Saturday, December 31, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Tune in to ABC World News with Diane Sawyer tonight at 6:30 PM EST to see Vermont Woods Studios http://ping.fm/W1zuZ
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Small Business: Collaboration vs Competition
Small businesses are our best chance to make America great again. NGOs (non-governmental organizations) are effective in many ways but they have to be funded by either government or business. Governments (both state and local) are so big, and bulky and fickle. They can help, but they're not really providing much leadership these days, are they?So it seems to me the burden of leading an American renaissance rests squarely on the broad shoulders of business. In Vermont, businesses are small though. The average business has only a handful of employees. But that hasn't stopped all of us from trying to change the world... because we have a secret weapon: collaboration.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Animals or People: Who is More Compassionate?
Animals or People: Who is More Compassionate?Here's a great story and just in time for Christmas. Resarchers at The University of Chicago did a series of experiments to demonstrate that other animals (besides humans) can be kind, compassionate and unselfish.
They used pairs of rats. One rat was locked in a tube and the other was free outside the tube. Free rats were able to figure out how to liberate their imprisoned pals.
So did they?
They did that and so much more!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
"Made in America" Christmas Shopping
The "Made in America" Christmas Shopping Challenge we started in September at Vermont Woods Studios Furniture is in full swing now. ABC News has done an amazing job of raising awareness about how much we as consumers can do to provide jobs in our communities, just by "buying American".Read more at the Vermont Shopping Blog. Check out some great American gift ideas for you on our Facebook like:
* For the kids-- American Flyer Sleds
* For Mom-- Colorful bud vases from Fiestaware
* For Dad-- Rugged tool sets from Channellock
* For Aunt Clara-- Handwoven baskets by Longaberger Basket
* For the art lover-- Creative gifts from $10- $5000 at The Art of Making a Difference
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Craftsman Furniture by Frank Lloyd Wright
We are excited to announce our newest addition to Vermont Woods Studios online Furniture Store and that's Copeland Furniture's ultra-luxury Frank Lloyd Wright Collection.
Each piece of this high end collection is based on an original that was (and still is) seen in Wright’s Prairie Houses. Copeland is exclusively licensed to design and build this legendary designer's collection. Read more about it at Vermont Woods Studios Fine Furniture Blog.“It opens, we enter, and an atmosphere of quiet strength and well-ordered repose envelops us, refreshes us, and gives us confidence in the personality of the “owners,” assures us of depth, warmth, and simplicity.”
Online Furniture Shopping: Customer Reviews, Ratings and Complaints Drive Continuous Improvement http://ping.fm/jOWJb
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Made in America Furniture Sale: Back For The Holidays
Celebrate our Made in America Holiday Shopping Challenge success at our store-wide 15% Off Fine Furniture Sale. This has been such an exciting week for us, with the ABC World News crew spotlighting our efforts to get friends and relatives to "buy American" this Christmas shopping season. Manjula and Dennis decided to share our revelry with a big sale-- it's store-wide from tomorrow until December 13.
Ultra Luxury Frank Lloyd Wright Furniture Collection
We are delighted to announce our newest addition to Vermont Woods Studios online Furniture Store and that's Copeland Furniture's ultra-luxury Frank Lloyd Wright Collection.
Showcasing the grandeur of America's best prairie-style architecture, Copeland's Frank Lloyd Wright Furniture reflects Wright's love of nature and the timeless beauty of his artistry. Learn more on our Vermont furniture website.
The Made in America Delay
I am really sorry if, like us, you were watching ABC World News with Diane Sawyer last night for a segment on our Made in America Christmas Shopping Challenge. We weren't there but we will be. Here's what happened.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
100% American Made Fine Wood Furniture Sale http://vermontwoodsstudios.com/content/storewide-american-made-furniture-sale
Monday, November 28, 2011
Today's promo for Wed night ABC World News that features our Made in America project. http://ping.fm/Vjylg
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Buy American and infuse a healthy dose of red, white and blue into Black Friday http://ping.fm/I2QAP
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Vermont Furniture - American Made and ABC World News
Many thanks for attending our Made in America Holiday Shopping Challenge! Because of your support ABC World News will be sending a camera crew up to Vernon, Vermont on Tuesday, November 22 to film for the Made in America series on their nightly news show.
