The sun shines on Wilmington as Gretchen Havreluk (speaking), and, to her left, Paul Pabst andMeg Stalof launch Make It on Main Street. Photos by Maia Segura.
by Maia Segura Vermont Business Magazine The Town of Wilmington wants your business. More specifically, it wants your business. A crowd of approximately 30 locals and town advocates gathered on Wilmington’s Main Street on May 24, as Wilmington Works kicked off “Make It on Main Street: The Downtown Wilmington, VT Business Challenge,” a “Shark Tank” styled competition which seeks to award $20,000 to a new business launched in Wilmington.
The competition was hatched by Paul Pabst, producer of ESPN’s Dan Patrick Show, who has been visiting the Wilmington area for over a decade, owning a vacation home for three, and claims that he only begrudgingly goes home to Connecticut after stays here.
To fund the contest, Pabst won his second of two separate rounds of Sports Jeopardy, the winnings of which are donated to charity. The funds from his first win were donated to an accessibility project at Mount Snow. When he won again, former Mount Snow communications manager Dave Meeker encouraged Pabst to invest in Wilmington’s Main Street.
Pabst sat down with Town of Wilmington economic development consultant Gretchen Havreluk and came up with a competition awarding the prize money to seed the best new business idea intending to put down roots in Wilmington’s core shopping district.
“There was no downside to doing this,” said Pabst. “The bigger play is to get publicity for the town. I see this as a part of a long-term project to get more people to invest in the town. Vermont is an idea that people around the country want to sample.”
The competition requires that contestants apply by July 16. Once the application is submitted, a series of small business resources are unlocked, including a personal meeting with Havreluk to flesh out the idea, access to small business development services to help craft the required business plan, and a review of potential benefits to all folks who start a business in downtown Wilmington, like tax credits for people who want to purchase a building, a local revolving loan program, and tax stabilization.
Havreluk is hoping to receive around 15 new business proposals from both inside and outside the local area, including applications from entrepreneurs who live in other parts of the country.
After evaluation of all proposals, a committee will notify five semi-finalists on August 1 that they will move to the next round. A full-blown business plan with detailed financials is due on September 16. Up to three finalists will be notified on October 1and will pitch their projects to a panel of judges who will decide the winner on October 18.
Paul Pabst from the "Dan Patrick Show" pitches a business idea during Make It On Main Street “idea jam.”
A Scoring rubric includes points for community need, economic diversity, job creation, and foot traffic, among other factors. Full contest rules can be found here at Wilmingtonworksvt.com.
An “idea jam” of attendees during the event uncovered the desire for a plethora of new businesses currently missing in Wilmington, including a microbrewery, pet supply store, small business services and copy center, Vietnamese noodle shop, “work and play” apparel and outdoor goods store, bakery and sweets shop, and a year-round indoor flea and craft market.
These are just the tip of the iceberg, according to a 2015 shopping habit and leakage survey, which indicated that up to 80 percent of locals drive 20 miles to Brattleboro for many of their basic needs, such as clothing, cookware, office supplies, and household furnishings.
Challenges to Starting a Business in Wilmington
Bridging seasonality in the community is a primary challenge for businesses in Wilmington, where only one-third of the homes are owner-occupied year-round. In addition, recent financial woes at The Hermitage Club private resort have somewhat destabilized the community as millions of dollars in recreation, vacation, and construction infrastructure projects lay in the balance, impacting outside investors, and triggering the loss of dozens of jobs in the area. The scope of a receivership for the Hermitage is currently before the courts.
Hermitage worries aside, business offerings tend to be scarce and tourist-focused. Most cater to the second home market and the tens of thousands of winter sports enthusiasts who descend on the area November through April each year.
Of the few businesses which are here, many are disrupted by irregular days or hours, or shuttered with the flight of business owners during softer tourism times like mud season in the spring. Dot’s Diner and Bartleby Books are examples of successful businesses that have bridged the year-rounds versus “from away” gap. Locals are quick to point out that these businesses are open pretty much every day, year-round without a break, which keeps customers reliably coming back.
One applicant scoring area is “Match to Available Vacant Space,” which may pose a challenge to those participating in “Make It on Main Street.”
Currently, commercial real estate inventory is scare on Main Street where few retail spaces are available to lease. Some space is available, however. The shopping district target area at the crossroads of Route 100 and Route 9 (Main Street as it runs through town), includes the former Twin Valley High School, now known as Old School Community Center, which has 4,500 feet of commercial space available.
The historic building was recently purchased by the local Old School Enrichment Center Council for $1, and has undergone renovations through a combination of grants, private donations, and the Wilmington 1% option tax fund, as well as being recently awarded one of six inaugural Main Street Grants.
Local real estate agent and Southern Vermont Deerfield Valley Chamber of Commerce member Meg Streeter points out that the spaces in this building would be ideal for services such as a yoga studio, shared work space, artist studios, or as a business incubator and maker space.
Additionally, competitors are urged to consider setting up shop in vacant buildings listed for sale following repairs to damage inflicted during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. The prize money, proponents say, could be used to work with a local developer to build out space, or go toward purchase of one of these buildings.
Damage done to the area during Irene is still evident to locals, who blame the storm for some of the current economic challenges. However, significant investment was made post-storm in restoring and improving Wilmington’s shopping district. Those visiting the community now see a cute Main Street with no indication of the damage that occurred.
New commercial investment is starting to develop in the area as well.
Brattleboro Savings & Loan has recently opened a new branch off Main Street. Additionally, the bank is moving forward with a project to build a commercial space that will serve as its new home just east of downtown.
According to Daniel Yates, Brattleboro Savings & Loan President and CEO, the area is a bright prospect for the bank as no other local banks currently serve the area.
Plans to support the commercial sector include running a car service during the winter months to collect deposits from uber-busy ski-related businesses in the area. Prospects look bright for Mount Snow as well as it added a $30 million investment in snowmaking this past winter, allowing for an early jump on the season and the ability to power through dry patches.
“The area has never looked better,” said Pabst.
Make It on Main Street is sponsored by Wilmington Works, The Town of Wilmington, Brattleboro Savings & Loan, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, Deerfield Valley News, Southern Vermont Deerfield Valley Chamber of Commerce, and The Richards Group.