him.

While Tom sees a lot of people seeking an artist to do their tattoo, he feels the biggest mistake one can do is to look for the cheapest rates around. He feels there should be a balance between art and rate. Since it’s going to be on you for life – one should be willing to pay the right price. Of course, you don’t want to pay a low price and get shoddy workmanship or inversely, pay an exorbitant, over-priced rate, even if it’s perfect art.

Tattooing for Tom is serious business, “it’s not only my job, but its also my life and hobby. A true artisan tattooer takes his work home with him and everywhere in between. We never shut it off. Always drawing, painting, promoting and planning.”

Having said that, he feels having a wide variety of interests and hobbies will indirectly contribute to his artistry by preventing burn-out, and it will also serve to inspire and motivate. Of course, an artist without muses is lost. With that in mind, Tom is an avid outdoors-man, a collector of odd antiques, and even DJ’s regularly. These and other hobbies and interests also help him build rapport with potential and current customers – keeping people comfortable while under the needle, is an important aspect to being a professional, world-class artists. Keeping their mind of the pain and buzzing, helps relax the customer – besides a relationship is just as important as the art.

If you are in the market for some new ink, and love that American Traditional style, you’ll want to stop in and see Tom’s art and meet the man himself. When you the love he has for tattooing and the pride he has in his art and craft, you’ll go nowhere else. But that’s what North Atlantic Tattoo does. One visit and you’ll have no need to go anywhere else in the city.

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North Atlantic Tattoo
1881 Acushnet Ave
New Bedford, Massachusetts
Phone: (774) 202-1973
EMail: northatlantictattoo@gmail.com

Mon, Tues, Fri, & Sat: 10:00am-8:00pm
Wed & Thur: 12:00pm-8:00pm
Sun: By appointment only

Facebook: facebook.com/pages/North-Atlantic-Tattoo/674524539310849
Website: northatlantictattoo.com
Shop Instagram: instagram.com/northatlantictattoo/
Jae’s Instagram: instagram.com/jaeaudette1776/
Andrew’s Instagram: instagram.com/panzzerfaust/
Tom’s Instagram: @tombutts_tattoo
Tom’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tombuttstattoo

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Barely a day passes without guns or gun control being mentioned in the news. These past few years the topic has frequently cropped up in radio, TV and of course, the internet. Since the nation’s battle for independence, there hasn’t been a time when guns and/or gun control has been a hotter topic.

Some Americans are even considering taking another look at the 2nd Amendment and ratifying it – creating quite the bit of discussion, often heated. One aspect of the entire discussion that virtually everyone can agree on, is firearms training. While the mention of firearms often generates a discussion of criminal activity, the vast majority of firearm enthusiasts are law-abiding citizens.

The reasons for owning a gun will, of course, vary from owner to owner. Some use them for hunting, some for a coming Zombie-apocalypse, others for the self-defense. What makes America one of the greatest nations on earth, is our freedoms – freedom to choose why we own a firearm is just one of the many ways to exercise this freedom.

The chance that most of us will encounter a situation where we would have to use a firearm to defend our person, family or home, is quite slim. A more genuine “threat” is the use, misuse of such firearms or lack of training. In addition, the effectiveness of a firearm is either lessened or improved based on the frequency and amount of training.

Lastly, since the amount of time in one’s life spent defending himself/herself with a firearm could be counted in seconds, if at all, the vast majority of enthusiasts become hobbyists – spending time in the field, at the range or in training courses.

One of New England’s premier firearms facilities is Commonwealth Firearms and Training Center, Ltd. located in Somerset. Commonwealth Firearms and Training Center, Ltd. not only sells high-quality firearms, accessories, as well as tackle, but they offer firearms training through a dozen courses. “The courses offered at Commonwealth Firearms & Training Center are designed to build a solid foundation around the safe operation of a pistol, to ensure proper shooting techniques and to meet your specific goals.”

The family owned business is comprised of some of the most experienced staff in the nation. Everyone there has real-world experience with their firearms, either from hunting or police work. All have spent countless hours using their firearms and decades instructing their safe use.

