Co-owners are former area educators with a deep passion for community

NORTHAMPTON—Two former area educators turned entrepreneurs will bring a new version of GoBerry back to downtown Northampton in April.

Co-owners SiriNam Khalsa and Aaron Buford will open a GoBerry ’n Cream shop at 207 Main St., a second location for Khalsa, who has owned a GoBerry ’n Cream in Amherst since 2022. 

Khalsa, of Leverett, and Buford, of Amherst, have a shared passion for engaging young people as well as a commitment to community. 

With a mission to provide locally grown and produced food whenever possible, GoBerry will offer fresh frozen yogurt made with skim milk and organic non-fat yogurt from local farms. Like the Amherst location, the shop will also offer several flavors of the locally produced Bart’s ice cream as well as moo-free frozen Banana Nice Cream and sorbet.  

“We love the new, cozy location on the sunny side of Main Street,” Khalsa said. “We are looking forward to serving the smiling faces of local customers who have missed the distinct flavor of GoBerry.”

Alex and Molly Feinstein were the founders of GoBerry, with shops in Northampton, at 80 Main St., and in Amherst at 28 Amity St. In May 2022, Khalsa purchased the Amherst location, and the Feinsteins later closed the Northampton shop. 

Khalsa and Buford met when they were both educators in the Springfield Public School system and have been colleagues and friends for 15 years; Buford and his children are frequent visitors to the Amherst GoBerry ’n Cream shop. 

When Khalsa’s daughter, Ananda Khalsa, a jeweler in downtown Northampton, encouraged her father to reopen GoBerry in Northampton, Khalsa was intrigued and invited Buford to partner with him. 

“Northampton is going to have two business owners who are very empathetic and have a desire to improve the community and reach out to people,” Khalsa said. “What’s always needed in our society are connection and communication. I think I’m good at that, and I think Aaron is excellent at it.”

Buford said, “I am attentive and committed, and I’m excited to bring my motivation and passion into building a business that is successful and has value in the community. Being a relatively young person of color, I am also excited to model entrepreneurship for youth.”

Khalsa was a teacher and instructional coach in Springfield and is a past owner of Amherst Eco Laundry. He is also a part-time instructional coach at Four Rivers Public Charter School in Greenfield, and he performs with the local jazz band, Masala Jazz. He has three grown children.

Buford was a teacher in Springfield and worked for three years at Amherst-Pelham Regional High School as the restorative justice coordinator. GoBerry will be his main occupation, but he will continue to offer educational consulting. Buford has three school-aged children, and he mentors two young men through A Better Chance.

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