[molly99]

My wife and I are thinking of moving to Vermont for a change of life-style.
We are now living on Long Island, have two children ages 8 and 6, and I am about ready to retire from my job in NYC. (30 years of commuting can kill a man ) My wife was in the service and hospitality industry before our children came along and we were thinking of buying and running a small BNB or Motel, or maybe a restaurant. As with all ventures location always seems to be key to any success. The town of Pittsford came up on our search. What is this place like? Warren? Any areas more economically vibrant than others?


Thanks

jay and dee

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by molly99

My wife and I are thinking of moving to Vermont for a change of life-style.
We are now living on Long Island, have two children ages 8 and 6, and I am about ready to retire from my job in NYC. (30 years of commuting can kill a man ) My wife was in the service and hospitality industry before our children came along and we were thinking of buying and running a small BNB or Motel, or maybe a restaurant. As with all ventures location always seems to be key to any success. The town of Pittsford came up on our search. What is this place like? Warren? Any areas more economically vibrant than others?


Thanks

jay and dee

Warren is tiny. Very, very tiny. I like it a lot. There's a very cool little general store there. A great inn too, although it is priced for Manhattan brain surgeons. Nice little New England style homes. I love the MAd River Valley area, it's very peaceful with a lot of charm. The closest towns you would socialize in would probably be Waitsfield or Bristol over the Lincoln Gap (up,up,up). It's in the sugarbush ski area. With global warming and astronomical gas prices, I'm not sure if I'd want to own an establishment in a ski area though. Good luck.

[vter]

Pittsford is a nice SMALL town just north of Rutland...it's not on the tourist radar so I'm not sure owning a B&B in that kind of area would be worthwhile. You want to look to the tourist areas - Killington, Mad River Valley, Dover, Stowe, etc.

[tkln]

I believe both the Waitsfield Inn and the Mad River Inn are for sale...

[quickdraw]

My parents owned an inn in the Berkshires of Massachusetts during the 70's. Right after they bought it, the crazy expensive gas rationing started. Running an inn is tough, you are at the mercy of the economy, weather etc. Not to mention that someone has to be at the inn most of the time.

[chrismpv]

Do some research, get knowledgeable about each area. You can visit the tourism industry website: VermontPartners.org - Vermont's Tourism Industry Resource where you can find info, research, newsletter to the industry. I have seen many new b&b owners that find out too late that they are not located in the right area.
If I was buying a b & b, I would also want to LOVE the place. Visit Vermont, the Mad River Valley is a beautiful place and have accommodations for all taste.
You have kids too so, you need to check school too.
The only negative about an inn, (like quickdraw said), you are there all the time.

[KNOTTE]

Pittsford is a very nice and quaint town. They have a very good elementary school, however the town is part of a union for their high school and the union school they go to (Otter Vally UHS) is not a very good school. Every graduate I have met from there, does not recommend it. But as a previous poster stated, I'm not sure how feasible a B&B would be in Pittsford.

[chaz longue]

Originally Posted by molly99

My wife and I are thinking of moving to Vermont for a change of life-style.
We are now living on Long Island, have two children ages 8 and 6, and I am about ready to retire from my job in NYC. (30 years of commuting can kill a man ) My wife was in the service and hospitality industry before our children came along and we were thinking of buying and running a small BNB or Motel, or maybe a restaurant. As with all ventures location always seems to be key to any success. The town of Pittsford came up on our search. What is this place like? Warren? Any areas more economically vibrant than others?


Thanks

jay and dee

Hi Jay and Dee -

You have grade school age kids, and are looking to run a business in an economically vibrant area, right. I'm curious to know what criteria you'd use to create a search which would point to both Warren and Pittsford...

I don't know Pittsford, but I know Warren very well. Warren's in The Mad River Valley - home to Sugarbush ski area, which has fairly recently completed a massive expansion of it's base facilities, complete with construction of "quartershare" condos, essentially Time Share dwellings, (which may not have a time share network component)...I wouldn't want to be the small B&B or restaurant in that valley right now - I'd be competing against some very new and sexy development. Oddly enough, if I was already there, I'd be happy to see the rising tide, hoping my boat would be lifted too. But "The Valley" can seem a bit like a small town, and is probably a bit difficult to be the new businessperson in.

Pittsford's just north of Rutland, which is an actual little city (by VT standards) - but not one I'd want to seek my fortune in. I know little about Rutland, and nothing about Pittsford, but I suspect there's be some economic activity in Pittsford due to it's proximity to Castleton State College and to Rutland...

What other areas are you considering?

Have you considered Brattleboro or The Champlain Valley / Greater Burlington area?

David Beckett

[MRVphotog]

Took this pic this morning at Mt Ellen(one of the two mountains that make up Sugarbush) on my way into work.
http://forums.skimrv.com/albums/album39/MEmorn2.jpg (broken link)

Took this pic yesterday morning, again as I was heading into work, of the Lincoln Peak part of Sugarbush. The new hotel, part of the new "sexy" developement at the base.
http://forums.skimrv.com/albums/album39/LPmorn2.jpg (broken link)

I guess by many of your posts I don't make much money but I wouldn't trade where I work for anything else. It's a quality of life thing vs income bracket. Most of the folks I work with feel the same way. We all have diferent priorites.

BTW, the Warren Store should not be confused with a general store. I get my mail at the small Warren Post office, never any lines, always a very pleasent experience.

Pittsfield is a very nice village. Nice green and it is within striking distance of Killington. There is a B&B just north of the village, Swiss something and they have a sign advertising "the best breakfast in Vermont". Right now in the MRV there are several restaurants and a couple of inns for sale so the valley seems to be abit depressed but you wouldn't know by today as Sugarbush was packed as well as the stores in town.

Economies are very local and in Vermont that is very true. Burlington has been the economic engine of the state for many years but I just read a story in the Times Argus that several companies have recently moved into Bennington with good paying jobs. The fiscal health of the state of Vermont has been doing well for several years but this year looks to be a slight downturn but still in the black. I believe 27 states this year will have budget deficits.

[casualobserver]

Nice photography, MRV. Do you have your own series of VT covered bridges? I'm looking for a set.