Husband and wife, Edwin and Kate Scallon founded the business in with their own money, namely their retirement pensions. Their intention from the get-go was to eventually pass it on to their sons – Korey and Kenneth Freeborn, president and vice-president respectively. A genuine family-owned and operated business.

In 2012 they incorporated and started out by renting hospitality suites at the local hotels and teaching classes. In 2014 they moved to their current location, applied for a Federal Firearms License and state licenses. They held classes at the new location until they received their Federal and State licenses. They finally opened the retail Firearms and Training Center in December of 2015.

Ed is a retired Providence Police Detective and retired, but practicing Trial Attorney. These days he writes and teaches law and is the company’s acting Chair and Corp Secretary. Kate, a retired Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service, is a full-time travel agent, whose business is literally right next door. She runs the firearm safety courses and acts as treasurer.

Both Kate and Ed learned about firearms licensing from Korey and Ken when they attended their Basic Firearms Class. They also received their Licence To Carry for the state of Massachusetts by attending the Basic Firearm’s Safety class offered at Commonwealth Firearms & Training. In addition, they possess a gunsmith license from the state of Massachusetts – with Ken being the resident gunsmith.

Ed is a Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act instructor and received his license to instruct based on his years of detective work, while Kate followed based on her previous training. Kate also holds an NRA ‘Refuse to be a Victim’ License to instruct, which is one of many courses that she offers. This particular course teaches the personal safety tips and techniques you need to avoid dangerous situations and avoid becoming a victim in a 4-hour seminar.

Korey and Ken are both avid hunters and have a genuine passion for firearms, which they’ve been around most of their lives. While all four are National Rifle Association instructors. Ed, Kate and Korey are NRA certified Range Safety Officers.

Combined they offer decades of knowledge and experience in one place through world-class instruction. So, you can not only purchase a firearm, but follow up and learn to properly us it, as well as hone a number of other related skills.

They literally wrote the book on firearms safety including the national history and Massachusetts firearms history. In addition, they integrated a laser portion of classroom instruction. What are some of the courses you can take?

• Co-Ed LTC/FID Firearm’s Safety: for people that are interested in obtaining their firearms license, either Firearms IDentification Card or License To Carry.
• Non-Resident Concealed Carry Course: 4 hour training course for Utah (good in 39 states) and Florida.
• New or Yearly Pistol Certification: obtain your yearly qualification or your Rhode Island Pistol Certification.
• NRA Basic Firearms Safety Course (Co-Ed): NRA course designed to improve skills with handguns. Obtain Cetificate for NRA and MA LTC. Meets the Requirements for a Massachusetts License to Carry or for a Massachusetts Firearms Identification Card.
• LEOSA Course: Title 18 U.S.C. § 926C Permits retired law enforcement offices to carry concealed within all 50 states. Ed Scallon is a Massachusetts State Police certified LEOSA instructor. This course is designed to comply with the requirement 515 CMR 6.00 Retired Officers must attend classroom instructon and then qualify at the range.
• Refuse To Be A Victim Course: 4 hour NRA Certified security course. These classes do NOT include the use of a firearm, but does include instruction in the use of mace/pepper spray. ​Students are provided NRA materials and a certificate upon successful completion.
• ‘Learn to Shoot or Sharpen your Skills’ Course: Retired Providence Police pistol expert and Certified Range Safety Officer will instruct individual students in the proper methods of obtaining the highest scores. LIVE range fire time. Individualized student instruction. Become competent and capture the 6 fundamentals of shooting.
• Massachusetts LTC/FID Home Firearm Safety Course: Required Course of a Massachusetts License to Carry or for a Massachusetts Firearms Identification Card. Required course for all Massachusetts Residents and Non-Residents.

Soon Commonwealth Firearms & Training will offer an NRA Pistol Instructor Course which is required to teach others to become instructors. This Course is designed to present the Pistol Instructor with the essential tools to successfully teach a class of future instructors, including ethics, teaching plans, NRA Policies and procedures, responsibilities of the instructor, organizing a course, training athletes with physical disabilities, course outlines and lesson plans.

Of course, if you are already licensed and own a firearm, you can purchase some range time on Sundays. One of the really interesting services they offer is the ‘On Campus Laser Range’ where you use your actual firearm, carry gun, duty gun, or rent one of ours. Fire at AMY-L targets as if you were qualifying on a police range. Shoot at your own leisure or receive firearms training from one of the instructors. Also, you can rent one of their Air Soft simulator recoil “GLOCK Mark-up” handguns.

