Champlain Business Journal Archive
Sharing space: Idea touts collective workplace for tech, creative talent
November 2009
There’s a new concept in town that has been sweeping the country — and the world. It is called co-working, and has come to Burlington in the form of Office Squared at 106 Main Street.
|
Handcrafted furniture: quality at a price
November 2009
Though furniture makers have been around for thousands of years, the term “furniture artisan” is much newer to the marketplace.
|
Heating costs
November 2009
|
Spotlight on new business
November 2009
Happy Trails
|
Vermont home to wide array of environmentally friendly companies
November 2009
In Vermont, green businesses run the gamut from auto sales and service to computers to textiles and resorts. There’s even a dusting of flour thrown in for good measure over at King Arthur Flour in Norwich.
|
Wood, pellet stoves take aim at heating costs
November 2009
Driven by an increasing public awareness of the environmental downside to consuming large amounts of oil, many homeowners and business operators in northern New England are taking a hard look at increasing the efficiency of oil heating boilers and supplementing them with wood or pellet-burning heat stoves.
|
A taste of Vermont: Nonprofit group works to promote local foods
November 2009
Farmers and chefs from across Vermont got together in 1995 and formed a partnership that stressed face-to-face relationships between food producers and the restaurants, markets and other businesses that bring victuals to consumers.
|
Protective eyewear firm enjoys growth
November 2009
Revision Eyewear, creators of protective eyewear for military and law enforcement personnel, continues to grow and expand in Vermont.
|
Burlington teen cooks his way to a culinary scholarship
November 2009
Tenzin Dakpa has a long way to go, but he is dreaming big.
|
Programs abound for companies contemplating going green
November 2009
The green movement has reached the forefront of public consciousness both locally and nationally during the new millennium in a concerted effort to discover new sources of energy, reduce greenhouse gases and conserve resources in danger of depletion.
|
Employees, building for National Life Group showcase energy efficiency
November 2009
National Life Group’s Montpelier headquarters has officially gone green. The financial services and insurance firm has received silver certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program for existing buildings.
|
Sharing space
Idea touts collective workplace for tech, creative talent
November 2009
There’s a new concept in town that has been sweeping the country — and the world. It is called co-working, and has come to Burlington in the form of Office Squared at 106 Main Street.
|
Redevelopment with a social conscience
Burlington waterfront project highlights environmentally responsible building practices
November 2009
Main Street Landing is a focal point on the Burlington waterfront. And, Melinda Moulton is proud of the accolades it has garnered over the past several years.
|
Oh, what a feast: Twists on traditional catering provide ingredients for success
November 2009
“Recipe: a series of step-by-step instructions for preparing ingredients you forgot to buy, with utensils you don’t own, to make a dish the dog wouldn’t eat.” (Author unknown.)
|
Temping for dollars tempting for workers, employers
November 2009
While some companies have struggled to keep staff employed during this economic downturn, firms that screen and offer employee candidates for temporary work or longer engagements are reporting an uptick in requests for services.
|
Asset protection crucial to keeping business afloat
October 2009
The football team steps onto the playing field, bright lights shining on their shoulders. The crowd gasps: not one player is wearing protective equipment. No pads, no helmets, no mouth guards.
|
Brides on a budget
Tips for a beautiful yet affordable wedding
October 2009
Entire magazines are dedicated to this day. Television shows are specifically created to showcase it. Shop owners and workers spend massive amounts of time planning, sewing and designing products around this one special day: the wedding day.
|
Moseying around Montreal
Business offers tours of world’s second-largest French-speaking city
October 2009
With its cobblestone alleys, haute couture boutiques and al fresco dining, Montreal has all of the old-world charm of Europe and the chic sophistication of Paris. In the aftermath of the 2008 economic downturn, a savvy East Montpelier businesswoman in the travel industry has changed her focus and found success a bit closer to home.
|
Wedding music: the right note
October 2009
“I’ll dance at your wedding.”
|
Spotlight on new business
October 2009
Efficiency Innovations
|
Percolating profits
Waterbury firm tests coffee beans for quality
October 2009
Which came first: the coffee or the bean? Perhaps it’s not as uncertain as the chicken and egg question, but in the case of Waterbury-based Vermont Artisan Coffee & Tea Co. and its sister company, Coffee Lab, the coffee bean was the focus before roasting and selling packaged coffee and tea came into the picture.