We're pretty excited about it! See all the details and filming schedule here.
Thanks to Bob Audette and Crhis Garafolo for the nice write up in the Brattleboro Reformer http://ping.fm/Pb3jG
Friday, November 18, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Black Friday Sale: Furniture
Our Vermont Made Furniture will be on sale for Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year. Stay tuned for details, but I am hearing this will be THE biggest furniture sale of the year.While we're waiting for the details, consider joining our American Made Holiday Shopping Challenge and share your great "American made" finds with us on Facebook.
More Black Friday Furniture Sale info here.
Are you "buying American" this holiday season? Get counted! Like us here http://ping.fm/84B2F then click attending here http://ping.fm/LjFqs
Join the Challenge - Buy American, Buy Local and get counted this holiday season. http://ping.fm/chMip
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
USA Made Gift Ideas for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza
Read all about Dennis' USA made Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza gift ideas.
Monday, November 14, 2011
The Green Furniture Experts at Vermont Furniture
Meet the Sustainable Furniture experts at Vermont's best green furniture store: Vermont Woods Studios Fine Furniture. We are here to to help you find those handcrafted, eco-friendly, American made, solid wood furniture pieces you've been searching for.Learn more about our Green Team, shop our online catalog and contact us to discuss your fine furniture needs.
A new line of Vermont-made, modern American furniture is coming to Vermont Woods Studios, http://ping.fm/atV5K
Copeland Furniture: A New Modern, Contemporary Line for Vermont's Online Furniture Store
Copeland furniture our newest sustainable Vermont made furniture is coming to Vermont Woods Studios online store. We'll soon be carrying the entire Copeland line of Vermont made furniture including the prestigious Frank Lloyd Wright® collection.Learn more about this sustainable, modern, contemporary green furniture collection.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Shaker Furniture Sale
Looking for Shaker furniture at the lowest prices? Check out Vermont's Best Shaker Style Furniture sale. Find 100% American made Shaker Style Furniture for every room in your home. Details at the Vermont Furniture Store.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Is your stuff falling apart? Thank Walmart | Walmart’s greenwash: Why the retail giant is still unsustainable http://ping.fm/IEMeE
The Nature Conservancy gets 100% of all profits at Vermont Woods Studios Furniture today sustainability shopping http://vermontwoodsstudios.com/content/nature-conservancy-fundraiser-vt-shaker-furniture-sale
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Veteran's Day American Made Furniture Sale
Many thanks to all our brave active military and veterans on this 11/11/11 Veteran's Day.We are offering vets a special 20% Off coupon to use in our American Made furniture store today, tomorrow and Sunday (November 11, 12 and 13).
Active military, Vets and their families can enter the furniture coupon code into our Vermont Furniture store shopping cart and it will apply the 20% discount, subject to verification of status immediately prior to shipping.
Thanks again for your service!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
American Made, Child-Safe High End Furniture- Bringing The Outdoors In
Our kids are older now, but I remember when they were little we were always worrying about them getting hurt around our furniture. Sharp edges and corners, glass tops, coatings and finishes were all a concern.Well, now parents are getting much smarter about choosing kid-friendly furniture. One option is to bring the beautiful, American made modern outdoor furniture that's become so popular over the last few years-- inside.
Check out this outdoor polywood furniture, It doesn't look kid-friendly does it? It looks like (and is) stylish, high quality, luxury furniture. But guess what it's made of? Recycled milk jugs. It's all non-toxic, inert, virtually indestructible, super easy to maintain and guaranteed to last a lifetime. There's no glass, no finish or sharp edges. Furthermore, you can choose from dozens of durable Sunbrella fabrics for the cushions without worry about spills and dribbles. The deep seating mission collection shown here offers a choice of outdoor faux leather cushions or Sunbrella fabrics.
