the Future of the rochester cafe

Closing the Rochester Café is deeply personal for me.

My connection to Vermont began long before I was born. In 1937, my grandmother purchased a 150-acre farm in Granville, Vermont, for $250—sight unseen—during a cocktail party in New York City. Years later, my mother attended Bennington College, and both of my parents eventually worked there. My mother became deeply involved in the music and literary community in Rochester.

I attended The Putney School, and throughout my childhood our family spent summers visiting my grandmother’s farm in Granville. My brothers and I attended Camp Killooleet in Hancock. One of my fondest memories was stopping at Hunt’s Variety Store for a root beer float at the soda fountain—the very same one that still exists today in the Rochester Café.

So how did I end up buying the Café and the building?

Fast forward to 2022 and my plans for retirement. Dane Lary approached me with the idea of purchasing the Rochester Café and the historic Trask Building. He and his wife Stephanie planned to manage and operate both the Café and the building. Since I was looking forward to retirement, taking on a major new responsibility in the midst of COVID was not part of my plan. Eventually, however, my Norman Rockwell memories of rural Vermont won out, and purchased both the Café and the historic 1860 Trask Building. Over the next four years, we accomplished a great deal. We built a new expanded covered front porch, renovated three residential spaces, created an additional commercial space at the rear of the building, upgraded the electrical service, added solar power, and expanded the basement. We also transitioned the Café from a traditional full-service restaurant to a fast-casual model, a format that has become increasingly common throughout Vermont and across the country. Along the way, I learned a great deal. Like many rural businesses, we navigated the challenges of seasonal staffing—operating with fewer employees during the quieter months and expanding our team during the busy seasons. The Rochester Café served two important customer groups: approximately 40 percent local residents and 60 percent visitors. Each brought different expectations, tastes, and perspectives. I am enormously proud of what we accomplished and honored to have played a role in strengthening this important community landmark.

A New Future

With new ownership, I believe the Café can continue to be a hub of activity in downtown

Rochester. An entrepreneurial couple willing to live on-site and work directly in the business

would find everything they need already in place. Their investment in the community and commitment to building relationships with neighbors, friends, and visitors would allow them to embrace the idyllic Vermont lifestyle while operating a well-established business. Today, the building’s three apartments, two Airbnb units, and commercial space are fully leased.

The Café is available either for lease as a stand-alone business or for sale together with the building, and I am confident it will remain a vital community institution. I remain deeply grateful to the customers, employees, contractors, craftspeople, tenants, and community members who have been part of this journey. Their support, hard work, and friendship have made these past four years a remarkable and rewarding chapter in my lifelong love affair with Vermont.

Thank you.

Chris Landis

Owner, Rochester Café