Make it on Main Street!
I am thrilled to be a finalist in Wilmington Works' Make it on Main Street business funding competition. An award will help me re-open Cherry Press Printmaking at the fabulous ArtHouse on 12 Main Street, in the beautiful Green Mountain town of Wilmington, Vermont.
Please show your support on Thursday, February 20th at 5 pm, when I will be giving a public presentation with my four fellow finalists at ArtHouse.
Read an interview with me and more about the event in this article, published in the Deerfield Valley News on 2/7/25:
Make it on Main Street judges name finalists,
winner announced soon
By Lauren Harkawik
WILMINGTON - Judges for the second iteration of Make it on Main
Street, the Wilmington-focused business plan competition, have named
finalists. They comprise two existing businesses, Butter Mountain
Bakery and Valley Craft Ales, which seek to expand their operations,
and two businesses that would be new to the town, Local Loop and
Cherry Press Printmaking.
This year, $75,000 is up for grabs, and organizers have said it’s possible
that more than one competitor could take home some of the prize. The
winner, or winners, of the competition will be announced at an in-person
event planned for Thursday, February 20, at 5 pm. The event will be
held at Arthouse, at 12 South Main Street.
The Deerfield Valley News connected with each contestant to know
their plans a bit better.
Butter Mountain Bakery
Owner: Hannah Small
Location: Old School Community Center
When and where did you open Butter Mountain?
I launched Butter Mountain Bakery in 2015 at the Whitingham Farmers
Market and it grew quickly, first in my home kitchen and then from the
kitchen at Cask & Kiln.
In 2018, I tied for first place in the original Make it on Main Street
competition, which provided the funding I needed to open my own
brick-and-mortar location at the Old School Community Center in the
fall of 2019. That’s where Butter Mountain Bakery continues to grow
and thrive today.
What would winning Make it on Main Street make possible for your
business?
Despite its success, Butter Mountain Bakery has reached a growth
plateau and is now looking for additional investment to help scale
operations. Winning this contest will allow Butter Mountain Bakery to
hire its first-ever employee in 2025, increase weekly production by
150%, and expand its wholesale accounts. Increasing production will
boost sales for existing partners like Farmhouse Market and open up
new opportunities with local restaurants, Shaw’s, the Brattleboro Co-op,
and the Vermont school system.
Why is it important to you to keep your business in Wilmington?
Butter Mountain Bakery has built a loyal following of both retail and
wholesale customers, reaching thousands of social media followers each
week across Wilmington, surrounding towns, and even visitors from out
of state. Over the past nine years, Butter Mountain Bakery has proven it
can make a high-quality product that people actively seek out, going out
of their way to find it. My goal is to turn Butter Mountain Bakery into
the “Heady Topper” of sourdough—an iconic, in-demand product that
people will travel from all over to get their hands on.
What has the process of being a part of this iteration of Make it on Main
Street been like so far?
With Make it on Main Street: Volume II, the timing feels like fate. This
competition presents the perfect opportunity to elevate Butter Mountain
Bakery to the next level. I didn’t hesitate to reach out to Wilmington
Works to see if I could apply again, and after reviewing my plans, the
board agreed that my expansion goals aligned perfectly with the spirit of
the contest. I’ve built a business that lets me do what I love, that keeps
my passion alive, and that proves year after year the demand is strong.
Wilmington wants more of Butter Mountain, and so do I.
Cherry Press Printmaking
Owner: Corinne Rhodes
Location: Studio space inside Arthouse, 12 South Main Street
If your business is already in operation, when and where did you open
it? If it isn’t yet in operation, when would you plan to open it if you were
to win the business plan competition?
I am planning to have a soft opening in Wilmington in May, with a
grand opening event over Memorial Day weekend. I began Cherry Press
in 2014, as a sole proprietorship with a two-level studio space including
a darkroom in Rutland, MA. When the pandemic struck, I taught classes
virtually from Cherry Press and closed it to the public. From then on, I
worked on projects with individual artists, museums, and did some
commissioned printing. In 2022, my husband and I bought land in the
Green Mountains and have been concentrating on building our own
house by hand, from our own milled lumber.
What would winning Make it on Main Street make possible for your
business?
A Make it on Main Street funding award will enable Cherry Press
Printmaking to prepare studio space and open at the beautiful Arthouse
building at 12 Main Street. It will also facilitate the business’s operation
on a larger scale and a focal transition from lithography to the more
inclusive and user-friendly medium of screenprinting. Cherry Press
Printmaking will offer family-friendly classes, events (including Print-
Your-Own T-shirt events), supervised studio use, sales and services in a
variety of print media, contract printing, and collaborative services.
Hand-printed merchandise and contemporary prints will be available for
purchase on-site.
