Local Non-Profit Looking to Revive the Village Store, Add Café

THETFORD, Vt., Jan. 29 -- The Village Store, a Thetford institution dating back to the 19th century, has sat shuttered for four years. Now a local nonprofit is ramping up efforts to bring the store back to life – and expand it to add a café.

The Thetford Center Community Trust announced Thursday that it has purchased the store property. The TCCT plans to raise funds to rebuild the store, keeping a similar design and expanding it so it also has room for a café and commercial kitchen. It will then rent the new building to a store and café operator.

TCCT members said they hope the expanded Village Store will fill a void in town.

“The Village Store used to be the anchor of Thetford Center. It was a news hub, a grocery store, and a post office all in one,” said Sarah Martel, a TCCT member who drives by the Village Store regularly.  “Our hope is to build on that history and make this a gathering point in the heart of our town. We can design a Village Store where folks can also enjoy a cup of coffee with a neighbor, grab a breakfast sandwich to go, or take home a freshly prepared meal.”

The Village Store sits in the heart of Thetford Center on Route 113 and has served Thetford since the 1890s. In spite of its prime location, the building’s longstanding structural issues made it hard to run a sustainable business. It closed in 2022, and the building has continued to deteriorate since then.  In 2025, the Thetford Center post office suspended operations, citing the building’s poor state of repair.

Several local residents formed the TCCT in 2024 with the express purpose of trying to revive the Village Store. The nonprofit, which has 501(c)(3) status, kicked into gear last year when they learned the previous owner was interested in selling.

They quickly identified one major obstacle: the outdated septic system. TCCT members said they knew people in town were eager for a café, but the septic capacity at the Village Store wasn’t large enough to support one.

Working closely with the Thetford Selectboard and Town Manager, they found a solution. In November 2025, the Selectboard agreed to allow the TCCT to pay for an expansion of the Thetford town hall’s septic system.  The expanded system will serve the new Village Store space and should provide added septic capacity for other community buildings as well.

“We wouldn’t have been able to move forward without the town’s help. The Selectboard and Town Manager helped us figure out a plan that’s a win-win,” said Deecie Denison, a local resident involved with TCCT.  “The town will have more septic capacity to support other buildings.” 

TCCT members emphasized that buying the property is only step 1, and a large amount of work remains. The new owners will need to remove an unused underground heating oil tank, conduct environmental tests, initiate septic engineering, finalize an architectural plan, and fund a full rebuild of the store building.

The non-profit has already raised over $200,000 in private donations and a grant from the Windham Foundation. But costs will run far higher. TCCT members said they envision a two-year project that will require significant grant-writing, fundraising, and community support to succeed.    

TCCT member Tim Briglin said the Village Store’s old gasoline pumps were removed in 2023, and won’t be part of the future plan. But, he said, the nonprofit will reach out to the U.S. Postal Service to explore the prospects of bringing mail service back to Thetford Center.

“I’m hopeful we can keep the 05075 zip code,” he said.

Whether or not that happens, Briglin said, the TCCT will remain focused on its core goal: to bring back the Village Store as a welcoming place for local residents to gather.

“The last five years has increased our appreciation for how much we need community spaces where we can come together,” he said.  “Losing the Village Store left a void in Thetford Center.  Restoring it can complement all the work that’s being done with neighboring public spaces and continue to strengthen our community ties.”

FOR DETAILS CONTACT: Tim Briglin, (802) 384-8256