Parents of small children: give it some thought! Bring the outdoors furniture in.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Eco Furniture Sale Raises Funds For The Nature Conservancy Tree Conservation
This Saturday, November 12 Vermont Woods Studios Fine Furniture Store will be running a fundraiser for The Nature Conservancy's Plant A Billion Trees campaign. 100% of our profits on that day will be donated to The Nature Conservancy.Forest conservation has always been a fundamental part of our green mission. Although Vermont's forests are among the best managed in the world we realize that globally, deforestation is one of the top environmental problems the planet is facing.
In fact, the world’s tropical rainforests are disappearing at a rate of one football field every second! This deforestation pours carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and contributes more to air pollution and global climate change than exhaust from the entire transportation sector. Hard to believe isn't it? Furthermore, forest animals and plants are being lost at a rate of over 100 species/day due to deforestation.
So, if you're planning a fine furniture purchase or you know someone else who is, please consider buying your furniture this Saturday. Put your purchasing power to work and help us use green commerce to change the world!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
American Made Solid Wood Furniture (Free Delivery in Philadelphia / Pennsylvania) http://ping.fm/QoNQo
American Made Solid Wood Furniture (Free Delivery in Philadelphia / Pennsylvania)
Worry-free shipping and white glove delivery throughout PA.
American Made Solid Wood Furniture (Free Delivery in Philadelphia / Pennsylvania) http://ping.fm/1t51V
Friday, November 4, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Custom Made to Order Furniture - Secrets on Buying Custom Furniture at Best Prices http://ping.fm/zMEES
Eco Friendly Wood Furniture and Green Finishes
Eco friendly furniture isn't defined simply by the wood it's made of. Often the finish on green furniture is the most important part. Beyond aesthetics and ideals, these "finishing touches" can be considered a very real health concern. Often, one or more members of the family is allergic or sensitive to certain chemical finishes.Consumers are being made aware of the adverse effects that even trace amounts of chemical exposure can have on those with fragile health.
Here at Vermont Woods Studios Furniture we offer a number of standard clear, non-toxic finishes including natural linseed oil, poly gel, and low-VOC lacquer.
Customers can also purchase custom finishes, such as the Vermont Natural Coatings Poly Whey finish which is made here in Vermont from dairy products.
We work with individual customers to understand their specific concerns and needs and to suggest natural finishes that we have researched and tested and found to be effective for protecting our health, our furniture and our planet.
The Internet, of course, has made it much easier for consumers to do their own research on natural finishes and to really delve into a product's specifications. MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) are available online as well as anecdotal stories and opinions written by professionals and consumers.
Are you looking for help with natural, non-toxic finishes? Feel free to give us a call and we'll help you select the finish that's best for your needs.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Dancing with Vermont Woods Studio's Stars
Manjula is going to do her $1Million Dollar Dance today. Why???Well, we're a small, family-owned company. At Vermont Woods Studios we specialize in high quality, natural solid wood furniture that's handmade right here in Vermont. We've been in business almost 6 years now and we're always striving to grow our company so we can get busy changing the world and accomplishing our green mission-- which is the reason we started the business.
Well, today we reached a big milestone: $1 Million in sales for 2011. In the furniture world, we're tiny though and with our insistence on natural, eco-friendly, handcrafted, American made (Vermont-made) furniture, we may never be "big".
But we've all worked incredibly hard to reach this mile-marker and everyone's pretty excited about it. We want to thank all of you who are helping us-- customers, friends, family, vendors, colleagues and readers. You help drive us and keep us on course and we are grateful for your support. With your help we intend to continue growing the business while focusing on maintaining the highest standards of quality and customer service-- and delivering on our mission.
Now about Manjula... she's been promising to do a Million Dollar Dance as soon as we made this milestone. I'll try to catch it on video and post it above or on our Facebook. Keep an eye out for it :)
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
American Made Furniture: It's Not Just A Slogan In Vermont
In the furniture world, High Point, North Carolina is the place to be in October. All the big, multi-national furniture wholesalers are there at the Annual Furniture Market selling to retailers from across America.For the past 30-40 years these companies have been manufacturing their furniture in China, Vietnam and other third world countries. They moved there from places like North Carolina and Virginia in the 70s and 80s to take advantage of cheap labor, illegally harvested wood and lax safety and health regulations.
