The breathtaking Shires of Southwestern Vermont in the northeastern United States have been working hard at creating tremendous transformation across the region. From its workforce to its communities to business development, this lush, 650,000-square-mile region, settled between the Taconic range to the west and the Green Mountains to the east, is moving and shaking, bringing about positive change, exciting growth, and above all, happy landings for newcomers.
As pretty as a picture in Autumn with millions of trees gleaming in every shade of amber, this exquisite part of America is every bit as rewarding to live in as it is welcoming. Bordering Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, its name was inspired by the two shire towns that form its county seats, the North Shire of Manchester and the South Shire of Bennington in the southwest. These days, it is also sometimes known as Bennington County. While Manchester is known for outstanding recreation and shopping, Bennington is the center of industry, with sectors in healthcare, government, professional services, and higher education.
The region is so hospitable that its Chamber of Commerce, which has served 17 towns throughout the region since 2020, leads by building inclusion, engagement, and collaboration amongst community members and their businesses. As part of its drive to achieve a series of impressive development goals by 2027 and beyond, it recently appointed a relocation and retention specialist, Luis Lascari, who is in charge of the office’s specialty concierge service for people looking to move here. Acting as a link between the recruitment agencies and human resource departments of local businesses and potential newcomers, the service not only aims to bring people to the area; it also establishes a sincere friendship with those who take the leap. In the process, Lascari supports potential newcomers and their families with everything they could possibly need to get established and integrate into the community.
Local businesses join in the efforts, providing vouchers and small tokens of welcome which people receive on Lascari’s first visit to their new homes. “People know their neighbors here,” he says. “From afar, it looks like a Hallmark movie.” Himself a recent new arrival from Texas, Lascari understands the challenges of arriving in a new place without established networks. “I’ve been working here for eight months, and I feel like I know half the town already,” he shares.
The idea of such a personalized service is to help people understand what life here is like once they are settled. But the service goes beyond that, creating a genuine sense of belonging for newcomers by rehumanizing the entire relocation experience through sincere interaction and community gatherings. Learn more information about the program by visiting relocatetovermont.com.
One of several such programs that were created to connect people across the area’s towns is the Shires Young Professionals organization. With over 100 members, the group helps new young Vermonters connect for some well-deserved rest and relaxation, play dates for their children, and other social encounters.
“There are many reasons why people move around. But we believe that the reason they stay is that they have at least three to five friends in town,” says Matt Harrington, Executive Director of the area’s Chamber of Commerce.
Offering outstanding quality of living, the area’s easy access to Boston, New York City, the Capital Region of New York, Western Massachusetts, and other economic centers makes it a no-brainer for many searching for a richer, gentler pace. From taking a quick glide down a ski slope to walking to work with a friend or a partner to enjoying one of the area’s famous festivals, outdoor living is part and parcel of everyday life here. And, with hybrid working models becoming the norm, having the time to actually enjoy such pleasures is becoming increasingly possible for more people.
The area is by no means stuck in time, however. A growing number of big names, including Hoffman Car Wash, VIP Tires & Service, Starbucks, Chipotle, Harbor Freight, Marshalls, Ocean State Job Lot, and more have tapped the region for new franchises while KFC, Taco Bell, Walmart, and Burger King have spruced up their local facilities.
Harrington adds, “I think when major brands like Starbucks, Chipotle, and Marshalls choose to invest in our region, it’s a clear signal of the area’s potential and viability. These companies conduct extensive market research and site selection before making a move, and their presence paves the way for even more investment and growth. When they take notice, others should too—now is the time to invest and be part of the momentum.”
Considering the in-depth research that precedes such large investments, all economic indications point toward robust growth in recent years. While Vermont’s current population is 650,000, the various state partners aim to increase this number by about 150,000 over the next few years to reach 802,000. “This region is positioning itself as a hub for economic vitality as part of the state’s initiative to increase the population,” says Harrington. And while there are concerns amongst some that big internationally-known franchises could cost the area its rural charm, the Chamber of Commerce’s research shows that strategically placing such stores means that younger generations traveling between big metropoles are more likely to turn into the area if they know there is a Starbucks nearby—especially if it is the only one for 30 miles.
Even more interesting is that Bennington’s sister town, Manchester, which was once known as an outlet mall for big brands, has seen a dramatic shift in its retail landscape as online shopping drove big brands out of stores and onto the internet. The surprising result is that small, local brands like Vermont Teddy Bear, Vermont Flannel, Danforth Pewter, Teasel Wood Design, and many others are moving in, answering people’s need for authenticity and boutique-style quality.
The area has made a strong recovery from COVID, but it’s not entirely back to business as usual. The lasting effects of recent challenges are starting to emerge, highlighting what Harrington describes as a counterbalance to the hard-edged global trends—such as artificial intelligence replacing personal service in large national and multinational companies. This shift underscores people’s growing need for genuine human connection. “That’s the world we’re moving toward,” he says. “One-on-one, heart-to-heart, human-to-human connection.”
It is against this backdrop of taking sincere stewardship of its region that the Chamber of Commerce makes the health and well-being of local businesses its business. To this end, the Chamber stays abreast of what is happening with the workforce—recruitment, entrepreneurship, training, succession, and more. With regard to the latter, the Chamber of Commerce ensures that it retains legacy businesses in the area by giving existing owners the tools they need to secure a smooth transition between current and future owners.
The Chamber has also responded to member feedback by getting involved in a new leadership institute that will be launched next year, providing the region’s younger workforce with the skills they need to successfully lead local businesses into the future.
In addition, the Chamber is committed to transforming diversity into a superpower by creating opportunities for its communities to gather. It is on a mission to facilitate and encourage open conversations that get people to understand and overcome their differences. “We are asking questions like, ‘How do we bring more community together to heal and to grow from one another?’” explains Harrington, making it clear that the exercise is not about being politically correct per se; instead, wholesome civic discourse is the way forward for the region to prosper.
“In entrepreneurial systems… diverse thought is more powerful than having a homogenous company or community,” he says, pointing out that there is tremendous value in embracing diverse thought.
Soon to come is an entrepreneurship boot camp called Start Up Academy that will teach participants how to develop business plans and employ other strategies for success. Word has it, there could even be cash prizes at the end to help launch such new enterprises.
Of course, in response to all this rapid growth, local contractors are up to their elbows in housing construction. With phase one of the $50,000,000 Putnam Block redevelopment complete and phase two coming up next year, the region is being treated to an upmarket mixed-use development over four acres of safe and bustling downtown space, complete with healthcare, retail, dining, shopping, and easy living like no other development around. There is also a high school that was converted into 100 living units, amongst other projects close to being ready for occupants. Looking to further establish Bennington as the region’s anchor city, the Chamber is very enthusiastic about the town’s future.
With the health and happiness of local communities and their businesses as its ultimate focus, the Chamber of Commerce and its agents are genuinely passionate about their mission. And considering how well the region embraced new ideas and technology during COVID, it is clear that everyone else is equally passionate. The Chamber’s confidence is rooted in the area’s strong sense of community, its progressive values, and its exceptional public safety rankings, which place it among the top four regions in the country—key factors driving people’s interest in relocating to the area.
By empowering old and young alike to work, play, and stay together, and above all to develop the leadership skills the region needs to create sustainable prosperity, the Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to the region’s future in a mindful and pragmatic way. As such, Harrington and his team are committed to the concept of teaching collaboration as a business and social skill. “We don’t just move people here and throw them to the wolves,” he says. “We want you to fall in love with Vermont.”
