By Katy Savage
An 1840s mercantile that once supported the agricultural community back when Rochester was dominated by farms and the logging industry, has been transformed into an inn.
The Stable Inn in Rochester opened in May after five years of renovation and development. A grand opening celebration is scheduled for June 7 at 3 p.m., with local musicians and food prepared by a wood-fired oven.
“It took quite a while to organize it,” said owner Anne Mackay.
Mackay owns a couple businesses on North Main Street in Rochester with her husband, Doon Hinderyckx, including a bike shop and art gallery. They originally opened the inn in 2014 as a hostel.
“It evolved to become a very large energy project,” Mackay said. “We decided to go all out and see how a property like this could be developed.”
They kept the original timber frame but added new fixtures to the inside and redid the foundation. They also worked closely with Efficiency Vermont to make the building as sustainable as possible with a pellet stove, solar panels and heat pumps.
“I think it’s the future now,” Mackay said. “When we went through Tropical Store Irene, we made that commitment that the future for us was going to be self-sufficient. We don’t want to feed into the old energy models anymore.”
Mackay secured a historic preservation grant and tax credit to help with part of the renovation.
The inn now has 14 rooms, ranging from shared rooms to private ensuites, plus a community kitchen for guests to prepare their own food.
“The ceilings are all very low,” Mackay said. “The floors roll around in every direction. It was basically a gut renovation. Saving the building has been really gratifying.”
Mackay said it will be a space for artist’ retreats and for people who want to access recreational assets of the area, like the Velomont Trail. The Stable Inn is also part of the Vermont Huts Association, which provides affordable shelter on Vermont’s trails for people hiking, cross country skiing and mountain biking.
“You can come rent a room very affordably,” Mackay said.
The inn is one of four businesses owned by Mackay and Hinderyckx within their BigTown Vermont (BT—VT) hub. Green Mountain Bikes, which opened in 1987, has been a staple in the community, while BigTown Gallery opened in 2003. They plan to open another business — Green Mountain Bikes Rental Center — in 2024.
Festivities for the opening celebration begin on June 7 at 3 p.m. For more information visit bigtownvermont.com.
