Vermont Country Store
Shopping and Souvenirs
Vermont Country Store
The Vermont Country Store is filled to the brim with fun , practical , and hard to find items – and it is an absolute must-visit during any trip to Southern Vermont . Walking through the doorway , one is instantly transported into a remarkable world of Vermont nostalgia . A dazzling array of candies , games , apparel , kitchen accessories , natural products , maple products , Vermont memorabilia , puzzles , chocolates , toys , books , bedding , and gifts line the shelves – and their staff is more than happy to offer suggestions and advice about some of their favorite products .
CRAIG LIGHT
The Vermont Country Store ’ s second-generation proprietor , Lyman Orton , was born and raised in Weston . He feels a deep sense of connection to the Vermont Country Store , which his father , Vrest Orton , founded with his mother , Mildred Orton , in 1946 . ( To learn more about Lyman Orton and his incredible collaborative exhibition with Bennington Museum and Southern Vermont Arts Center , For the Love of Vermont : the Lyman Orton Collection , see our exclusive interview with Lyman Orton on page 26 .)
Vrest and Mildred Orton made their initial entry into the retail business with a mail-order catalog entitled “ The Voice of The Mountains .” Vrest printed the catalog on an in-house press in his garage , drawing on the skill set that he had honed during his years in the fast-paced world of New York City publishing . The original “ Voice of The Mountains ” catalog was 12 pages long and featured 36 items . Mildred sent the catalog out to a “ Christmas card list ” of close family members and friends , who were eager to support their fledgling business . As word continued to spread , the mail-order operation expanded to the point that it could no longer be housed in the Orton garage . Vrest and Mildred also began to receive an immense number of inquiries from tourists who were eager to visit the fabled “ Vermont Country Store .” Due to the fact that no such in-person store existed yet , Vrest and Mildred were unable to capitalize on the interests of potential visiting tourists . It was then that Vrest and Mildred made the decision to acquire a two-story building in Weston where they could open a store for people to come visit . Before it was purchased by the Ortons , the building served as a locally-owned country inn . When Vrest and Mildred opened The Vermont Country Store there in 1946 , young Lyman helped out behind the counter , adding up the cost of customers ’ purchases on a 19th century school slate board . Vrest ’ s father , Gardner Lyman Orton , moved down to Weston to be closer to his son and his family , and worked as a miller in the local gristmill .
At the time , Southern Vermont was experiencing a vibrant artistic renaissance . Famed artists , composers and luminaries such as Norman Rockwell , Rockwell Kent , Carl Ruggles , and Dorothy Canfield Fisher were living in the picturesque nearby valley town of Arlington to the south , and the Weston Playhouse ( which had opened a decade earlier as Vermont ’ s first fully-fledged professional theatre ) was bringing a new wave of thespian talent and creative notoriety to the region . In 1943 , Norman Rockwell inspired millions of Americans and brought international fame to Vermont through his Iconic Four Freedoms illustrations , which were published in the Saturday Evening Post . The Four Freedoms series was a watershed moment in his career , which cemented his place
JIMMY IENNER , JR . JIMMY IENNER , JR . JIMMY IENNER , JR .
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