Welcome to Sams Good News

Rutland Walmart Celebrates 13th Birthday

On January 27, 2010 several of the original staff of Walmart in Rutland were presented with a cake from Bev Depha and store manager Tina Kremple. Recognized as store #2530 amongst the Walmart stores, the Rutland store opened it’s doors with a ribbon cutting and several dignitaries on hand, January 27,1997. Robin Arnold who is still happily employed by the mega-retailer, told us, “I rang up the store’s first sale, which came through my register, it was a radio station buying batteries.” In those days radio stations needed batteries for their recorders and microphones.

Tina Kremple found a photo album that included the first sales flyer and many pictures of the first few years leading up to the store’s renovation. The album contained many pictures of promotions and check giveaways. The Rutland store has become well known for it’s substantial donations to the many non-profit organizations throughout the area. Also remembered was original store manager Gail Scribner who now is located in Maine and visits the Rutland store on occasion.

One newspaper article in the album referred to the Rutland Board of Aldermen having a problem with the new store and making Walmart move the shopping cart corrals to the back of their building. The roving photographer, who remembered the story well, informed the longtime employees that a certain Rutland City Alderman had not actually requeted that the corrals be moved, but did request that the covers on the shopping cart corrals that were bright blue be painted green to match the façade of the newly renovated plaza. However the article did not accurately report what the alderman was requesting so the Roving Photographer got to set the record straight.

Rutland Walmart celebrates 13th birthday

Sandy Lebo, Robin Arnold, Pat Burns, Judy Jones and Lo Stella, all original employees of the Rutland Walmart celebrated the stores thirteenth birthday with a sheet cake and many stories of the store’s opening. Not present were other original employees including Debbie Robertson, Carol Baker, Ruth Jones, Dawn Fortune, Connie Mills, George Blaess and Jen Pillion. Sam’s Good News Photo

Good Things Happening for Car Buyers

It’s been said that if you live in this neck of the woods a vehicle is clearly a necessity and owning a good one is essential to get back and forth to work and to safely transport the family.

As the automobile season starts off for 2010, buyers should take note of the huge new facility that Phil Alderman and his daughter Stacy have just built next to the Toyota dealership on South Main Street in Rutland. The facility is complete with a huge inventory of vehicles in all price ranges and a new building for detailing your newly purchased used vehicle to your liking.

Bailey Motors in West Rutland is stocked up with a great selection of cars, trucks and SUV’s and Clayton Bailey along with his son Bryan and salesman Josh Butler are ready for the season. Just down the road is Tom LaVictoire steering his business into the coming car sales season by loading up his huge display lot with fresh transportation.

Castleton Motors’ Pat Loughan Jr. keeps hammering away and has a very successful repair business at his dealership, while Rubin Kramer and son Sean keep things moving at Borderview Auto and Truck Center on Route 4A in Fair Haven, running ads with prices slashed nearly weekly. Over in North Clarendon there’s Shawn Byrne’s Truck Store, which also offers rustproofing and car care. Then as you drive through Rutland, Shirley Barnhart and her daughter Kelly and their staff are keeping their yard at Smith Buick, Pontiac, GMC well supplied with new Buick’s, Pontiac’s, GMC’s and a great selection of used vehicles.

North of Rutland is Jerry’s Nissan where Jerry Miglorie and his sons Jake and John along with Sales Manager George Kilouras are busy taking in used vehicles traded for their brand new line of Nissans. Mike Blanchard’s Pittsford Auto Sales has become an institution in our area selling used vehicles for over 40 years right on Route 7 in Pittsford. You will see Mike, Mary and their son J. J. Blanchard each and every day. In Proctor John LaFond and Jerry Trapeni are keeping their yard which is home of the former Lertola’s supplied with vehicles priced as low as $995.

Wayne’s Auto in North Clarendon is also a great place with a lot of great experience in good used vehicles owned and operated by Wayne Jones and his son Gary. Mike Ryan and Mike Ryan Jr. at Ryan’s Auto Sales are featuring vehicle specials 52 weeks a year and they offer their own financing. Rick and Ryan Curtis at Curtis Auto Sales are another father and son team who are really keen on good vehicles for any size family in all price ranges and options. A quick trip to Fair Haven and you will find Fair Haven Dodge with a nice selection of new Dodge vehicles and a wide selection of good hand picked used vehicles.

Remember Santa is in at Brileya’s Chrysler/Jeep just North of Rutland City on Route 7, with Bob Haynes ready to introduce you to your next family vehicle from the Brileya family, Chet, Donna and Scott. Lee and Greg Nutting are brothers who grew up in the auto business with their mom and dad Ray and Sharon Nutting offering them a lifetime of experience at Wheelz Wholesale Inc. on West Street in Rutland.

Another trusted name in the business is Dan Kearney’s Pre-owned cars and trucks operated by Dan Kearney and his son Joe on Route 4 in Center Rutland. The Kearney Team knows their inventory inside and out. In Fair Haven people can also look to Young’s for your next vehicle or for great Cooper Tires.

(Continued on next column)

Trivia

President William Howard Taft was offered a Chair of Law at Yale. He declined saying that a Sofa of Law would be more in keeping with his proportions.

Sam's Scrapbook

Birthdays...

Happy Birthday to Bride to Bride-To-Be Donna Fournier, Sam’s Sweetie “Pie”, on February 6th. Hope this big day is as great as June 12th will be. From Sam and the crew!

Happy Birthday to Mike Slattery of Rutland who will celebrate another year on February 6th. Happy Birthday from your wife.

Happy Birthday to Barry Keefe of Rutland who will be a year older on February 8. Hope this year will be smoother than 2009.

Happy Birthday to our Mom, Auntie and buddy Meg Grace who will celebrate another year on February 10…..with much love from Sophie, Riley, Chloe, Murphy and Ro.

Happy Birthday to Sharon Russell, Director of the Open Door Mission on Park Street in Rutland who will be a year older on February 10.

Mail scrapbook items to Sam's Good News, 162 North Main St., StonyBrookPlaza, Rutland, VT05701 or email to editor@samsgoodnews.
com. We are unable to take scrapbook items over the phone.

Good Things Happening for Car Buyers (Continued from Previous Column)

Don’t forget the Shaw boys, Sput and Ronnie Shaw, at Shaw’s Sales and Service on Route 7 in Wallingford. You will see why their dad Francis Pal Shaw was so good at the auto business when you see the selection the boys have on hand. Dennis Smith’s Mill River auto Sales too has been in the business on Route 7 in Wallingford, just two miles south of Wallingford’s only traffic light for quite some time. It’s worth a drive to them and the many other fine family operated used car vehicles in the Rutland area.

It’s been said before that these family businesses advertise each week to keep their customers informed on their newly acquired inventory and they also take pride in keeping out in front of the public. These people not only want you to be safe and happy with your next vehicle, they too are out functioning in the same community you live in, so you can count on them to put you into the perfect vehicle in hopes that you will be a repeat customer and bring your friends to see them when they need a vehicle. Also look back and see the generations of great families who operate these great vehicle stores.

Keep watching Sam’s Good News as these great used auto dealers keep you up to date on your next vehicle.