|
COBRA: a lifeline for laid-off workers
October 2009
Losing a job often means losing employer-supported group health insurance. If no other job is waiting in the wings, workers who want to avoid a break in their coverage have a limited time after employment ends to access continuing coverage with their insurance carrier through a program called COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act).
|
Prepare for a scare
Haunted Forest offers thrills, chills and cash for nonprofits
October 2009
Scaring people is big business: this holds true for Hollywood’s latest horror films as well as local haunted houses, warehouses and forests.
|
Thayer School building to become housing, commercial space
October 2009
Changes are in the planning stages for the Thayer School building, which houses the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Burlington’s New North End.
|
Bride and joy
Bridal shows highlight local vendors, designs
October 2009
The wedding industry brings $100 million in revenue to the state each year, with requests coming worldwide from couples looking to tie the knot in idyllic Vermont, according to the Vermont Wedding Association (VWA).
|
Business funding available despite downturn
October 2009
In an ailing economy that otherwise might give budding entrepreneurs and seasoned business owners pause before proceeding with major investments, the experts in Vermont say, “Now is the time: go for it.”
|
Lawyers tread fine promotional line
October 2009
“Have you hugged your attorney today?” While advertisements like this aren’t commonplace in the field of law, there is no denying that marketing for attorneys has changed in recent years.
|
Legal considerations for small business
October 2009
Inspiration is naturally first and foremost in the creation of a business, followed by creating a name, logo, business plan, team, funding and financial management.
|
Ripe for picking
Apple season fruitful for Champlain Valley farmers
October 2009
The working farm as a tourist destination is becoming more common around Vermont as the agricultural community looks for multiple revenue streams to cope with economic pressures.
|
National Apple Month
October 2009
|
Pharmacy studies come to Colchester
September 2009
The Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) has opened a satellite campus at 261 Mountain View Drive in Colchester offering the only four-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree in Vermont.
|
Cuisine perks workers’ palates
Companies use food as an employee benefit
September 2009
With workplace bonuses and other financial benefits lagging these days, edible benefits are something some Champlain Valley businesses are adding to their employee packages. Whether the food is fast or gourmet, employers are offering a wide selection of lunch choices to workers who appreciate a prepared meal in place of a brown bag lunch.
|
Green ambition
More builders constructing energy-efficient homes
September 2009
“It isn’t easy being green:” Kermit the Frog said it first, and many in the green business industry would agree.
|
Adorn!
September 2009
Adorn! is a new clothing and accessories boutique opened in Montpelier by Tregea Bevan, who brings 33 years of clothing and fashion experience to the venture.
|
Barre welcomes Coumadin clinic
September 2009
For people in the central Vermont area who need Coumadin treatment for their heart problems, Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin now has a clinic devoted to such care.
|
Open for Business
September 2009
Alchemy Jewelry Arts
|
Fall tourism helps economy see green
September 2009
Fall foliage season in Vermont is all about brilliant yellows, oranges and reds. But, with proper promotion and sharing of unique local attractions and events, the season can also mean green for businesses and the local and state economies.
|
Flextime: an attractive alternative for workers
September 2009
Gone are the days when the workplace was dictated by a nine-to-five schedule. Today, employers and employees alike are embracing arrangements that improve efficiency, add convenience and yield to more demanding personal schedules.
|
Out of the woodwork
Woodstock hosts 6th annual festival
September 2009
The beauty of the Green Mountain State’s trees beyond the brilliance of spectacular autumn foliage will be on display at the sixth annual Vermont Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival at the Union Arena in Woodstock September 26- 27.
|
For-profit businesses support philanthropy
September 2009
If asked about her occupation, Rebecca Golden will say she has the best job in the world.
|
Business, arts mesh in Burlington
September 2009
The South End Arts and Business Association (SEABA), which supports commercial businesses in parts of Burlington as well as its arts economy, is an organization unlike any other in the country, according to executive director Carlos Haase.
