‘You see the whole community here’
By Lauren Dorsey, Staff Writer
Co-owners Lauren Stevens and Peter Varkonyi commemorated the five-year anniversary of their store, the Brownsville Butcher and Pantry, last Saturday. To mark the milestone, the couple hosted a community celebration where they gave out free chili and cider, hosted live jazz music, and reflected on their time operating the store over the last half-decade. “It’s been a real rollercoaster,” said Stevens. “But overall, it’s incredibly rewarding.”
At its core, the event celebrated both Stevens’ and Varkonyi’s dedication and honored the town that made it all possible. “We just want to have all of our friends come out and celebrate our time in the community. It has been such an honor to be here, and we’re so excited for another year,” read the event’s flier.
The Butcher and Pantry’s story began when Brownsville resident Chris Nesbitt discovered that the bank was preparing to auction off the town’s general store, which had been abandoned for several years. At a meeting about Ascutney Outdoors, which was formed around the same time, Nesbitt said, “We were all chatting about the store, and what a shame it was that it was going to be auctioned, I said, ‘Well, we should buy it.’ And they said, ‘What are you, crazy?'”
Despite some initial hesitation, Nesbitt, together with a group of about 35 other residents known as “The Friends of the Brownsville General Store,” raised enough money for the collective to purchase and renovate the property. Once the residents bought the building, Nesbitt began searching for the right person to run it. “I talked to about 20 different potential operators, but Peter and Lauren were head and shoulders above anybody else,” said Nesbitt. “From the moment I met them. I thought this is the perfect young couple to run it.”
In May 2018, Stevens and Varkonyi signed a lease to rent the building at cost from the friends group. The agreement gave the couple the option to buy the store at the end of the third year, which they eventually did. “It’s all just been a tremendous success,” said Nesbitt. “It has brought such vibrancy and life to the town.”
From the beginning, the two demonstrated their ability to adapt quickly and make the most of unexpected circumstances. When their retail shelves didn’t arrive in time for the store’s opening day, they marched ahead, stacking their products “bodega style.”
A little over a year after they first opened their doors, the COVID-19 pandemic upended their business, and Stevens and Varkonyi took the situation in stride. “It was a real challenge for them as well as everybody else in the world to figure out how to navigate it,” said Nesbitt, “but Peter and Laura handled it so well.”
They began hosting outdoor cookouts and live music in the store’s parking lot. “Everyone was feeling incredibly isolated, and [the town] needed something where we could be outdoors, spread out, and feel safe,” said Varkonyi. “As the summer went on, the menu kept evolving and getting more fun and the crowds got larger, and the music got louder. It was a way that our community came together.”
They also haven’t been afraid to change course when something hasn’t worked, demonstrating a drive for excellence that has not escaped Brownsville residents. “Peter and Lauren give 100%. They work incredibly hard,” said resident Frank Dorman. “They try all kinds of things, and almost all of them are successful. And when they’re not, Peter and Lauren aren’t afraid to adapt.”
On the heels of the pandemic, the Butcher and Pantry tried putting a few of their employees on a four-day workweek schedule. Although initially optimistic, the couple eventually accepted that the idea wasn’t the right fit for them. “It was an experiment,” said Varkonyi. “We attempted it with four employees. And, unfortunately, even with the variety of roles and responsibilities represented, none of those efforts were successful.” The team has since found they prefer a five-day workweek split among more people, and, as a result, they’ve grown from just seven employees when the store first opened to almost 30.
Co-owners Lauren Stevens and Peter Varkonyi arrived with a combination of skills that have contributed greatly to the shop’s success. Varkonyi’s time as head chef of a restaurant and butchering combined with Stevens’ Farm to Table experience and farming clearly prepared the couple well for the store. Pictured: Co-owner Stevens stocking the shelves.
Stevens and Varkonyi have carefully considered and adapted to the needs of the community around them. When stocking the shelves, Varkonyi centers his selection on what he knows most locals want to get out of the store. “The biggest question we ask ourselves is — ‘Can anyone walk in and get the supplies they need to make dinner?’” said Varkonyi. They also heavily emphasize local ingredients. “As of last year, we have purchased over $3.6 million in local foods,” said Varkonyi. “To make such an economic impact in our rural town, which has just over 1,000 people, is a substantial statement that we’re very proud of.”
Residents have noticed the amount of thought Stevens and Varkonyi put into every item that goes through their shop. “They’ve had a really unique vision. It’s a high-end store in a rural setting. You can get a nine-dollar burger, but you’ve also got a wide range of incredibly nice, local products,” said Brownsville resident Reese Brown. Erin Anderson, who also lives in town, agrees. “The quality is just unbeatable,” she said.
Stevens and Varkonyi use their store to lift the voices of other local entrepreneurs. “One of the best parts of our job is that we find these local companies, give them a place within our store, and tell their story,” said Varkonyi. Brownsville resident Michelle DiStefano said she has seen some of those efforts in action. “They give so much support and kindness to local farmers.”
After the pandemic, the Butcher and Pantry became a kind of home base for Brownsville. “It’s a centralized meeting place, and it’s become a cornerstone of the town,” said Dorman. “You see the whole community here.” The store’s distinctive shared indoor table enables old friendships and encourages new ones. “When I come to the store, I see people that I know,” said Nesbitt. “But more importantly, I may sit at the table with somebody I’ve never met before. And at the end of the evening, I’ve got a new friend. To me, the wonderful thing is the ability to have people of all walks of life get to know each other.”
Overall, the couple credits their success to the team they have built behind them. “In five years, we’ve seen a pandemic, we’ve seen growth and challenges and successes,” said Varkonyi. “We’ve been very fortunate. And that’s really in large part due to our staff, and how lucky we are to have a young, spirited team that is enthusiastic and supportive of the endeavor that we’ve started.”
Stevens and Varkonyi are excited to see what the next chapter will bring. “Every day, we wake up with a new idea. And that’s the fun part. “said Varkonyi. “But, what fundamentally drives us towards evolving is based on the needs of the staff, whether it’s equipment, infrastructure, or something else. Without them feeling confident and supported, we don’t have a business.”