The retail side houses every type of firearm available in Massachusetts and sports a $4.7 Million dollar co-oped warehouse available on-line on their website. Starting out with just firearms, they recently expanded and in addition to selling firearms, ammunition and accessories they now have all divisions of sporting goods including fishing tackle, fresh and salt water bait, clothing and hunting accessories.

The family’s sole mission is to train and meet the goals and objectives for ALL levels of shooting enthusiasts – from the new student with no experience handling firearms to the seasoned shooter. When you arrive at Commonwealth Firearms and Training, the staff will bring all their experience and knowledge to bear in assisting you with selecting and even customizing course to meet your specific instructional needs.

Deciding on purchasing a firearm is a pretty serious responsibility – one that should be accompanied with training and regular practice. There are a fair number of gun ranges in the area to choose from. However, there are few place to receive the quality of instruction that you’ll find at Commonwealth Firearms & Training.

Outside of hunting or using firearms as a hobby, owning a firearm is chosen because it may increase your chances of you or your loved ones surviving a violent encounter. With that being said, firearm instruction is an extension of that original purpose.

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Commonwealth Firearms and Training Center, Ltd.
1016 County Street
Somerset, Massachusetts
Phone: (774) 294-5445
Email: info@commonwealthfirearms.com

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri: 8:00am-7:00pm
Sat: 8:00am-6:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm-4:00pm

Facebook: facebook.com/commonwealthfirearms
Website: commonwealthfirearms.com/

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Pop-up stores come and go, often in different locations, under different names. They always have the sort of feel that someone is having a seasonal project to make some extra money. Who is this guy or gal? Did this stuff fall off of a truck? Did a factory in China decided to cut its prices?

There IS a seasonal pop-up store that is the direct opposite of this. The Halloween Connection is owned and operated by local Walter Mandeville who also owns Unplugged Toys in the Dartmouth Mall. See a theme here? Walter’s fondest memories in life drive him – memories of childhood. He gets a particular enjoyment seeing the new generation of kids walking in those same footsteps. He finds it highly rewarding to know that he is helping provide the necessary ingredients for some happy childhood memories.

The Halloween Connection, which has two locations -966 Kings Highway in New Bedford and 2 Galleria Mall Drive in Taunton – has been coming back year after year. 5 years running at these locations to be precise, though Halloween Connection has been around a few years more. This is no extra project – this is the career choice and livelihood of many.

Walter found his inspiration for the stores in the great success he would have throwing his own Halloween parties. He LOVES the holiday – the costumes, the role-playing, the props, the laughter and screams. It seemed opening a store would be the natural next step, and he began to use a few locations before settling permanently at the current locations.

Each Halloween, Walter would dedicate his time, money and lots of hard-work to make a party to remember. To fund his obsession and try to make each subsequent celebration a bigger, better one, he began to sell props and decor. The more he would sell, the more he would buy. Each season he would buy something different and learned the ins-and-outs on hundreds of different props, costumes and accouterments. Folks ranted and raved about the festive shin-digs and the rest is history.

So why in tarnation should you head to Halloween Connection this year? Halloween Connection is locally owned for one. The money you spend here won’t be benefiting some corporate headquarters in another state – it’ll benefit a staff and owners, all of whom are local.

Yeah, yeah – that’s all wishy-washy and trendy some of you will say: tell us something that matters. Well, how about this: the Halloween Connection has a bigger store and larger selection than anything you will see in a large, mega-chain store or any other pop-up store. They offer a much bigger selection on kids, women and men’s costumes, as well as accessories, masks, make-up/appliances, designer shoes, 70+ styles of contact to choose from and so much more. Top brands from industry leaders like Disney, In Character, Disguise, California Costume Collections, Inc., Dream Girl, Fun World and more.

One of the aspects of the Halloween Connection superstores that people have grown to love and has contributed to their popularity is that you can actually try the costumes on before you purchase them. There’s no going home to try them on and finding out something doesn’t fit. No return trip for exchanges!