|
Building a basketball team
Frost Heaves look to heat things up this winter
September 2009
Basketball fans in Vermont can look forward to professional games in Barre and Burlington again this winter: the Vermont Frost Heaves will play a 20-game regular season schedule in 2009-2010 in the Premiere Basketball League (PBL).
|
The Small Business Association offers a wealth of information if you know how to get it
July 2009
Many new business owners share similar traits: they’re determined, passionate about their product or service and enthusiastic about sharing what they do with the world.
|
Angels touch budding businesses
July 2009
There are angels supporting entrepreneurs in Vermont, at significant profit to themselves and their communities.
|
Theater sets stage for the community
July 2009
The Mad River Valley is a destination for visitors and vacationers in Vermont. Once in the valley, the Big Picture Theatre & Café is a destination for visitors and residents alike, with movies at the heart of the enterprise — but by no means the only reason to visit.
|
Outdoor retreats: a room with a real view
July 2009
No one really needs an awning, deck, gazebo or sunroom in these economic times, but don’t tell that to Vermonters.
|
Filmmakers eye incentives to shoot in Vermont
July 2009
The Vermont Film Commission (VFC) is working hard to offer new and improved financial incentives to filmmakers wishing to shoot movies in the Green Mountain State.
|
Renovations to revamp schools
July 2009
Vermont’s students may have closed their books for the summer, but the doors of many of the state’s public schools remain open during this peak construction season.
|
Small houses are the new big
July 2009
Albert Einstein’s attitude applies to these economic times: “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity,” said the physicist.
|
Spotlight On New Business
July 2009
Open For Business
|
Social networking gets down to business
July 2009
Do you tweet? Are you LinkedIn? Do you keep your Facebook page updated? How often do you create new posts on your business blog?
|
Got cloned milk?
Firm uses innovative prank to boost Web site action
July 2009
It used to be that the only decision consumers had to make about their milk was whether they preferred whole, reduced fat or skim. A Chittenden County design firm recently threw cloned milk into the mix, creating a lot of stir both online and off.
|
Farmers’ markets spring into summer
Folks get fresh at farmers’ markets
July 2009
Outdoor farmers’ markets go hand in hand with summer in Vermont.
|
Waterfront festivals beckon
Vistors flock to popular seasonal events
May 2009
Each summer, Burlington’s Waterfront Park hosts a wide variety of themed and special event festivals that bring hundreds of thousands of visitors – and their wallets – to the lakefront.
|
A welcoming waterfront
Burlington upgrades aim to please visitors
May 2009
For the thousands of tourists who flock to Vermont each summer, the Burlington waterfront is what creates their first impressions. Without a doubt, the ferry ride across the lake offers breathtaking views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains.
|
Spotlight on New Business: June 2009
May 2009
Catalyst For Change Coaching
|
High-tech firm to set up shop at IBM plant
May 2009
IBM Corporation has leased 15,000 square-feet of space at its micro-electronics plant in Essex Junction to ASK-intTag LLC, which will manufacture contactless identification cards and tickets for U.S. and Canadian markets.
|
Ambassadors angle to assist tourists
May 2009
The Department of Tourism and Marketing rolled its Vermont Ambassador Training Program into this year’s Vermont Travel Industry Conference held at the Equinox Resort in Manchester in April.
|
New VPR president takes on tough economy
Nonprofits try to stay competitive in lean times
May 2009
Throughout Vermont and across the country, nonprofit organizations are working hard to maintain and potentially increase the services they offer, even in the face of economic uncertainties and pinched revenue streams.
|
Juniper’s Fare reopens
May 2009
Juniper’s Fare café restaurant reopened in Waterbury this spring, with an emphasis on take-out dinners and catering in addition to breakfast and lunch sit-down café service.
|
Tourism Spending
May 2009
|
A helping hand for refugees
Vermont refugee resettlement program seeks employers
May 2009
They have come from the Congo, Sudan, Somalia, Liberia and Rwanda; still others have fled from Burma, Bhutan, Turkey and Iraq. With few possessions beyond the clothes on their backs, they come with blind ambition and an undying hope for a more secure life, searching for the American Dream.
|
Franchising flatbread for success
May 2009
The American Flatbread restaurant and production location along Route 100 in Waitsfield sits on an unassuming farm that belies the reach of the company’s activities and its growing national reputation.