Well, now that wages and safety are both on the rise in China, the furniture companies are moving back to the USA. This year they are pushing two new over-arching sales themes at the High Point Market: American Made Furniture and Eco-Friendly, Green Furniture.
Hmmm. That sounds familiar, doesn't it? In Vermont our furniture makers have embodied these themes throughout our history. Vermont furniture has always been true to its American heritage, American quality and American jobs. And our states' furniture craftspeople have consistently used eco-friendly, sustainably harvested wood and non-toxic finishes for their work.
From the small custom shops that make one of a kind studio furniture to our medium and large scale furniture makers like Lyndon Furniture, Copeland Furniture, Pompanoosuc Mills, New England Woodcraft, Vermont Furniture Designs and Maple Corner Woodworks, Vermont craftsmen have been authentically American and eco-friendly throughout our history. It's not just a passing fad in Vermont and you can rest assured that we will be providing heirloom quality, natural, handmade furniture for generations to come.
US Made Fine Furniture Sale - 15% Off Vermont Made Bedroom, Dining, Office Furniture
Just a quick note to let you know we've got a great sale going on today through Halloween, October 31. The American Made Fine Wooden Furniture Sale gives you 15% off just about everything store-wide including bedroom furniture, dining room furniture, home office furniture and living room furniture.Celebrate the renaissance of American craftsmanship by acquiring a piece or a room full of handmade, heirloom quality, fine wooden furniture!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Custom Made to Order Furniture - Tips and Advice for Buying Handmade, Fine Wooden Furniture at the Best Price, http://ping.fm/bsvCy
American Made Fine Furniture Sale - 15% Off Store Wide
http://vermontwoodsstudios.typepad.com/vermont_woods_studios_peg/2011/10/american-made-fine-furniture-sale-15-off-store-wide.html
http://vermontwoodsstudios.typepad.com/vermont_woods_studios_peg/2011/10/american-made-fine-furniture-sale-15-off-store-wide.html
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Will Hogback Mountain in Marlboro VT Be A Furniture Showroom?
If you're local to Southeastern Vermont, you no-doubt remember eating a delicious, hearty breakfast at the Skyline Restaurant on Hogback Mountain in Marlboro VT, while enjoying the incredible 100 Mile view. It was the kind of place you thought would always be there for you, the next time you were in the neighborhood. I'm not sure why the restaurant shut down (about 4 years ago?) but it's in pretty bad shape at the moment.
At Vermont Woods Studios Fine Furniture Store, we've been working with J Coleman & Company Architects on evalutaing the condition of Skyline's heating, air conditioning, plumbing and structure these past couple weeks to see which systems will have to be totally gutted and replaced and which, if any may be partially salvaged. It looks to me like there will be a lot of replacement.
If you're in the area or you're interested in green building or the story of Skyline, keep an eye on our project through this blog and Facebook. If Skyline is a feasible location for a Vermont made furniture showroom and we do end up purchasing the property, we'll be looking for local help to transform it. Contact us if you interested in getting involved.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Eco Friendly Sustainable Wood Furniture - Is FSC Certification Good Enough? http://ping.fm/vAUR5?&id=5083806
Tigers and Other Exotic Wildlife Animals - Help Avoid Another Ohio-Style Tragedy
Tigers are my favorite animals. We've done a few promotions trying to raise awareness about the fact that they are critically endangered due to habitat loss. Tiger conservation is linked to the wood furniture industry: much of the wood that is being used in imported furniture is clear cut from the rapidly disappearing habitats of Siberian, Bengal and other species of tiger.Anyway I was really upset to see the massacre of tigers, lions, bears, monkeys and other exotic animals in Zanesville OH yesterday. ABC News featured a story about the importance of states passing laws prohibiting the purchase and sale of exotic animals, citing Born Free USA as a good place to learn more about the issue and take action.
