Stepping up
On a roll
Minier will run for open House seat, Chittenden seeks reelection
South Burlington softball teams wins six in a row
Pages 2, 3
Page 16
POSTAL CUSTOMER
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #217 CONCORD, NH ECRWSSEDDM
South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977
the MAY 26, 2022
otherpapersbvt.com
VOLUME 46, NO. 21
City denies airport rezoning Officials plan to ‘revitalize’ Chamberlin green space AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY STAFF WRITER
A small, empty patch of land sandwiched between the Chamberlin neighborhood and the Burlington International Airport will remain preserved — for now. After months of study by a South Burlington airport task force over whether to rezone 11 acres owned by the airport off Kirby Street Extension from residential to aviation use, the city planning commission denied the airport’s request. But airport officials say they’re not entirely unhappy about it. Acting director of aviation at the Burlington International Airport Nic Longo is committed to “put the neighborhood first into our future plans,” he said, adding that See AIRPORT on page 10
PHOTO BY AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY
Acting director of aviation Nic Longo has worked at the Burlington International airport for 10 years. He took over the helm from predecessor Gene Richards, who was fired following an investigation into his workplace misconduct last summer.
Alpine Shop moves but honors its chalet charm Becky and Andy Kingston offer retail-entertainment experience, add golf lines — and waffles AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY STAFF WRITER
When Andy and Becky Kingston saw that the Alpine Shop in South Burlington was up for sale, with its heart-shaped accents, white and brown shutters, and general vintage Swiss chalet charm, they fell in love. Even though neither had worked in the retail or ski industry before, something felt familiar in the sloping roof and friendly faces inside.
So 12 years ago they took a leap. “It dawned on me, my past experiences were all in the entertainment industry, and then when we came in, we were like, you know what? We want this to be part of the entertainment industry. There’s no reason that a customer experience should be any different in a retail store than it is if you’re going to see a band or go skiing,” said Andy Kingston, a native of Northfield. “Our mantra as we came in was, how can we just have a true customer experience?” The pair has tried to keep the heart and
look of the Alpine Shop, a fixture of South Burlington since 1963, intact, especially coming in as newbies to the world of outdoor retail. But as they’ve learned the market and applied their own unique backgrounds, growing the store’s online presence, boosting marketing and adding major brands, the shop has grown dramatically. So much so that it outgrew its iconic location on Williston Road and the Kingstons moved to a new space — only one story — on Shelburne Road earlier this year.
Trading spaces The Alpine Shop’s original sign, delicately fluted, was recreated and is displayed across a wall of the new space. The original shutters with their heart-shaped cutouts adorn the outside, and the giant wooden register from the original store also made its way to the new location. In April, the Kingston’s held their grand opening of the new location, kicking See ALPINE SHOP on page 10