The Friends Of Algiers Village Inc,  have announced the appointment of Chris Cole from Cole Construction Management of Manchester, VT to be the Construction Manager for the long awaited renovations to be made to the Guilford Country Store. Work is expected to start this fall. Once this work is completed, the Guilford Country Store will reopen.

Cole has served as Construction Manager for many projects, including numerous ones involving the historic preservation of significant buildings, the latest being the renovations on the Bullock Building in Readsboro, VT.

As Construction Manager Cole will represent the owners in all phases of the project- from planning through the construction. The Guilford Store is located in the historic Broad Brook House in the Algiers section of Guilford. Built in 1817, the building has served as a hotel, a stage coach stop, and, for many years it has housed the Guilford Country Store. It contains two second floor apartments, one of which has been adapted from the former ballroom.

The immediate goal of the owners is to totally redo the store area by bringing it up to modern standards and codes. Concurrent with the construction work, the owners are conducting a search for an operator to lease and operate the store. The Brattleboro architect Jim Williams has designed the store section to contain the general store including a deli area and a public restroom.

 In announcing Cole’s appointment, the Friends Of Algiers Village, Inc. President Eric Morse stated that Cole’s experience was what attracted him to the group. The Friends have been working closely with the Preservation Trust of Vermont and have received Federal and state grants ,including a Village Revitalization grant: a Partnership of Senator Patrick Leahy and the Preservation Trust Of Vermont with a funding from the HUD  Federal agency, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, the Vermont Community Development Program, the Freeman Foundation in partnership with the Preservation Trust of Vermont, the Henderson Foundation, the Brattleboro Savings & Loan, Assn., the Vermont Community Foundation, historic Tax Credits, and the National Trust For Historic  Preservation.

The Friends Of Algiers Village, Inc., the owners of the Guilford Country Store property, are continuing a fund drive to complete the renovations. To learn more or to make a contribution to help reopen the Guilford Country Store, please contact Project Chairman Fred Humphrey at (802) 257-7306, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Eric Morse, President of the FOAVI , at (802) 254-8477; or any member of the Board of Directors.