Here's another way you can help protect exotic wildlife, right now and it only takes one minute and doesn't cost a penny. Go to Big Cat Rescue and click over to the US Government comment form regarding pending legislation from the US Fish and Wildlife Service about illegal trade in tiger parts. Enter your contact information on the form, then copy this phrase into the comment form: End the Trade in Generic Tigers! Please Rescind the Generic Tiger Exemption. So often we see these tragic stories in the news but we feel helpless to do anything about it. Here's a way you can make a difference.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Vermont Made Handblown Glass from Simon Pearce
As you know, when Hurricane Irene blew through Vermont, hundreds of our roads, bridges, homes and businesses were severely damaged or destroyed. Being on the banks (being THE banks, actually) of the Ottauquechee River, the Simon Pearce flagship store in Quechee Vermont suffered major flooding and sustained serious damage to its glassblowing, pottery and hydroelectric facilities. Luckily their restaurant and retail store suffered much less damage and they recently re-opened.
We, at Vermont Woods Studios love to visit the Simon Pearce Mill and Restaurant, especially during these colorful weeks of Fall (that's Arn and Cathy in the photo which was taken just before the hurricane). The Pearce family and their staff are an inspiration to us and a role model for sustainable operations and good corporate citizenship. Their business is a benchmark for the kind of destination we want to offer at our next location.Check out the Simon Pearce website and Facebook to see the kind of principled company they have created. And definitely stop by for lunch or dinner at the Simon Pearce restuarant-- one of the finest in the Northeast.
There are a few weeks of leaf peeping left in Vermont, so we hope you'll wander through our state this weekend or next. You'll find that almost all of our businesses have managed to dry out, dig out and clean-up in time for your visit. Your efforts will be greatly appreciated by all the Vermont business owners who are working around the clock to recover from the worst catastrophe the state has ever seen.
Enjoy your travels!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Vermont Furniture Design Contest: Congrats to the 2011 Winners!
Vermont is home to some of the best fine furniture makers in America, and indeed the world. Last month Vermont Woods Studios attended the annual Fine Furniture Festival and Design Contest in Woodstock, Vermont and it was bigger and better than ever. I wanted to recognize the winners and share a few photos of their work with you.Brent Karner of Clear Lake Furniture was awarded First Place in the Production Furniture category for his beautiful custom wall unit with bookcases, media storage and a fireplace mantle.
Johns Congdon took First Place in the Custom and Studio Furniture category for his Alienor Writing Desk.
Mario Messina's Abacus Table took Second Place in the Custom and Studio Furniture category.
David Hurwitz's State of Craft Table took tThird Place in the Custom and Studio Furniture Category.
Congratulations to everyone on your impressive achievements! See more photos on our Facebook.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Fall Foliage Tour In VT Green Mountains
This past weekend was the most beautiful Columbus Day I can remember. After suffering through the wake of Hurricane Irene, Vermonters really deserved a break. And we got one. Temperatures were around 80F and the sun shined all weekend.Ken and I ventured out to leaf peep and give his new hip a whirl. He's still a bit wobbly, but he generally gets where he wants to go.
This photo was taken at the property we're researching to buy for Vermont Woods Studios. It's the old Skyline Restaurant on Hogback Mountain in Marlboro VT on Route 9 between Wilmington and Brattleboro.
After a morning of traipsing around Skyline looking at heating, ventillation, air conditioning and plumbing systems we headed into Brattleboro, stopped at Grafton Cheese and landed at The Marina for lunch. Can't think of a better place to be on a day like that.More pictures of our leaf peeping adventure on Facebook.
Kringle Candle: A Benchmark for Vermont Made Furniture
We were coming home from Greenfield MA on Sunday after Riley's basketball game and decided to travel home along Route 5, through Bernardston. I was surprised to see how much progress they've made on the new Kringle Candle Company-- where the old Harley Davidson shop used to be.It is beautiful! We had been through the candle shop last year but now there are several additional shops across the street-- it's like a little village.
The old farmhouse that sits south of the Harley shop has been transformed into an elegant Farm Table Restaurant that extends to outdoor eating areas decorated with colorful Fall mums and pumpkins-- everywhere.In their brochures they note that Mike and Mick Kittredge founded the company on green principles:
- The restaurant serves all local organic foods
- The candle containers are designed for re-use
- Product packaging is environmentally friendly and recycled when possible
That's where there is some commonality between the Kringle Candle Company and Vermont Woods Studios-- in our shared green philosophy. Our vision for our new location (be it Skyline or elsewhere) is one that honors our natural world and serves to raise awareness about the green causes we have always been passionate about: forest conservation and wildlife protection. I think Kringle Candle is an appropriate benchmark for us. We could learn a lot from these folks.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Drinking On The Job
Can you believe this? I leave the office for a few hours and Douglas and Manjula immediately break out the booze. Pretty sad state of affairs at Vermont Woods Studios, isn't it?
