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© Photograph Courtesy Seth Butler Media / Barnard Community Trust
The Barnard Community Trust (BCT) is working to assist the Town of Barnard to maintain and enhance rural quality of life in a positive and sustainable way. These ongoing developments currently includes maintaining the building that houses the Barnard General Store and surrounding property adjacent to Silver Lake in Barnard, Vermont.
The BCT continues to raise funds to keep the Barnard General Store strong, stable, and healthy for years to come. The BCT is currently seeking to invest in capital improvements to further develop this vital community gathering space.
Your generous support is still needed to secure the future of the Barnard General Store. We are currently raising funds to replace the outdated gas pumps that are constantly in need of repair, perform structural work in the cellar to abate ongoing moisture problems, and repair the lake side porch.
Tax deductible donations can be made payable to Barnard Community Trust and posted to:
Barnard Community Trust, Inc.
PO Box 262
Barnard, Vermont
05031
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How It Works
The store itself functions as a separate business entity operated by independent leaseholders, while the BCT owns, maintains, and improves the historic store building, and surrounding property.
About
The Barnard General Store was established in 1832 and is one of the longest running general stores in Vermont. It’s unique proximity to Silver Lake, local scenic byways, and numerous wilderness trail systems nearby, make for an especially beautiful visit during every season.
Facilities
Facilities currently include deli, grocery, retail operations, and an indoor ATM.
Contact
(802) 234-9688
barnardstore@gmail.com
Location
6134 Route 12
Barnard, Vermont
05031
Learn More
Please visit the Barnard General Store Facebook Page for current store hours, and the most up to date information.
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What We Do
The ongoing mission of the Barnard Community Trust (BCT) is to promote and enable the Town of Barnard to maintain and enhance its rural quality of life in a positive and sustainable way. The BCT was originally founded in 2012 as a local, non-profit organization committed to finding a way to save the much-loved Barnard General Store, which had temporarily closed.
A Successful Fundraising Campaign
In September 2013, thanks to many generous donors, the BCT raised nearly $650,000 to purchase the store property and facilitate immediate maintenance needs. From the beginning of this effort, the BCT worked closely with the Preservation Trust of Vermont, whose experience and guidance have been invaluable in the ongoing success of the project. The BCT could not have succeeded in this monumental task without the those who volunteered their time and services, and donated goods and funds to support the project.
Completed Restoration Work to Date
After purchasing the store property and securing leaseholders, the BCT was able to get a new roof on the building, install a new water system, repair and maintain the gas pumps, replace an outdated electrical service, upgrade the septic lift pumps that were at the end of their projected life span, install a new chimney for the wood stove and line the existing chimney for the furnace, and paint the entire building. This cost approximately $80,000 in total. The rent from the store and the upstairs apartment covers the day to day expenses: general maintenance, taxes, and insurance. What is not covered are capital expenses like the major system upgrades listed above.
Improvements at the Barnard General Store
The current list of capital improvement projects includes the following items:
$18,000
Replace outdated gas pumps to avoid constant repair and maintenance costs
$20,000
Perform structural work in the cellar and get control of a moisture problem that is causing issues with the building
$15,000
Repair and stabilize the lakeside porch
Total Estimated Cost of Capital Improvements
$53,000
The Barnard Community Trust now owns and maintains the Barnard General Store property, but funds are still needed to pay for insurance, taxes, repairs and improvements to the store. Please help support our ongoing work.
Pay by Check
Tax deductible donations may be made payable to Barnard Community Trust and posted to:
Barnard Community Trust, Inc.
PO Box 262
Barnard, Vermont
05031
Pay by Credit Card
Tax deductible donations may be made online via Paypal by clicking the following link:
Teo Žagar, President
Teo moved to Barnard in 1985 at the age of seven and spent the first five years living in the house that also serves as the Post Office. He attended the two-classroom Barnard Central School under the tutelage of Gina Holden, and later the Woodstock elementary and high schools before leaving the state for college and work. He moved back to Barnard in the early 2000s to produce independent film and media, and has served as a town constable and vice-chair of the town Energy Committee. He was a founding member of the Barnard Community Trust and is also a member of the Development Review Board, Sustainable Woodstock, and the Carol Hurley Memorial Scholarship Fund. Teo served in the Vermont House of Representatives between 2011 and 2016 representing the towns of Barnard, Pomfret, Quechee, and West Hartford. In between semesters of college, he was a “sandwich artist” at the Barnard General Store.
Tom Platner, Founding/Former President
Tom moved to Vermont from Cape Cod in 1971 following four years of service in the U. S. Coast Guard. After working and living in and around Killington for ten years, Tom and his wife, Julia Watson, moved to Barnard in 1982 with a dog named Oscar, where they built a shop to house his cabinet making business. The three of them lived in the shop during the summer and fall while they built a house and have been in the process of finishing it for the past 30 years. Tom is chairman of the Barnard Conservation Commission, a founding member of the Chateauguay NoTown Conservation Committee, and now the President of the Barnard Community Trust. In his own words, “I got involved with the BCT because I believe we need to keep the store a vital and successful part of the community, this is the heart of the village, and we need to get it back up and running.”
Lee Resseguie, Vice President
Lee W. Resseguie earned an AB in Sociology, a JD and an LL.M. (Masters of Law in Taxation). He is admitted to the Vermont, New Hampshire and California bars. He was Managing Director in New York and London for Salomon Brothers, Citigroup, and HSBC providing tax, regulatory and accounting benefits through structured finance. Since retiring from investment banking in 2006, he has practiced law in Vermont focusing on tax, estate planning and corporate matters.
Leah Stewart, Secretary
Leah Stewart, co-owner of Locust Creek Outfitters in Bethel, lives in Barnard with her husband Don and their two young boys. Her family’s roots run deep here, her grandfather Bill Davis having owned and operated Davis Radio & Television in town. Leah grew up in Connecticut, and moved to Barnard in 2008 after receiving her AS degree in Psychology. As far back as she can remember, Leah recalls many fond family memories spent in Barnard, from family visits on weekends, to summer camping trips at Silver Lake State Park. A familiar face to many, Leah began volunteering with the BCT in 2012, first helping out with early fundraising events, then working the morning shifts while the Barnard General Store was temporarily in-between business owners. In her own words, “I am so thankful that I have been able to work along side a wonderful group of trustees, both past and present. Being a part of the BCT means a lot to me, I am proud to be a part of an organization that works hard to enrich the lives of those around us in our community.”
Boyd Bishop, Treasurer
Boyd Bishop has a BA degree in International Relations. He served in the U.S. Air Force and as a senior Foreign Service officer in Washington, DC, and American embassies abroad. After retiring from government, he started a company to create new business partnerships between the U.S. and Europe and the countries emerging from the Soviet Union. He has been a board member of several international start-up companies that resulted from these partnerships. Boyd came to Barnard in 2005, discovered the special place that it was, and is committed to restoring the centerpiece of this town.
Marty Bell
Mary Blanton
Jim Clark
Pete Stoddard
Ted Williamson (in memoriam)
Barnard Community Trust, Inc.
PO Box 262
Barnard, Vermont, 05031
Teo Zagar, President
info@communityofbarnard.org
(802) 234-9125