Food Venture Plant Leaving Fairfax

[Henry]

Saw in the Franklin County Edition of The Burlington Free Press that The Vermont Food Venture Center will move to Hardwick after 12 years in its home in a century-old-building at 1126 Main Street in the center of Fairfax.

They say they are moving because the facility is inefficient and has run out of space to grow.  Another reason given was limited parking.

Kind of irks me to think they are going to build a new 10,000 square foot building at a cost of $2 million elsewhere.  No doubt in my mind that we certainly are a better spot than Hardwick and if we tried could possibly find some land around here.

The Free Press Staff Writer, Helen J. Simon spoke with chairperson of the selectboard Judy Cleary who said the departure of the food center would have little effect on the community.  She said the center did not appear to employ any local residents or contribute to the town other than by paying property taxes.  She also said she did not know what the building, which is at a busy intersection, could be used for.  "Who knows?  It may turn into housing, but parking is a problem," she said.

The building is zoned for light commercial and assessed by the town at about $140,000 and according to Brian Norder will be put up for sale.

It will be interesting to see what our Planning Commission & Development Review Board think of having that building turned into an apartment building??

Shortly after 1900 after the disastrous fire of 1898, Edgar Shepardson leased the store to H. I. Goodsell.

It was later sold to Fay S. & Jennie Marvin, then to Stephen B. & Gwendolyn Alderman

It was then sold to Alson E. & Elizabeth Irish

It was then sold to Edward & Leona Thibault

During the time of these previous owners, the upstairs was owned by Lamoille Lodge No. 6, F & A.M. who transferred it to Edward & Leona Thibault, so that the Thibaults now owned the whole building.

Edward & Leona Thibault sold it to Howard & Freda Parsons

Howard & Freda Parsons sold it to John Simon

And for the rest of the story, more research will have to be done.

[MikeF9]

If memory serves me correctly, it was a kitchen that made specilty foods. I think Greard of Gerard's Breads had something to do with it. Whoever had it, it went under, and people were laid off. When it shut down, there was a threat of someone torching the place, so for a while you saw someone guarding the building. It looked in sad shape. That's when the Food Venture took over and spruced the place up.
Let's hope something of value can go in.

[Henry]

I am sure Mike Cain took a photo of the current building owned by Food Ventures, but couldn't find it.  I have an address of 1126 Main Street for it:

If you haven't read about the fire that destroyed the side of the village where Vermont Food Ventures is now, click on the following link to read and see photos of that disastrous fire of 1898:

http://www.vtgrandpa.com/fhs/fxfre198.html