You'll notice Rebecca and Dennis aren't too impressed.
OK, actually we were celebrating meeting an impossible goal we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year, so we thought we would indulge in a little champagne that day. And some key lime pie that Dennis's wife, Susan kindly made for us (thank you Susan).
We even pulled Ken away from his post-surgery routine and sat him down to celebrate too. No arm twisting necessary.Now it's back to work and I have to say that for the most part, we have fun doing it. I'm so impressed with our team (Douglas, Manjula, Rebecca, Dennis, Shannon). They are brilliant and creative and determined -- so much so that I feel certain we'll have another reason to be drinking on the job again soon. Thanks, Everyone!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Going green? Modern contemporary bedroom furniture sets, handcrafted in VT from eco-friendly sustainably harvested solid wood. http://ping.fm/3Rpdr
Handcrafted, High Quality, American Made, Solid Wood Furniture: Shipping And Delivery http://ping.fm/9Ob9P
Handcrafted, High Quality, American Made, Solid Wood Furniture: Shipping And Delivery
But not to worry, there are still a number of high quality American furniture companies that combine modern, contemporary style with traditional old world quality and American authenticity. As North Carolina was once the hub of American furniture making 30 years ago, Vermont has now stepped up to be what I call the Fine Furniture Capital of America. There are over 2000 small furniture making companies in Vermont, focusing on high quality, solid wood furniture that's made to order and shipped all across the country and around the world.
Check out the best of these furniture makers at Vermont Woods Studios Fine Furniture, an online store offering a wide selection of authentic handmade, solid wood furniture collections from companies throughout Vermont.
Worried about shipping and delivery? These folks have it figured out. Each piece of furniture comes with free white glove shipping and delivery to anyplace in the continental USA. A uniformed, professional delivery crew will bring your new furniture into your home, set it up wherever you like, and help you inspect it. Whether you live in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, California, Texas or places in between you can once again purchase 100% American made, high quality wood furniture for your home. This is the furniture you'll be handing down to your children and grandchildren. Check out the lifetime guarantee and give them a call. Then order tomorrow's heirlooms today.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Buying Modern Shaker Furniture in The Washington DC Metro Area
Consumers looking for high end, solid wood furniture that is environmentally friendly with non-toxic, child-safe finishes have turned to Vermont for many years.
Vermont Woods Studios offers the time honored, traditional, high quality craftsmanship that VT is famous for and delivers furniture free of charge to the DC metro area. They even include a lifetime guarantee. Check out their current sale and community fundraiser initiative today.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Vermont Furniture: Reaching For The Sky... Line
Remember this photo? Well, I mentioned in the summer that Ken and I were looking to purchase a property that Vermont Woods Studios Furniture could call home.This week we signed an offer to purchase the old Skyline Restaurant property on Route 9 in Marlboro, Vermont (across from the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum and Giftshop). It's just a first step and there are many hurdles to be jumped before a sale can happen but even so, we're pretty excited about it. And nervous.
We looked at dozens of properties throughout southern Vermont (courtesy of Suzanne King at Masiello Real Estate) and liked this one best because of its beautiful location in the foothills of the Green Mountain National Forest. We wanted a place where we could welcome customers and let them experience the link between Vermont's handmade wood furniture and the forest where it comes from.
Situated on Vermont's scenic Hogback Mountain Overlook with it's unbelievable 100 mile view, Skyline could provide that.So today starts our journey to take Vermont Woods Studios to the next level. We'll keep you posted as to how things go. We were lucky enough to persuade Brattleboro's best architect (J Coleman and Co) and engineer (Stevens and Associates PC) to help us out by doing some initial feasibility studies to see if the (distressed) Skyline property and existing building are up to the task of renovation and re-birth. We'll be immersed in that assessment for probably the next couple months. We'll be asking your opinion as we go-- either through the comment link below or on our Facebook or preferably over a glass of wine in our kitchen.