And the bottom line? Yes, the prices – fret not. They won’t make you scream and remind you of the real horrors of Halloween: the amount of money you have to spend. They are as affordable or in most cases beat the socks off the prices you see in the big stores. You won’t have any nightmares, night terrors or sleep paralysis!

The staff at both stores is always a returning one. Who wouldn’t return when your job is working at a store filled with fun? Each person is there because they love the holiday and everything about it. They love that their “uniform” is a costume and that they get to help kids and adults alike find that perfect costume and one that fits their budget – it’s one smiling face after the other.

Because the superstores have costumes for ALL ages, including infants and adult-themes, it means you can bring the entire family to one spot and find costumes for everyone. Having a party? Not dressing up and are a yard or home decorator? You will be shocked by the sheer variety of props and decorations. Gravestones, fog machines, skeletons, backdrops, cut-outs, lighting, special effects, etc.

It will scramble your brains…if the undead didn’t eat them yet.

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Halloween Connection
966 Kings Hwy, Kings Plaza, New Bedford, MA 02745
2 Galleria Mall Dr, Taunton, MA 02780
New Bedford Phone: (508) 991-2900
Taunton Phone: (508) 821-7709
Email: halloweenconnection@yahoo.com

Taunton Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm and Sundays 12-6pm
New Bedford Hours: Similar to Taunton’s, but soon changing. Best to call the store.
Facebook: facebook.com/Halloween-Connection-151792608185407/timeline/
Website: hhalloweenconnection.net/

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This Columbus Day, October 12, at the Venus de Milo in Swansea, you will find antiquer’s heaven. It’s Lighthouse Promotions’ annual Columbus Day Antique Show & Sale.

Savvy antique collectors have been attending Lighthouse Promotions’ shows for some fifty years now, because they know that the best dealers in the region will be showing their wares here.

Amanda Lynn Orefice, of Lighthouse promotions, explains why. “Shoppers know that the dealers at our shows will have something for everyone. They know what people are collecting.”

Everything from dolls, jewelry and sterling silver to military items, furniture and nautical items will be on display. And there will be merchandise in almost every price range.

“Comics and superhero items are still hot,” says Orefice, “and we always have some dealers who carry those items.”

The Venus de Milo is an ideal place to while away a few hours shopping for antiques. The Empire Grille dining room will be open for lunch, offering their famous lobster dinners, sandwiches and more.

“People will come in and browse, have some lunch and then browse some more,” she says. “It’s just a fun way to buy antiques.”

Vintage items are also very popular and the show will always feature some of these. Mission style furniture is also desirable. As are Asian antiques. All will be represented, among approximately forty dealers.

“We have dealers who come back year after year and many customers who do, as well,” Amanda Lynn says. “There’s just so much variety. If you’re looking for something specific, you’ll either find it or will at least find out where you can get it.”

The jewelry selection is extensive, with many vendors either specializing in jewelry or including it among their merchandise. So you’re sure to find the style you want, in a wide range of prices.

Antique and vintage “industrial” furniture, relatively new to collectors, is also amply represented. You’re likely to find tables, lamps and cabinetry items.

“Our dealers have their fingers on the pulse of the market,” Orefice says, “and they have a level of professionalism and expertise that’s difficult to match anywhere. They know their merchandise and they know what people want.”

It’s not too early to think about Christmas shopping, and the Columbus Day Antiques Show & Sale provides the opportunity to purchase unique items as gifts. But more than that, it’s fun. You never know what you’ll find, which might even be something you didn’t even know exists!

Admission is $6.00, from 11:00 A.M. until 4;00 P. M. with an early buyer’s preview at 10:00 am, for a $10.00 admission. Experienced antiquers know that the early admission can be well worth it. The real deals and most desirable antiques can go early, but there’s just so much on display that that special find can be found throughout the show.

This writer has attended many Lighthouse Promotions shows and try as I might to resist, I have always found something I could not bear to be without. The prices are fair (and often enough more than fair) and the dealers are always helpful. I would not miss it, and you shouldn’t either. These shows are truly the premiere antique buying events in the entire region.

No matter what your interests, from trinkets to tables, from comic books to couches, from knick-knacks to nautical charts, you won’t be disappointed.

