North Branch is seemingly never open when we're in town, though learning more about their struggles offers clues as to why. As luck would have it, they were open this past rainy Saturday afternoon so my wife and I stopped in. We ordered a pot of Assam and a piece of gluten-free Scottish shortbread to share. You will likely notice in the photo above that we were served in to-go cups rather than a pot. Understaffed, management elected to close an hour early at 4. And yet, they continued to take orders right up to closing time. I suppose it's understandable given their cash crunch but it didn't make for the most relaxing experience.
On the positive side, the tea was perfectly nice as was the shortbread - a little dry for my taste but flavorful. I'm all in favor of bringing North Branch more business the next time we visit Montpelier... assuming they're open.
Glad you were in town when it was open and that the tea was good. It is a bit pressury when a place is going to close shortly after you get your order. Thanks for sharing and I remember hearing about the floods. I hope tourism picks up!
ReplyDeleteI expect it probably will. Mind you, summer and fall are still glorious here. But recently winter has been disappointing. The northeast has a hard enough time competing with the western states. No snow only makes it harder.
DeleteHello!
ReplyDeletePortugal is the oldest country in Europe and young people are emigrating to other countries, which is also a problem for local businesses. The advantage is that many Brazilians have come here, we speak the same language so it's easier to integrate!
It's been a problem in our mostly rural state for a long time. People often complain about the fact that their children can't find jobs here and have to go elsewhere.
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