We're looking to make this a green project that produces a showroom worthy of the elegant handmade furniture inside and the incredible natural beauty of the Green Mountains outside. Check back in now and then and give us your thoughts and advice.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Vermont's Middlebury Solar Decathalon Team Takes Fourth
The 2011 Solar Decathalon final judging results are in and Vermont's own Middlebury College Team came in Fourth overall in a world-class line up of contestants.Congratulations from all of us at Vermont Woods Studios!
The team cam in FIRST place in the areas of Communications, Home Entertainment, and Market Appeal. Learn more about the brilliant, hardworking students who made it happen.
The sustainable, energy-efficient home Middlebury students designed and built was filled with Vermont made furniture and accessories, including the Cherry Moon Dovetail Bed we donated. Great job guys!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Vermont Furniture Sale Helps United Way Hurricane Relief Fund
Last Saturday we ran a promotion at Vermont Woods Studios Furniture to raise money for local Vermonters who lost their homes and businesses in the floods that resulted from Hurricane Irene. We promised to donate 100% of our profits to the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund that the United Way set up for our area.Happily we had a couple nice sales Saturday and I can report that we raised $306 for the Fund. That amount was matched 50% by local employer Entergy. I guess it's a small amount when you're looking at a disaster of such enormous proportions but the truth is most businesses in Vermont are small, just like us. But we're banding together and it's amazing to see the recovery take shape as a result.
Manjula and Dennis are cooking up additional fundraisers and planning to run them about once per month throughout the next year. Stay tuned for updates. That's Manjula delivering our donation to Carmen Darby, the Windham County United Way Director. Thanks to both of you for all the good work you do for our community.
Join Our "Buy American Made" Holiday Shopping Challenge
I'm really not an early Christmas shopper. In fact I'm not a shopper at all. When the kids were little they used to like to holiday shop at the local craft fair... that was fun. But the boys are teenagers now and I can't imagine getting them to do that anymore. A couple times in recent years, I was able to convince Ken and the boys to make an overnight holiday shopping trip to Boston where we wandered around downtown and at the Wrentham Mall picking up a few gifts. I enjoyed that but the kids seem to have outgrown any kind of activity that involves parents.Anyway... yesterday in the office, Dennis floated the idea of buying only American made things for Christmas presents. Pretty cool idea, don't you think?
But the thing is, this is shopping we can't leave till the last minute. It will take a bit of research and planning. Isn't it ironic that many American made gifts would have to be purchased online and shipped here from across the country, whereas imports are available anytime, in every store in town, at a moment's notice?So at Vermont Woods Studios we'll plan to start our shopping now and share our research with you as we go. Saturday I tagged along with Annette at the Brattleboro Farmer's Market. That's probably a reasonable place to start... maple syrup, handmade pottery, wooden bowls.
Why not join us in our "Buy American Made" Holiday Gifts Challenge? If you have gift suggestions, pass them along in the comment section below or send photos and links and we'll post here or on our Facebook page.
They say that if each of us in the USA spent just $3.33 on American made goods, that would generate 10,000 jobs... a pretty decent Christmas present in itself, I say.
American Made Holiday Gift Buying Challenge: My Pledge
By Dennis Shanoff
Here at Vermont Woods Studios, we have always (and only) sold 100% USA made wood furniture. Vermont made furniture to be more precise. And the reasons this matters are many and compelling. Let’s start with superb, lasting quality and built from a natural and sustainable material. Well that’s good for your wallet and very good for the planet. And when you factor in the US jobs it creates and the local economies it helps support, well to me that’s when it becomes very compelling. Our product and service choices really do matter and can make a difference.This past year ABC news ran some Made in America feature stories. You may have seen all or part of these week long series specials on the nightly news. They did a great job of raising awareness of how little we have in our homes that was produced in this country. And the obvious “reason this matters” drawn from these segments was how it has impacted the US economy and our jobs market.
