[harry chickpea]

I apologize in advance to the younger folks. An advertisement for the Vermont Country Store got me to thinking about the real stores and businesses in Vermont that have long since gone out of business or changed hands enough time to not be recognizable.

Forest Hills - the owner was a complete character in promoting his store, a la "Crazy Eddie" but with a French Canadian twist. My dad once installed one of the earliest sonar burglar systems for his safe.

The Grand Isle store (I think there was only one) I remember buying toy boats there made out of this stuff called "plastic."

Five and Dime. The early version of dollar stores. The store had 10 cent slingshots and pot metal toy soldiers, water rockets, cap guns, and all sorts of cool stuff in little bins.

Vincent's Pharmacy. The best place to find the latest comic books.

Stoware. Wooden bowls and basketware. The stuff is collectable now.

Luce's Hardware. A hardware store I would love to revisit. It was two stores, one hardware, with the other store devoted to clothing and linens and sewing notions.

The hobby shop in the North end of Burlington. Those days of longingly looking at the model trains and boats and airplanes. I once co-oped with them with a display they put together for the movie "Silver Streak."

Perkins. A furniture store/funeral home that sold bicycles. Go figure. At least they didn't sell handbaskets. (Those were sold at the state hospital patient handicraft store nearby.)

The cree-me stand in Williston, where you knew spring was coming because they were open. That first cree-me of the spring was heaven.

Car-burs restaurant in Burlington, with one of the greatest menus ever printed.

Arthurs - a bar like no other. It even had entries in the Winooski River Raft Race.

Harbor Hideaway restaurant - Great steaks and an atmosphere that transported you out of Vermont to parts unknown.


I can think of many more, both those come to mind quickly as part of the Vermont experience in days gone by. What others can you think of that have been gone for at least ten years?

[vter]

Gaynes in South Burlington
Harry's in Berlin
Kennedy Brothers in Vergennes

[Gemini1963]

Lazarus Department Store (and now, unfortunately, also the Ben Franklin) in Middlebury.

[TreeBeard]

Lackey’s in Stowe. It was the quintessential general store where kids and adults met, talked and gossiped. It is no longer there and so has disappeared a part of what made Vermont special.

[Gemini1963]

BUT I just checked to make sure that Tozier's is still open (in Bethel) and it is! So THAT is good news!! Also Simon the Tanner in Island Pond - off the beaten track but good for shoes and camping equipment-type stuff, as I recall.

[jackmccullough]

When we moved to Montpelier in 1983 we were regulars at Harry's, Zayre's, and Ames, all on the Barre-Montpelier Road.

We also had a locally owned pharmacy (Seivwright's) and grocery store, the name of which I don't recall, right downtown. We used to be able to get things at the grocery store on account.

[vter]

Hovey's Shops in St. Johnsbury is another one. They had a second location in Woodsville NH as well.

[Beenaroundabit]

I grew up in Montpelier and remember Harry’s well. It was owned by the parents of a girl I went to high school with. Did a lot of Christmas shopping there as a kid.

Also remember the Tower pizza place on the BM road, and Fishman’s (sp?) in downtown Montpelier, with the long lunch counter and the best hot dogs on the planet.

Somer’s hardware right next door.

Can’t forget Joe’s Market on Elm St., which later became Downings Market (I worked there in high school).

[harry chickpea]

There was a Tower Pizza place on rte 2 in South Burlington as well. It was a popular spot for UVM students. I'll always remember the day two of my friends followed Ephram Zimbalist Jr. into the mens room to get autographs, and his coming out and announcing that he just wanted to enjoy a talk with his daughter. That was before Stephanie Zimbalist became famous on her own.

[Demolitionman2]

Greenbergs of Bennington VT, Albany NY and North Adams MA. Lumber, home building equipment and Cabot cheese (up by the front checkout) along with Pepperidge Farm cookies and crackers.