Why is it important to you to have your business in Wilmington?
I thought long and hard about where to reopen Cherry Press.
Wilmington is the ideal setting, with its growing artists’ community, and
there is a lot of interest in the arts in the surrounding areas. Likewise,
Arthouse is a perfect downtown Wilmington location, near shops,
galleries, and restaurants with convenient parking nearby. Arthouse is a
dynamic cultivator of the Wilmington arts community, with its classes,
events, and participation in the town’s first Art Walk.
What has the process of being a part of this iteration of Make it on Main
Street been like so far?
I am very proud of the comprehensive business plan I have put together
and am honored to have been chosen as a finalist. I learned a lot from
my mentor, Gretchen Havreluk, Wilmington’s economic development
consultant, and feel fortunate to work with her. I really enjoyed using the
LivePlan program software provided by BDCC. I would recommend it
to any business owner.
Local Loop
Owners: Nicole Leonard, Brian Holt, Drew Christo, Liz Christo, Magda
Kura, and Camilo Jimenez
Location: 24 West Main Street (owned by Drew Christo and Liz
Christo)
What is the name of the business you’re proposing to open?
Local Loop will be a collaborative retail hub, located at 24 West Main
Street, that connects Vermont and regional makers with local residents
and second-home owners seven days a week. It will provide a curated
selection of retail goods, local food and beverages, custom B2B
embroidery and labeling services powered by Super Snowflake, and a
ghost kitchen rental space. Our mission is to create an accessible,
community-driven marketplace that strengthens Wilmington’s local
economy.
What would winning Make it on Main Street make possible for your
business?
If Local Loop wins the business plan competition, we will use the grant
to renovate the space at 24 West Main Street with a target launch date
of June 1, 2025.
Why is it important to you to have your business in Wilmington?
Wilmington is a thriving community with a strong seasonal economy,
but many local makers struggle with high real estate costs and limited
distribution channels. Local Loop ensures that Vermont- and regionallymade
products stay accessible to both residents and visitors, rather than
losing business to larger retail chains or out-of-town shopping trips.
We are deeply invested in Wilmington’s future and believe this venture
will strengthen its identity as a destination for local goods and culture.
What has the process of being a part of this iteration of Make it on Main
Street been like so far?
Being a part of the Make it on Main Street has been a fun, creative, and
insightful experience. The process has reinforced for us the importance
of collaboration and innovation when it comes to revitalizing small-town
economies. Looking ahead to the final pitch, we are excited to share our
vision and engage with the community to make Local Loop a reality. We
hope to receive the full $75,000 grant so that we can bring a highly
visible vacant building back to life.
Valley Craft Ales
Owners: Justin Maturo, Travis Charlow, Chrystal Holt, Brian Holt, and
Michael Culnen
Location: 18 North Main Street
When and where did you open Valley Craft Ales?
Valley Craft Ales is a thriving business located in the heart of historic
downtown Wilmington. Since opening in 2022, VCA has become a local
favorite offering exceptional craft beer, quality pizza, live music events,
and cozy accommodations in the iconic Old Red Mill building. With a
rich history dating back almost 200 years to its original construction in
1828, the building has long served as a cornerstone of Wilmington’s
economy. Even after being destroyed by fire in 1902, the structure was
rebuilt and has continued to stand as a southern Vermont icon,
symbolizing resilience and community spirit.
What would winning Make it on Main Street make possible for your
business?
VCA is poised to honor and build upon this historic legacy by
transforming the building into a full-scale brewpub with on-site brewing
and packaging capabilities. This next chapter will reintroduce
manufacturing to the space, seamlessly blending historic preservation
with modern economic revitalization.
We are seeking $75,000 from the Make it on Main Street competition to
fund this expansion, which will allow us to brew 100% of our craft beer
on-site. This step will reduce production costs, increase margins, and
meet the growing demand for authentic Vermont-made beer from
retailers and customers. The project will also expand production
capacity by 40%, facilitating broader distribution to neighboring states.
Why is it important to you to keep your business in Wilmington?
Wilmington is our home and our flagship. This special community has
supported us since our inception, and we see our role as more than a
business—we are a steward of Wilmington’s rich heritage and a driver
of its vibrant future. Our goal is to invest in a sustainable, scalable
enterprise that will solidify Wilmington’s reputation as a regional
destination for craft beer, Vermont-made goods, and authentic local
experiences.
What has the process of being a part of this iteration of Make it on Main
Street been like so far?
Participating in the competition has been insightful and reinvigorating
for our team. Revisiting our goals of having the beer brewing operation
on-site has reminded us of our journey to get here and how important it
is to grow into this next phase. We are grateful to Wilmington Works
and the Make it on Main Street team for setting up the competition again
this year and for providing mentorship to us along the way.
