Bill Twigg-Smith sits with The Preservation Trust of Vermont’s Paul Bruhn, Attorney Tom Wright, The Barnard Community Trust’s Tom Platner and Rick Carbin, flanked by Real Estate Broker John Snyder
DEAL!
It looked like a back room poker game at the Barnard General Store this morning without the cards as a small group of men sat around a table in an empty room, floorboards squeaking as they shifted in their seats; dark except for the sunlight which forced its way in through the back windows. The faces appeared taciturn, bemused as the group considered what they had done – or what they’d accomplished – although smiles later broke out as they gathered for a ceremonial portrait on the BGS steps.
With a newly formed partnership with The Preservation Trust of Vermont, the Barnard Community Trust has entered into an option-to-buy arrangement with the owner of the Barnard General Store, Bill Twigg-Smith. It’s a six-month option with the BCT seeking to raise $650K in that time.
Although an actual re-opening schedule is still unknown as the BCT seeks a store “operator”, volunteers hope to soon open the doors for what Twigg-Smith cheerfully commented are ” The Basic Necessities”: Coffee, Conversation and Wi-Fi. And yes, for those who believe ice cream in summer at the BGS is a necessity, they may even bring that back soon, too.
Speaking of volunteers…The BCT is having a volunteer BGS work day tomorrow: Saturday, June 23rd starting at 10am at the store. Come prepared to clean, wash and garden. Gloves probably a good idea. Work to spiffy up the store was already underway this morning. Someone came along and mowed the grass along the “beach” and others had hung up new potted plants along the porch.
Even as the small group of owner/negotiators met behind closed BGS doors to sign their agreement, a grandma and two little kids came pulling on the door. Grandma was taking the kids to Silver Lake State Park and wanted a cup of coffee and a bite to eat before spending the day there. Grandma had a Barnard General Store sandwich on her mind and was thoroughly disappointed to find its doors shut. She was promised she’d be able to get a sandwich soon.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 
Posted by Dave Brown, President & CEO MISys, Inc. on June 22, 2012 at 12:43
Great news!
The BGS was the local Internet Cafe — the first to get ECFiber ultra-high speed broadband service in Barnard. Hopefully, service will be re-established there so residents without ECFiber can sample the product and see what the hullabaloo is all about.
And get some ice cream, too!
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Posted by Chris silva on June 25, 2012 at 16:36
Thats no deal. It’s a 6 month search for money that will never come from the community. Has anyone thought of the fact that the store hasn’t sold because you can’t make any money owning it? Has this trust explored other trusts which hold real estate assetts in geographic areas where, like in Barnard, the cost of the real estate has outstripped the ability of the business to service the debt? Why not report on what the mission of the trust is and how it plans to operate and raise the capital. Or, how it plans to structure the deal with the ” operator”. It’s no secret that the store needs in excess of $200,000 in physical repairs and will need substantial capital to replenish worn and broken equipment and inventory. While I applaud the community for rallying around the concept of saving the store, I believe that until someone comes along who is willing to actually run the store as a business, be there to open it early in the morning, close it later at night and really put some heart and soul into it, it will continue to flounder as a place to get a cup of coffee and check your email, all while passing by shelves full of products nobody needs or wants. It’s going to take s singular vision for success with a dogged determination to make it happen. I have my doubts, but maybe…
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