It’s about more than the drink
Upper Valley Business Alliance executive director Both New Hampshire and Vermont have seen an explosion in the last few years of small breweries, wineries and distillers popping up. Besides crafting tasty new beverages, these businesses are having a big impact on both states’ economies and on the towns where they are located. Although most of these businesses are small, typically with fewer than five employees, they are having...
‘Don’t you just love that new bus smell?’
Advance Transit director of marketing and philanthropy It was a moment years in the making and one that everyone at Advance Transit (AT) had long been looking forward to.In mid March, AT placed two electric buses in service to offer passengers a quieter ride with reduced emissions. These vehicles are the first set in a series of planned changes, with more electric vehicles slated to arrive by next year.“Don’t you just love that new...
Raising their spirits
Valley News Correspondent Silo Distillery began operating in Windsor’s Artisans Park in May of 2013. It was started by Peter Jillson and Anne Marie Delaney. Silo — a name chosen as grain silos are ubiquitous symbols of farms in New England and the Midwest — makes several unique spirits that highlight Vermont-grown ingredients. Delaney recently offered some insights into Silo’s origin and its operation. Question: How did Silo begin and...
‘Give them a reason to stay’
Valley News Correspondent Mark Babson did not wake up one morning and decide to open a craft brewery. He paid his dues in the industry for many years before starting River Roost Brewery in White River Junction in 2016. “I got started the way a lot of people start,” Babson said in a phone interview. “I was a pretty avid home brewer.” Realizing his hobby was becoming a passion, Babson took a job with Magic Hat Brewing in Burlington to...
‘An exciting time’ for wine
Valley News Correspondent When Dierdre Heekin began bottling wine at her Barnard winery La Garagista in 2010, she did not include the name of the grape on the bottles. “When we started it was hard to get people to try a Vermont wine because there was a bias about that,” Heekin said. “So we started out by not putting the grape variety on the label because we didn’t want people to think about hybrid varieties at that time because they...
What’s ahead for 2023
Executive Director, Upper Valley Business Alliance Happy New Year, Upper Valley! Do you make New Year’s resolutions? For the last couple years, everything seemed too unsettled to make plans, but this year I feel hopeful. Sure, we have much to work on but given where we have been in the last two years, doesn’t 2023 feel ripe with possibilities? That is my resolution for this year — to focus on the positive! At this time of year, I am...
‘Getting back to that pre-COVID pace’
Valley News Correspondent During the height of the pandemic, restaurants were ordered to shut down indoor dining and when they were allowed to reopen, seating was limited and there had to be adequate space between tables with barriers between booths. Many establishments improved or added takeout and started using more delivery services to keep business operating. While those days appear to be finally behind the dining industry for...
Market slows down, but remains strong
Valley News Correspondent The area’s residential housing market has slowed after a pandemic-fueled buying surge that sent home prices soaring — but area real estate agents don’t foresee a slump in the year ahead. Realtors and others who follow market trends of single-family home sales generally agree that the low inventory in the Upper Valley — and thus far a good economy — will keep prices strong in the coming year. But with...
‘The very best part of the business is the people’
For the Valley News Nancy Smith is the sole proprietor of the Shaker Hill Inn Bed and Breakfast in Enfield. She has been in the hospitality business since coming to the Upper Valley in the late 1990s from Virginia. While the COVID-19 pandemic and Airbnb have impacted the business, Smith maintains an optimistic outlook. She finds the people she meets at her B&B to be the best part of running the business. Question: In what ways did...
NH business failures rose in September
New Hampshire Business ReviewNew Hampshire bankruptcy filings jumped substantially in September compared to last year — the first year-over-year increase since the pandemic began in the spring of 2020.The 62 bankruptcies recorded in September matches the number filed in August, but it was 30 percent higher than the 48 filed in September 2021. September’s 62 filings is one shy of the highest monthly total (there were 63 in March) so...
