The Putney Historical Society (PHS) is celebrating the re-opening of the Putney General Store on Saturday, Dec. 10. We hope it is a day to showcase all of Putney’s businesses and the renaissance of a vibrant downtown. We will have events and activities from 11am through the evening with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the store at 2pm. There will be open houses at Putney General Store (4 Kimball Hill) and 15 Kimball Hill (the former church and new home of Next Stage) offering free refreshments (courtesy Putney General Store, The Putney School, and others), prizes, and entertainment.
96.7 WTSA FM will broadcast live from the store from 11 till 1 courtesy of the new store operator, Ming Chou, and the PHS. Folks who come down Saturday before 1pm to either open house can pick up a raffle ticket to win gift certificates/prizes from the Putney General Store, Hickory Ridge House, Peekabootique, Offerings, The Front Porch Café, Morning Glorious Vintage, Sandglass Theater, Hidden Springs Maple, and Swirl. We will draw winners on the air.
In 15 Kimball Hill, there will be a Putney Historical Society display featuring the Fairchild Collection of old photos and Next Stage will offer free popcorn with holiday and classic cartoons upstairs on the big screen while we have an open house downstairs. There will be informational and demonstration tables hosted by Transition Putney, Yellow Barn (offering discounts to concerts), Sandglass Theater, Post Oil Solutions, Putney Family Services, Hidden Springs Maple, Emily Peyton, Sadelle Wiltshire and Zentangle Creativity, Wisdom of Healing, Soveren, Richard Taylor Woodcarving, and other local artists and craftspeople.
On the street and in 15 Kimball Hill/Next Stage we will also have live music throughout the day by Mike Mrowicki, Amelia Struthers, Leon Cooper, Amy Cann’s Fiddle Group, and Liz Rogers as well as dancing by the Windham Morris group. Later in the evening Twilight Music will be presenting
the Sweetback Sisters Country Christmas Sing Along at Next Stage at 7:30 pm.
It will be day of enjoying Putney’s many opportunities to shop local. The following businesses
will be open and many are having specials and sales on Saturday:
Putney General Store (6am – 10pm) Free samples and specials
Offerings Jewelry (10am – 6pm) –20% off storewide
Eklections (formerly Silver Forest & Connecting Lines) (10am – 6pm) Free pair of earrings to
those who stop in – no purchase necessary
Morning Glorious Vintage (11am – 5pm)
Sacketts Brook Gallery Will be open
Front Porch Café (8am – 4pm) Open for breakfast and lunch
Penelope Wurr Contemporary Glass (10am – 6pm) Select items on sale
2 of 3
Florali (10am – 6pm) It is their Grand Opening too with a raffle of gifts and 10% off storewide
J.D. McCliments Pub (4pm – 12pm) Open for dinner
Basketville (9am – 6pm) 50% off all Christmas ornaments and free wine tasting at Putney Mtn.
Winery from 11am – 5pm
Mountain Paul’s General Store (7am – 9pm) Offers free coffee on Sundays
Peekabootique Childrens Consignment (open at 11am) 10% off any item
Shear Madness (8am – 2pm) 20% off storewide, free Biolage samples with every cut, win
special prizes and get a discount card on next hair cut
Putney Village Pizza (11am – 9pm) Open for lunch and dinner – 10% off all size pizzas
including new gluten-free pies
Putney Diner (6am – 3pm) Open for breakfast and lunch -check in for daily specials
Edel’s Art Glass (11am – 6pm) Offering free glass demonstrations
Unique Antique (9am – 6pm) 20% off storewide on prints, paintings, books, maps, ephemera
Putney Food Coop (7:30am – 8pm)
Putney Inn (7am – 9pm) Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Green Mountain Spinnery (10am – 5:30pm) Offering tours by request
West Hill Shop (10am – 6pm) Annual Holiday Sale all weekend (Friday through Sunday)
And just outside of the village:
Hidden Springs Maple (10am – 6pm) 50% off select grades of syrup and free syrup tasting Green Mountain Orchards (8:30am – 5:30pm) Wreath making and Christmas trees for sale.
After 3 ½ years, two fires, and many challenges, the Putney Historical Society is proud to re-open the Putney General Store. In May 2008 Putney village was devastated by a fire that severely damaged the General Store. The community rallied and the Putney Historical Society voted unanimously to take on the daunting task of rebuilding the store. With the help of the Preservation Trust of Vermont, many dozens of community members, and the financial support of the Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, the building was purchased and stabilized and the final rehabilitation work was ready to begin. Then on November 1, 2009, an arsonist set the building ablaze and within minutes it was totally destroyed. The community was devastated but again the community and volunteers at the Historical Society showed incredible determination and agreed to rebuild the place that was the economic and social center of their community.
With the continuing support of the VCDP, a grant from the Village Revitalization Initiative- a partnership between Senator Patrick Leahy and the Preservation Trust of Vermont, the Windham Foundation, Vermont Community Foundation, Harris and Frances Block Foundation, Pepsi Refresh program, Thomas Thompson Trust, People’s United Bank, Riverledge Foundation, Woodtiger Foundation, and over 400 local donors; the Historical Society has raised well over $1 million and is now ready to re-open the store. The new building was designed by Maclay Architects of Waitsfield and constructed by Ingram Construction Corp. of W. Swanzey, NH with a timber frame hand crafted and donated by Cross Creek Farm using donated Putney trees. The custom front doors were handcrafted by Putney woodworker, Abijah Reed, the new store signs were hand made by artist, Will Parmelee, and the new counter was hand made by local furniture maker, Steve Kenzer.
An experienced operator, Ming Chou formerly of Appletown Market in Massachusetts, is ready to serve Putney with a 20-year lease signed. His plan closely approximates the scale of the pre-fire Putney General Store business with a full service grocery store and butcher shop as well as a full range of prepared foods and a seating area with options for indoor or outdoor dining to enjoy them in. With this plan, we are truly restoring the community gathering place that inspired so many to donate to this project, and ensuring it is sustainable into the future.