The Venus de Milo is at 75 G.A.R. Highway in Swansea, near the Somerset line. The show is on Columbus day, October 12, from 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Early buyers preview at 10:00.

If you love antiques and collectibles, you just cannot miss it!

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Sure, we live in a digital age. Many of us are connected at all times – to our smart phones, laptops or tablets. When we want information, we simply swipe and start typing. There’s so much information, that you can easily get swept up and find yourself in a completely unrelated topic and 20 minutes have passed.

Who hasn’t started searching for “chicken recipe” and found themselves watching videos of fail compilations, replete with people slipping, falling, and missing piñatas and whacking crotches? And reading material is easy to come by. There’s certainly not a want for it.

Now you can color me old-fashioned, but I love to sit down to a good book or magazine. I like not having to search for 15 minutes to narrow down the information I need, and hoping there isn’t a dropped signal interrupting my queries.

I like the break from technology. I like the disconnect. I like the feel of the pages, getting the slight smudge of dark ink on my fingers, and even the aroma. I know I’m not alone.

My go-to spot for magazines and a place I love dearly, since I am an avid reader, is Newsbreak at 53 Pope’s Island. Or as we say colloquially: “The magazine store on the bridge.”

There’s an analogy here with the “starting to search for one thing and 20 minutes later, you’re onto an unrelated topic.” Often I’ll go in to get a Science magazine or National Geographic and 15 minutes later, I’m holding a magazine on reptilians having built Atlantis. How did that happen?! With over 5,000 magazine titles, this is an easy thing to do. There seems to not only be a magazine for every imaginable niche, but there seem to be many to choose from within that tiny niche.

Walking through Newsbreak is like being in a library -so much so that it’s not uncommon to hear people shush a companion or child they are with and forcing them to whisper. The selection is massive and current – it’s what Newsbreak is known for and what President, Jim Stanton, is particularly proud of.

That selection includes international magazines in a myriad of languages. There are a score of different Fantasy Football publications, Knitting, Crafting, Science, Archaeology, adult, etc., if you can imagine it, there are a few – or even many – magazines covering it. In fact, if you don’t see it, just let someone on staff know, and they will order it for you!

What many people don’t know is that Newsbreak offers more than magazines. They have a selection of greeting cards, maps, sport and non-sport trading cards including Upper Deck, Topps, Pokemon, Benchwarmers, Score, Bowman, Magic, and more. You can get lottery tickets, scratch tickets, tobacco products, and of course, gift certificates.

In all the years, I have visited Newsbreak – intentionally or unintentionally – when the bridge “gets” me, I have always found that whomever is behind the counter is friendly and knows the store and titles well. If I’m looking for something obscure, perhaps looking for something to help my research on an article, the staff often replies with an instant answer of exactly where the article is. At times, they have been so knowledgeable that they go beyond just point out where the title is, but they have even recommended a specific title to help me out.

The point being that in spite of the fact that Newsbreak can be said to be a chain – it has two locations, the flagship in Swansea near the mall has been around for 30 years – there is a very mom-and-pop, local atmosphere. My kind of thing.

Check out Newsbreak’s Facebook page below – they often post about specials or special events, like the annual FREE Comic Book Day, or FREE Hockey card day.

So if you are a bit old-fashioned like me, picked up a new hobby and looking for literature, or maybe just got caught on the bridge, take a stop by Newsbreak and browse. You’ll be glad you did. If you see a Neanderthal browsing the MMA, Linux, archaeology or “reptilians built Atlantis” section, that’s me. Say “Hi!” but don’t say it loudly and make me hush you!

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Newsbreak
53 Pope’s Island
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford Phone: 508–997-NEWS (6397)
Swansea Phone: (508) 675-9380
EMail: newsbreak@cox.net

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Sat: 7:00am-9:00pm
Sun: 7:00am-6:00pm
Facebook: facebook.com/NewsbreakInc?rf=121407877873440

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In this day and age we are virtually beaten over the head when it comes to insurance. It seems one thing insurance companies do well and frequently is advertise.

You can’t turn on the television or radio and not hear an advert. Drive down the road and you’ll encounter billboards. Check the mail and you’ll have sales pitches waiting for you. Go online and deal with pop-ups, and if you make the grave mistake of ever requesting a quote, you can expect snail mail and spam for the rest of your life.

