This past spring, we built a privacy wall at the end of the deck near the river. With the wall in place, I saw an opportunity — what if this could be a chance to showcase Cabot and Vermont through art? I’d never taken on a project like this before, but I knew of a couple talented students at the high school who might be bold enough to take on this project and create something meaningful – something that illustrates what Cabot means to them and this community. I was excited when Freya and Molly agreed to take it on.

A little more ambitious than they first expected, we worked together to shape a vision: what could represent Vermont, and more specifically, how could we capture Cabot in a mural? We decided to start with an outline of the state and weave the four seasons within it meanwhile capturing symbols the girls felt were important to people that live here. From there, the girls took off — beginning with a rough sketch on paper before free handing the design directly onto the blank wall. A week later, armed with over 25 shades of paint, they got to work bringing the mural to life.

It was important to me that this project be a learning experience for Freya and Molly — not just about art, but about process: trial and error, time management, and meeting expectations for themselves and for someone they were working with. The time commitment surprised them, and there were stretches of both intense progress and quiet pause. But when the deadline arrived, they delivered something remarkable — an original piece that truly captures the vibrancy of Cabot and Vermont.

The mural was unveiled during a celebration that brought together the student artists, their classmates, and community members. The event included a conversation with Freya and Molly about their creative process, what inspired their design, and how it felt to see their work completed and shared with the community.

The mural weaves the four seasons around an outline of the state of Vermont. If you look closely, you can identify important symbols - Lake Champlain, a dairy farm in the spring in Cabot, a Sugarhouse, the “Foster Bridge” in Cabot, and a train leaving White River Junction. But beyond those symbols are special details from kayakers to cows to sailboats and skiers, but there are is also a farmer yodeling to his cows and a witch on a broomstick flying over the sugarhouse in autumn. A beautiful piece of art that tells you a different story every time you look at it closely.

The project grew out of a shared desire to connect local youth with meaningful opportunities to create and contribute within their own town. The mural now stands as a reminder of how much creativity lives here in Cabot — and what can happen when young people are given space and encouragement to express it.

Over time, Harry’s Hardware has become a place where people enjoy being together — for music, conversation, and connection. To me, this new mural is a reflection of that same spirit. It celebrates the creativity that runs through Cabot and highlights what’s possible when we give our young people the chance to share their talents.

After two years of what felt like nonstop rain, this summer brought the opposite: a stretch of extreme drought in parts of Vermont. I worried it would dull the colors, that the stress on the trees would leave us with muted tones and early leaf fall. But Mother Nature, while moody and sometimes downright rude, can also be a spectacular show-off—and that’s exactly who she’s being this year.

Of course, fall in Vermont isn’t just about the colors. Last weekend, I spent a warm autumn day with friends pressing apples for cider. Wild apples gathered from every corner of our area were washed, crushed, and pressed into delicious juice. Everyone brought something to share—cheese, sausage, crackers—and contributed to hearty fall meals like chili, fish, and mini quiches. It was a joyful day, full of good work and even better company.

At one point, I looked around and realized that nearly everyone there knew each other because of Harry’s Hardware—coming together over food, drinks, and music. I met the host while tending bar; he met my friends through other connections; his family had gathered at The Den; and others in the group had met there at different times. That’s when it hit me how vital these community spaces—these Third Places—really are. They’re not just places to gather and chat. They’re where relationships are built, connections are made across towns and counties (and sometimes states), and where we learn from each other. They’re where laughter runs so deep it makes you cry.

Moments like that day remind me why I love this place—not just for the beauty of the hills in October, but for the people who fill them with laughter, music, and kindness. Autumn in Vermont never fails to put on a show, but the real magic is in the people who share it. The cider press, the stories, the gathering around the table—that’s the heartbeat of this place. The colors may fade, but the connections we make here deepen with every season.

Beginning this week, The Back Stairs will be open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., for daytime use. Whether you’re looking for a quiet corner to get work done, a comfortable setting for a social gathering, or a convenient place for your club or group to meet, the space is built to adapt to your needs. A dedicated conferencing room will also be coming soon, making it ideal for more formal meetings.

To make working and meeting even easier, The Back Stairs offers high-speed internet, including both Ethernet connections and Wi-Fi access. Guests will enter the space through Harry’s Hardware, where they can order from the full food and drink menu before heading upstairs to settle in. Soon, the upstairs porch will also be available, offering a unique spot to enjoy a coffee or beer while watching the bustle of Cabot below.