|
Burlington College Graduate Makes Super Bowl Ad
March 2009
Not many Vermonters get the chance to showcase their work during the Super Bowl. Andy Rosenthal of Mt. Mansfield Media of Colchester is an exception: he produced and directed a Heritage Toyota commercial that aired during the Super Bowl Feb 1.
|
Bright future for home lighting
New efficient bulbs save energy and money
March 2009
It seems like only yesterday when we first heard about the compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) — the newborn edition of the humming tubes we'd grown accustomed to in commercial buildings, schools and shopping malls.
|
Fath Family Opens New Eatery
March 2009
"I call it classic Italian comfort food," said restaurateur Jon Fath (pronounced faith) of the fare offered at his latest culinary venture, Lucia's Italian Restaurant and Bar, which opened February 1 on Main Street in Barre.
|
Support for new tech businesses
March 2009
Six small, high-tech Vermont companies have received a helping hand from a program that aims to foster emerging businesses, encourage innovation and create jobs in the state.
|
Old stuff, new look
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it needn't break the bank
March 2009
In response to the tightening economy, interior decorators Michele Parchini, co-owner of 2 P's in your Pad in Vergennes and Ruxana Oosman, owner of Ruxana's Home Interiors of Rutland, are focusing portions of their businesses on lower-cost services that can beautify a home on a budget.
|
Stress relief for business owners
March 2009
Running a business can be a very stressful endeavor — and as everyone knows, stress is bad for one’s health. Between the constant interruptions, phone calls, back-to-back meetings and worrying about a business’s financial future, the stress can quickly pile on.
|
Greening Up Homes
March 2009
Those in the building industry - including contractors, architects and businesses with an environmental bent — will find a handy resource in the Vermont Green Building Network (VGBN).
|
Spotlight on New Business: March
March 2009
Brookside Family Health
|
New orthopedic center combines medical services
March 2009
Driven by a need for space to accommodate new services and additional faculty, Fletcher Allen Health Care (FAHC) has opened a new Orthopedic Specialty Center, strengthening its capabilities to provide patient care, education and research.
|
Companies benefit from workplace wellness programs, even in tough economic times
March 2009
Companies may be cutting back during these tough economic times, but many are looking for ways to preserve their employee health and wellness programs.
|
Remodeling is fast catching up with building in the residential construction industry
March 2009
The National Association of Home Builders and Remodelers (NAHB) estimates that money spent on remodeling — currently about $225 billion annually accounts for 40 percent of all — residential construction. Remodeling will surpass new-home construction in terms of dollars spent within 10 years, the NAHB predicts.
|
Cooking up a good time on Vermont’s culinary trips
December 2008
Do you want to know what’s hot when it comes to vacation travel? How about a sautéed salmon? Or, a lobster bisque? Or maybe, a pumpkin ravioli would better suit your palate?
|
A stitch in time
Rwanda Knits of Montpelier helps build Rwandan peace and prosperity
December 2008
Why do we give? To a charity, a food bank, the volunteer patiently ringing the bell outside the grocery? Some say it is for our own benefit — the feeling of good it gives us — while others say it stems from a personal sense of compassion.
|
Rail travel in Vermont: Relic or revival?
December 2008
For those few fortunate enough to have traveled through Europe, most will know the romance of the trains.
|
Nonprofits: A source of gifts that keep giving
December 2008
The holidays are upon us once again. Some holiday traditions are ones that we look forward to all year: homemade gingerbread cookies and holiday meals with family, driving along snowy roads to see the holiday lights warming an otherwise frosty landscape, seasonal music and fires crackling in the fireplace.
|
Living Well home takes a different approach to late-life care
December 2008
Striking a balance between quality of life and intervention is a fundamental concern for the elderly and those who love and care for them.
|
Woodbury College transforming into Woodbury Institute at Champlain College
December 2008
Woodbury College has begun to transfer its academic programs from its Montpelier location at 660 Elm Street to Champlain College in Burlington to become Woodbury Institute at Champlain College. The merger is expected to be completed by the beginning of the new year.
|
Snowmaking, Grooming, Glades Abound
December 2008
Vermont has a diversity of capital improvements at its Alpine ski areas for the 2008-09 season, with more than $28 million in upgrades.