I made the mistake of just requesting a quote from one of those big online companies whose commercials are always on television. Apparently, the fine print – which I must have missed – contained an agreement to receive email messages and mail. I unsubscribed to the email, but to get the snail mail to stop, I had to call them – also part of their evil plan. Call in to cancel and they pitch you again. Clever.

The good part about this glut of insurance companies, is that the competition drives the rates down. Often, simply telling your current provider that you are considering jumping ship will elicit a plea to stay. They’ll offer you a reduced rate. Not only does that leave a bad taste in one’s mouth – if they could make such a large drop and still make a profit, why wasn’t that the original rate in the first place?

So, with rates a slow as they are going to get, what is the difference between the companies and their plans? What should the determining factor or factors be when making the decision to go with one insurance company over the other?

If all prices are equal or within the same ballpark, the difference – a defining one – is choosing one that is local, you see face to face, and they know your name – you aren’t customer #334AE3. These factors alone make it worth paying a little more, if one has to. How local? You can walk in and speak Portuguese!

But you don’t have to. Donald J. Medeiros Insurance Agency is a local company that offers rates that compete with all of the mega insurance agencies. But you also have a name, support local, and since they are so accessible, you have a history based on a relationship. Minus the spam and endless mailbox fodder that is first world extortion to get you sign up.

How about getting someone to sign up for insurance, because of the rates, the service, and the relationship instead of cute marketing? Imagine that!?

Donald J. Medeiros Insurance Agency is a full service agency that specializes in providing personal & commercial insurance for all of Massachusetts, Rhode Island & New Hampshire. Whether it’s auto, boat or home insurance policies, business or commercial. Located in Fall River, the company consists of its eponymous owner/president, Personal Lines Manager, Melinda Pedro and the Commercial Lines Manager, Heather Williamson.

What people particularly enjoy about choosing a local company is that they get to have a face-to-face discussion with a provider who has a vested interest in helping you make some smart choices for your coverage, even offering financial planning. They know that the best way to have a successful insurance agency is to have a happy customer who spreads their satisfaction by word-of-mouth, not some witty marketing. Mr. Medeiros and his staff they prefer to prove it through their friendly, professional service, instead of having the commercials drive any profit.

Before any of these e-companies took over the television and radio waves, and the internet, Mr. Medeiros was already an experienced insurance agent, having started his career with Mass Mutual Life Insurance well over two decades ago. After a few years with that company, he decided to strike out on his own. Spend two minutes with Donald and you’ll see that he is just a people lover. He is affable, courteous and thrives off of helping people with their insurance needs.

When I asked him if there were moments that he has that make him glad he is doing this for a living, he wasted no time in saying ” when I get a personal note from someone telling me about how pleased they were with our service and the person that helped them.

That’s when I do say that to myself. And I’m happy to say that it does happen often enough.” Can you picture a service representative from one of the big companies saying this? “Hi #7D7R3, you really made my day for choosing E-Guano.” Gee, thanks Twiki.

If you are on the search for personal rates – whether for your car, home, umbrella, tenants, boat or even a recreational vehicle, they have something for you. Own a business? You can get affordable rates for liability, property, commercial auto, workers’ compensation or bonds – that won’t require you digging deep into your profits to have.

If you would like a quote – and one that isn’t followed up with an obligation, tons of snail mail or hundreds of spam mails – you can get one right online. For automobile insurance you can get a FREE quote here and for home insurance, you can get a quote here. If you want quotes for other insurances or perhaps want more information, their website is a wealth of information and is provided below.

Of course, there is no better way than communicating directly via a phone call or even having a face-to-face meeting. Spend a few minutes in conversation with Donald, Melinda, Heather or anyone else on staff and you’ll be glad you did. We promise there is no one named Flo that works there.

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Donald J. Medeiros Insurance Agency
154 Rhode Island Avenue
Fall River, Massachusetts
Phone: (508) 678-1271
Email: http://www.donmedeirosinsurance.com/contact-us/

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri: 8:30am-5:00pm

Facebook: facebook.com/donmedeiros
Website: donmedeirosinsurance.com/

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