For the next couple of months, Harry’s Hardware invites the community to explore and enjoy the new space—and share feedback. After the holidays, premium memberships will be available for those who discover The Back Stairs is just the right fit and want access to a few extra perks.

In addition to everyday use, The Back Stairs is now open for event bookings. From intimate gatherings to larger celebrations, the upstairs venue is ready to host. To check availability or request a quote, contact info@harryshardwarevt.com.

Harry’s Hardware has always been about community, and The Back Stairs is the next step in bringing people together. Come see what’s new—you just might find your new favorite place to gather, work, or unwind.

Another story about a hardware store caught our attention recently. Up in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, we heard a story about a hardware store that is a surprising hub for community: Harry's Hardware and the Den.

This hardware store serves pizza and beer and has regular live music. It's a total hangout spot for the locals and it has become a key part of the town.

What starts as an errand to pick up a few screws or some mulch turns into catching up with your neighbor over pizza and a beer.

Johanna Thibault is the co-owner of Harry's Hardware and the Den in Cabot, Vermont, and she wrote a story on how the community at Harry's came to be.

I would like to say I always had the dream of owning a general store in Vermont and creating a space for my community, but this wasn’t anywhere near in my cards and “10-years ago me” wouldn’t believe it if you told me this is where I would be today. I grew up in the military, both as a child and an adult, moving every few years, and never attending a school for more than two years until college. I met my husband while attending law school. He was accepted into the Army as a Judge Advocate, and we spent close to a decade moving every couple of years and even lived overseas in Germany where one of our sons was born. When someone asks me where I’m from, I can honestly say, “I don’t know” and generally respond with a smile and say, “I do not have a ‘from’”.

And when you’ve never had a hometown, the moment you land in a place that instantly feels like home, you don’t hesitate to plant roots. That place, for me, was Vermont. It stole my heart on day one.

A lifetime of constant moving gave me a deep craving for community — somewhere to belong, to invest in, to show up for. A place where everyone knows your name and your story — and you honestly don’t mind. Cabot found us during a house-hunting trip, and we knew it was where we wanted to raise our boys and hopefully stay… forever. But something was missing. There was no “Third Place” — no informal spot to gather, laugh, unwind. This beautiful village had great people, but no hangout.

The hardware store in town has been a fixture for over a century under various names, but for decades now it’s been known simply as “Harry’s Hardware.” Like many small-town stores, it struggled to compete with big box chains, Amazon, and online shopping. That’s when an idea hit me: what if the hardware store was also a bar? A hangout spot? A place to bring people together?

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing — but my husband encouraged me to explore it. I approached the owners of Harry’s at the time and asked if they’d be open to a partnership. After months of long conversations and planning, we sealed the deal. And The Den was born.

No one in Cabot really thought it would happen. And then, once it did, no one could imagine town life without it. We let the community guide us — listening closely, evolving gently. The business grew organically: we added plants, stage lighting for live music, reworked the merchandising to make space for gathering, and moved inventory downstairs to free up room for conversation and connection.

In early 2020, we leased a small café space at the back of the store and converted it into a kitchen to support The Den. Four weeks later, COVID hit.

The next two years tested everything — financially, emotionally, logistically. But we got creative. We held on. And just when we thought we might finally exhale, the July 2023 floods devastated Cabot. The store was hit hard — fuel tanks destroyed, merchandise washed away — and for a moment, I thought: This might be it. We’d barely survived the pandemic. Could we survive this?

But the next morning changed everything. Under a bright summer sky, I returned to assess the damage and found over 40 volunteers standing at the door, shovels in hand, ready to rebuild. We didn’t close for a single day. Customers kept coming, even when the store looked like a disaster zone. The Den became a hub for recovery — a space to lean on each other, to share meals and music, and to remember we weren’t alone. It became home in the truest sense.

That’s when I realized: no one was going to let me go. And I wasn’t going to leave.
I had to figure out how to stay, and rebuild, stronger than ever.

Harry’s Hardware and The Den are something special. But the magic didn’t come from me — it came from this extraordinary community. I just built a space where people could meet, talk, laugh, play games, listen to music, drink Vermont craft beer, and eat good food. Cabot was hungry for a Third Place.

And I tumbled, unsuspecting, right into my destiny.

This story originally appeared on June 12, 2025 in the Quench'd series and is reprinted here with permission.