![]() ![]() We carry some essential items that are hard to get without driving to Burlington… I hope the store provides a more convenient shopping location that takes away some of the difficulties of being in a remote town and online shopping,” Provost added.Īccording to Kestner, the process of buying inventory for the store is largely influenced by what the customers want. “I think the store has become a great staple for the town and college. She added that she has learned a great deal from her experience in the store, particularly in terms of her communication skills, through everyday interactions with customers. If we are not busy, there is plenty of cleaning and orders to unpack, as well as putting some outfits together to market the items.” “A typical day is centered around helping customers in any way they need,” Provost wrote in an email to The Campus. Provost attends a university other than Middlebury, and has taken the semester off to learn about entrepreneurship through her work at Middleton. “I was really excited about giving students an opportunity to see a store open from scratch.”Īlyssa Provost, the manager of Middleton, is one such student. “All businesses have the same structures and workings, and it’s about how you give your creative spin on it,” she said. As an Economics major in college, Kestner said she was “laser focused” on going into finance, and never really aware of what other business options might be. Kestner also said she aims to show students a wider range of possible future uses for their degrees. “I love having college students in, and I respect every college student who is looking to pick up a part time job on top of their studies… I understand you’re in school for your studies and that is the main focus, but I can also tell that employees really love having a little something to do that gives them more structure.” “Having had Monelle Burlington for over 10 years, I have had a lot of college students over the years as my employees,” Kestner said. Several college students also work at Middleton, something with which Kestner is familiar. We didn’t have any way to support the local community, or… get off campus for a few minutes, so I hope that this is something the Middlebury students will love,” Kestner said. “To be able to get off campus and have something to do and something to see, and almost like a little dose of home… I think has been a draw. She compared the accessibility of getting off campus at Middlebury with her experience at Bates, where there was no local town, and the closest city was Portland, Maine. Kestner said she hopes Middleton can provide an oasis for college students wanting to get off campus. “It’s been a really amazing and consistent reception from both the town and from the college students and the parents.” “It has been really great getting to know Middlebury,” she said. In a phone interview with The Campus, Kestner spoke positively about the business Middleton has received since opening. She started working in retail at Monelle and eventually bought the store in 2013. Following the crash, she moved to Vermont for a change of pace. ![]() She attended Bates College, and worked at Merrill Lynch before the 2008 market crash. Kestner, who grew up in the suburbs of Boston, has family ties to both Vermont and Middlebury College. ![]() The store’s website describes Middleton as “a clothing and lifestyle boutique for the smart and stylish woman.” It sells a range of clothing and accessories, jewelry, stickers, cards and more. ![]() Kestner and Phelps were awarded a $20,000 KickStart grant through the Better Middlebury Partnership this past spring, which helped them open the store. Middleton, located at 66 Main Street, is co-owned by Elissa Kestner, owner and manager of Monelle Vermont - two boutique stores in Burlington and Shelburne - and Lisa Phelps, owner of Middlebury salon and spa Parlour. A new women’s clothing store has recently opened in downtown Middlebury. ![]()
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