New England If you don’t build it, they surely will not come.

[Brian Finch]

I had a client in limp in today & and I started with my usual assessment “how are you doing?”

“ I am dying - I served 72 meals solo last night, we were one of only three restaurants open on the mountain...... “

Turns out his experience was similar to what I had over the long weekend for the Fourth of July. We tried to take friends out and couldn’t find a place to eat because everything was closed just outside of the ski areas.

So what gives guys? Now I don’t own a business on the mountain, but I’m certainly dependent on tourism and we keep hearing a mountain biking is doing fantastic things for the winter resorts.

This is especially frustrating in the Killington area as we recently expanded the local commuter bus program to ensure that workers could get to their jobs. Someone (tax payer) is paying for the busses to run........

 

[Brian Finch]

https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/...cle_7b7ab1c9-23d2-50f8-922b-d4e2bb5b3bb9.html


https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...-between-killington-and-rutland-extends-hours

Cost to run extra bussing ~$53,000

 

[James]

Why is Killington devoid of a brew pub?
I ask the same thing of Ludlow. There was one like 15 yrs ago and went out of business.
Strange.

 

[CalG]

Really! There is not enough business for a food establishment to stay open "just in case you show up at 6:45.

Lots of people have tried.

 

[Bad Bob]

Skied Park City on a Thanksgiving Day in 14? Thought finding a nice dinner for the evening would be a non issue. It ended up being a couple of dried up burritos at a C store. Oh well, I skied.

What ever will let people be with their loved ones for a special event; I am happy to take a little hit. Places don't have to be open all of the time. It is an economic trade off; make a little less, have a lot more life.

 

[crgildart]

How's the traffic on regular weekdays? The nature of food service is such that either you sling frozen food heated in a microwave. or you need to keep prep activities happening every day. Fresh food goes bad after sitting around for several days. If there is only profitable traffic on holiday weekends then most mom and pops are better to just shut the doors the other days of the off season.

 

[Marker]

I had a client in limp in today & and I started with my usual assessment “how are you doing?”

“ I am dying - I served 72 meals solo last night, we were one of only three restaurants open on the mountain...... “

Turns out his experience was similar to what I had over the long weekend for the Fourth of July. We tried to take friends out and couldn’t find a place to eat because everything was closed just outside of the ski areas.

So what gives guys? Now I don’t own a business on the mountain, but I’m certainly dependent on tourism and we keep hearing a mountain biking is doing fantastic things for the winter resorts.

This is especially frustrating in the Killington area as we recently expanded the local commuter bus program to ensure that workers could get to their jobs. Someone (tax payer) is paying for the busses to run........

Do they work at Lookout Tavern? We were up at our place over the long July 4th weekend and eat there twice due to limited options around lunch. It was pretty busy at meal times, but not too bad at off-hours. The one waitress (Joy?) looked pretty beat carrying all those trays up to the outdoor deck on the second floor. Sushi Yoshi was a longish wait the one night there.

 

[James]

Don't people barbeque on the 4th?
Clearly Killington has gone communist...

 

[Marker]

Why is Killington devoid of a brew pub?
I ask the same thing of Ludlow. There was one like 15 yrs ago and went out of business.
Strange.

Long Trail is just down the road from Killington, we've been there a couple of times. Not much food though. Killington Brewing is a new thing, but just a tasting room apparently. You can find their beer in other joints.

 

[Marker]

Don't people barbeque on the 4th?
Clearly Killington has gone communist...

We went over the firemans' barbecue near the town center/library/swimming pool and watched the small-town parade as well. Met some other skiers and former (injured) skiers while hanging out. Came back in the evening for the fireworks, a nice day!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

The Blackline Tavern at Magic had a deck BBQ from 12-3 and I think they were open for dinner, at least the bar was open. The red slate restaurant at the upper pass was open. Everywhere in town seemed to be open. Londonderry's big day was saturday the 6th when the parade/fieworks is. Its a way small area compared to Killington obviously but we never encountered anything that was closed throughout the long weekend. Too much much of Killington seemed to be closed, that sure makes it difficult.

 

[James]

Ludlow was cramned at restaraunts over the Fourth.
Mismanagement abounds in some. One went out of business a couple years ago, then came back. Warning sign: during the busy dinner time, 8pm, manager is outside watering flower pots! Meanwhile, there's no one inside to seat people. Doesn't take a business genius.

 

[scottyb]

Even if you build it its no gar on teee they will come either.

You want a beer with that?

 

[Tricia]

When I worked at Northstar, we'd experience this.
Unless there was a special event, there were lots of places in the village that were closed mid week and a few that didn't open at all during the summer.

 

[KingGrump]

The 20 inch wheels with very low profile tires are a joke in a 4,100lb car travelling on normal roads. Forget driving in the northeast. I hate the 19 inch wheels on a Ford Escape with 235/45 tires. Just no reason for 19's other than it looks good standing still.
Tesla is going to say it's a weight savings.

We have spent many 4th of July in South Londonderry over the years. Switched up this year. Andrew wanted the house to himself.
Our past experience had shown that the Stratton area is usually the busiest. Ludlow is so so. Killington is a ghost by comparison.

 

[Itinerant skier]

This is (yet another reason) I love Oregon. If the bar is open and serving liquor, they have to be serving food. If it's just beer/wine (Like Killington Brewing?), they don't need a kitchen, but if they sell the hard stuff, you can at least get some sort of dinner.

 

[Brian Finch]

When I worked at Northstar, we'd experience this.
Unless there was a special event, there were lots of places in the village that were closed mid week and a few that didn't open at all during the summer.

Really! There is not enough business for a food establishment to stay open "just in case you show up at 6:45.

Lots of people have tried.

The probz with this thinking is that the it neglects the interconnected relationships of the ski areas.

If you want better economy/jobs/housing- as discussed here many times over, you need to be open. Otherwise tourists mountain bike / hike / camp & then drive away with their cash..... & may not return.

It’s about the experience!

 

[Tricia]

The probz with this thinking is that the it neglects the interconnected relationships of the ski areas.

If you want better economy/jobs/housing- as discussed here many times over, you need to be open. Otherwise tourists mountain bike / hike / camp & then drive away with their cash..... & may not return.

It’s about the experience!

I absolutely agree.
Do stuff.
Plan events
Promote summer activities

When people show up after spending time and money to travel to your destination, only to find half(or more) of the places closed, they won't plan another trip there.

One of the issues I had at N* was that people would pay for a summer vacation at the Ritz only to find that half of the places in the village weren't open, so instead of taking the gondola to the village, they'd get in their car and go somewhere else to shop and eat. Once they were off grounds, it was hard to get them back for anything except their hotel room that they already paid for.

 

[crgildart]

So Killington's usually the last place people up there ski late spring/early summer... and often the first place people go to get first turns in the fall... But a ghost town when there's no lifts spinning?

 

[James]

Calling Killington a town has always been a stretch. There's the Grand hotel, can't one eat there?