|
Working Bridges supports economically diverse workplaces
December 2008
A cutting-edge project of the United Way of Chittenden County (UWCC) is putting the learning gained from a dynamic anti-poverty training into practice. Beth Kuhn, project director at UWCC, said the initiative, known as Working Bridges, benefits both modest-income workers and employers who have economically diverse workforces.
|
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something green
December 2008
When thinking of weddings, “white” is a word that usually comes to mind. But in the Champlain Valley and beyond, green might just be the new buzz word in the wedding industry.
|
State honors nonprofits of a 100-plus years
December 2008
Imagining the Vermont economy, the Vermont business community, even the Vermont landscape without the influence and efforts of the state’s nonprofits is an impossible task.
|
Vermont Associates: Training Vermont’s fastest growing workforce — the over-55s
December 2008
Vermont’s population is growing older — a combination of declining birth rate and aging baby boomers — steadily advancing Vermont to a position as the one of the oldest states in the nation.
|
Vermont’s exports: Not what they seem?
December 2008
Have you ever wondered why, when IBM coughs, Vermont seems to get the shivers? Recent Vermont high-tech export data released by the AeA, the nation’s largest high-tech trade association, provides some very essential insights..
|
Nutty Steph’s joins Red Hen Bakery in Middlesex rejuvenation
December 2008
For many years, the diminutive “downtown” of Middlesex, along a curvy stretch of Route 2 between Montpelier and Waterbury, had appeared forgotten — little more than a bypass for interstate tourists traveling south to Waitsfield, Warren and the Sugarbush resort.
|
Daring to DREAM
Program builds communities by pairing college mentors with kids
December 2008
It started with a few college students hanging out on Friday afternoons and eating pizza with the children at a subsidized housing community. Now a nonprofit organization with a dozen affiliated local mentoring programs statewide, DREAM Program, Inc.
|
CarShare Vermont: An alternative to car ownership
December 2008
A new nonprofit is generating interest among Burlington residents committed to personal mobility but concerned about the costs of owning and operating an automobile.
|
MyWebGrocer acquires Buy4NowUSA
December 2008
MyWebGrocer of Colchester recently purchased the U.S. operations of Buy4Now, which provides software and services to retail grocers in Ireland who want to sell their products online.
|
You want fries with that?
At renowned Al's French Frys, the answer has been 'Yes!' for 64 years
September 2008
To say that Al's French Frys is nationally known is not an exaggeration. Articles written in travel magazines like Travel and Leisure and in local and regional newspapers, and recommendations made on Internet travel sites and blogs, make Al's a must-experience place to go when in Vermont.
|
Pilates Space has new owners
September 2008
Three former employees of Pilates Space in Burlington are enjoying their new roles as co-owners.
|
Lincoln Peak Vineyard opens new wine-tasting room
September 2008
Vintner Chris Granstrom introduced Lincoln Peak Vineyard & Winery's estate bottled wines at the June grand opening of the winery's new wine-tasting room.
|
EpikOne analytics firm moves to Burlington's 'tech corridor'
September 2008
EpikOne moved to Burlington in July, to what the company's co-founder and CEO Dave Winslow called an emerging "technology corridor" in the city's south end.
|
Current affairs: Renewable energy summit set for October
September 2008
The 7th annual Renewable Energy Vermont Conference and Trade Show, "A Bright Future for Vermont Renewables" will be held Oct. 14 and 15, at the Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center at 870 Williston Road in South Burlington.
|
HR pros facing new challenges
September 2008
"Sounds like a problem for HR" has been the battle cry of frustrated middle managers ever since Vermont em-ployers began adding human resources departments to their ranks.
|
Spotlight on New Business
September 2008
Old Brick Café and Bakery
|
The Busy Chef adds a café
September 2008
The Busy Chef in Essex, formerly a take-out dinner establishment with do-it-yourself food preparation, has added a café that offers on-the-go patrons quick, homemade options for breakfast or lunch.
|
VCF awards more than $100K to arts
September 2008
The Vermont Arts Endowment Fund and the Concert Artists Fund, two component funds of the Vermont Community Foundation (VCF), announced the award of a combined total of $100,885 to 29 organizations and individuals across the state.
|