So it did get me thinking that maybe I could shift at least some of my buying to US made goods (as challenging as that sounds). I would do my part plus I certainly have been experiencing some quality issues with my offshore made products, especially tools. Why is my father’s power drill from the 1950’s still working while I am on at least my 5th one!
And my next thought was that I couldn’t be alone in this thinking and that sooner or later a “Buy American” movement would begin. If ABC news couldn’t push this movement, no one can! Well the whole ABC coverage did inspire and encourage me to think more about this and ponder what a small movement with “spreading potential” could do? When could we make a really big difference? How about the time of year when we really ramp up our spending? What would be an easy to adopt theme? And then it hit me, holiday shopping is right around the corner. How many Secret Santa office parties will there be? How many school children will be partaking in a holiday gift exchange? And how many families and friends will be having an old fashion Yankee Swap! So why not an American Made theme holiday gift party this year? And that’s just what we are going to do here in our Vermont Woods Studios office and that’s what I am going to do when it comes to my family and friend gift buying.
In the coming weeks I will be posting on this blog the results of my findings and ideas. So if you are curious as to what I find or if you want to share your thoughts or findings please come back and post your comments here (or even better-- on our Facebook page).
Now imagine if a million holiday gatherings follow this Buy American theme this season… well that will really matter!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Join Our American Made Holiday Shopping Challenge
I'm really not an early Christmas shopper. In fact I'm not a shopper at all. When the kids were little they used to like to holiday shop at the local craft fair... that was fun. But the boys are teenagers now and I can't imagine getting them to do that anymore. A couple times in recent years, I was able to convince Ken and the boys to make an overnight holiday shopping trip to Boston where we wandered around downtown and at the Wrentham Mall picking up a few gifts. I enjoyed that but the kids seem to have outgrown any kind of activity that involves parents.Anyway... yesterday in the office, Dennis floated the idea of buying only American made things for Christmas presents. Pretty cool idea, don't you think?
But the thing is, this is shopping we can't leave till the last minute. It will take a bit of research and planning. Isn't it ironic that many American made gifts would have to be purchased online and shipped here from across the country, whereas imports are available anytime, in every store in town, at a moment's notice?So at Vermont Woods Studios we'll plan to start our shopping now and share our research with you as we go. Saturday I tagged along with Annette at the Brattleboro Farmer's Market. That's probably a reasonable place to start... maple syrup, handmade pottery, wooden bowls.
Why not join us in our American Made Holiday Gift Giving Challenge? If you have gift suggestions, pass them along in the comment section below or send photos and links and we'll post here or on our Facebook page.
They say that if each of us in the USA spent just $3.33 on American made goods, that would generate 10,000 jobs... a pretty decent Christmas present in itself, I say.
Friday, September 23, 2011
How College Students Can Create 500,000 American Jobs
Have you seen any of the ABC News Made in America specials on World News with Diane Sawyer? This week they're talking about the impact college students could have on our economy if they purchased USA made dorm room accessories and linens from American companies.It's tough to do since universities are unwittingly pushing imported goods through their campus stores, but it is possible, as demonstrated on the show. And in fact this room was $92 cheaper to furnish with American made items than similar imported ones.
Sawyer notes that the average college student shopper spent $800 this season or a total of $46 BILLION. If that money had been spent purchasing American goods, it could have provided almost half a million American jobs!
So it turns out it can be cheaper to furnish a college dorm with American made items than imported ones? Maybe some smart college presidents will commission their business school faculty and students to get on this and transform their campuses into American Made spaces.
Oh and if they're looking to add American made furniture to the dorms, Vermont's own New England Woodcraft has been building solid wood furniture for college dorms right here in the USA for over 50 years.
It looks like this Vermont-made furniture is pretty well equipped to handle college students, wouldn't you think?
And while we're on the subject of USA made furniture, I can say that 100% of our furniture at Vermont Woods Studios is 100% made in America... in Vermont to be precise.
Your purchases here employ our 5 staff members who operate the website and take care of sales and customer service, plus about 15-20 furniture makers and many additional support people including shippers. You are making a difference when you Buy American and we are grateful for your support.
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