September 14, 2013
Former Vergennes Mayor Dick Adams will be remembered
VERGENNES Ñ Former Vergennes Mayor Richard Ò DickÓ K. Adams died Aug. 20, 2013, at Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Middlebury. He was born Aug. 23, 1938, at the home of his parents, Lester (Sr.) and Beth (Davis) Adams. Adams graduated from Stowe High School in 1956 and went on to attend UVM for two years, majoring in history. He married Alva Blanchard in 1959 and they became parents of two daughters, Heather and Alana. While living in Stowe, Adams had an antique shop on Main Street (now the Annex) and later owned and operated a clothing store on the Mountain Road called the Three Green Doors. At the request of Dr. and Mrs. Bottamini, through their mutual interest in antiques, Adams moved to the City of Vergennes. He fell in love with the Little City as well as with Joyce Charbonneau and they married in 1970. Joyce had two daughters, Jodi and Laura. Together, they owned and operated the Commodore Restaurant and Adams operated numerous antique ventures in Vergennes and online. Adams liked to think of himself as an intellectual. His letterhead referred to him as a Ò dilettanteÓ or lover of the fine arts. He gained a remarkable knowledge of antiques while working for Arthur J. Sussell in Philadelphia. In his adopted hometown of Vergennes, Adams shared his knowledge and led many young men to enter the world of antiques and art. His love of antiques CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
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Marble Works Pharmacy celebrates 25 years By Lou Varricchio
newmarketpress@denpubs.com MIDDLEBURY Ñ When pharmacist Frank Buonincontro of Bristol opened the Marble Works Pharmacy in 1988, he had little idea the store would spin off two other storefronts in Vergennes and Bristol and employ 44 fulland part-time workers. He also didnÕ t imagine that the friendly drug store where everyone knows your name would be an enviable business model. Buonincontro stepped out of retirement to bask in the glow of success Sept. 6 when the Marble Works welcomed its customers to celebrate the drug storeÕ s 25th birthday with cider and doughnuts. Buonincontro was joined by Diane Gray, pharmacy general manager, and long-time (and new) customers to reminisce. Ò See that tall, young guy there,Ó Buonincontro said as he pointed to a college-age youth. “I first saw him when his eyes were just peaking over the counter.Ó It was like old home week for long-time Marble Works customers. Ò I never go anywhere else,Ó said realtor Judy Sperry.Ó IÕ ve been doing business here for 25 years, too.Ó Other customers just like Sperry concurred; many never spoke to their pharmacist directly before going to the Marble Works. Buonincontro said the success of the Marble Works, under new ownership by Pharmacy Health Services since 2008, is attributable to the fact that itÕ s open on Sundays and staff address customers as individuals. In 1980, Buonincontro started the Medicine Chest branch of the business in his house in Bristol. The idea was to provide quality medical-related suppliesÑ such as bathroom stools and walking canesÑ at
Marble Works Pharmacy founder Frank Buonincontro is joined by Diane Gray, general manager, and loyal 25-year customer, realtor Judy Sperry to celebrate the local drug store’s 25th anniversary. Photo by Lou Varricchio
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Orwell Historical Society Museum wins kudos By Lou Varricchio lou@addison-eagle.com
Curator Sandy Korda of the Orwell Historical Society Museum stands in a meticulous replica of a Vermont one-room schoolhouse of the late 1800s. The museum, located on the second floor of the Orwell Free Library, is an award-winning labor of love spearheaded by Korda. Photo by Lou Varricchio
ORWELL Ñ Judging by the accolades it has received from the Vermont Historical Society, the Vermont History Expo, and the Tunbridge WorldÕ s Fair, the Orwell Historical Society Museum may be the best little museum in the Green Mountain State. The museum has been gaining notice as the town celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2013. Started back in the 1930s, thanks to generous contributions by the Wright family, including the estate home, which now houses both the Town of OrwellÕ s public library and museum, the Orwell Historical Society Museum is an incredible gem that owes much to the efforts of its curator, Orwell resident and volunteer firefighter Sandy Korda. Sandy Korda grew up with a famous Hungarian family name in Los Angeles, Calif. The Korda name has produced some of the top talents in European and North American arts and letters—filmmakers, authors, artists, actors, composers, and musicians. And as a teen, Sandy lived up to the Korda fame as a Walt Disney Studios wunderkind. A gifted artist and designer, Sandy worked as a young motion picture animator having apprenticed at the knee of Warner Brothers artist Chuck Jones of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies fame. But while outside fame comes and goes, CONTINUED ON PAGE 16