A regional center for commerce, finance and technology, Brattleboro was recently voted number five among the 100 Best Small Towns in America and named among the Top 10 Art Towns In America With A Population Under 30,000. Retail is the downtown historic district's largest sector with shops specializing in outdoor gear, gifts and crafts, home furnishings, clothing, music, and, five independent bookstores. It's a classic downtown, complete with a hardware store, movie theater, hotel, pharmacies, banks, a library, and a natural foods supermarket and deli. The choices for lunch or dinner are numerous, ranging from five-star continental cuisine to informal ethnic eateries. A local coffee roaster and two microbreweries add to the town's distinctive flavor. Art lovers will find a broad spectrum of local galleries, theaters, dance studios, music centers, and a museum. The Latchis Theater at the bottom of Main Street is one of only two Art Deco buildings in Vermont and is being fully restored to its full 1930's splendor. Cafes, bakeries, and bookstores foster a vibrant community spirit, providing gathering places for area residents and visitors alike. The downtown contains a small collection of shops within a glassed-in building that captures the feeling of open air, especially on a comforatable patio overlooking the river. Annual festivals brighten the streets with Strolling of the Heifers in June (pictured above in 2010 in a photograph by Greg Worden), Puppets in the Green Mountains in early fall and DecemberFest each winter. For more information: www.brattleborovt.org or www.brattleborochamber.org . |