Hello and (woof, woof) from little Rutland, Vermont, the most recent addition to the Small Dog Family. Our Rutland store opened in May of 2013 and is fast becoming the premier destination for Sales and Service of just about everything Apple here in Rutland County.
With a population of just over 16,000 Rutland would be considered a small town in any other state. In the state of Vermont, however, Rutland is the third largest designated city. Surrounded by farms, hills and valleys, Rutland is known for its wonderful hospitality, accommodating leaf peepers in the fall, skiers in the winter, hikers and campers in the spring and summer.
In the early part of the 19th century, small deposits of marble were found in Rutland and later, larger deposits were found nearby in the small towns of West Rutland and Proctor. The Rutland area soon became one of the world’s leading marble producers.
Rutland was also a major hub for the railroad and an important cog in Boston and Maine railway. The Howe Center, just south of the downtown area, is still very active in rail transportation. Amtrak has recently added service connecting Boston and New York City to Rutland, Killington and beyond.
Rutland has had its share of movers and shakers come from the area. The great industrialist John Deere hails from Rutland. The famous Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee was born right here. Snow Job, the fictional character from the GI Joe series is also from Rutland.
Speaking of comic book characters, Rutland is also home to the world-famous Halloween Parade. Its the oldest of its kind in the country and features local high school bands and area business all decked out for a night of music, mischief and mayhem in the streets of Rutland. The Halloween parade has been immortalized in several issues of both Marvel and DC comics.
As the 20th Century came to a close, Rutland was forced to re-invent itself. The downtown area had fallen on hard times and businesses were closing and turning the downtown area into a ghost town. Thanks to the efforts of the local politicians, the good people of Rutland, and existing business owners the downtown area has experienced a rebirth attracting new shops and businesses including one of its newest…Small Dog Electronics!
We’re proud to be a part of the reinvention of Rutland! If you are ever in the area, come see a show at the lovely restored Paramount Theater. Stop in to Hop ‘n Moose for a locally brewed ale. Visit the nearby marble and maple museums. And of course stop in and say hi to all of us at Small Dog Rutland. You’ll be glad you did!!
woof, woof!
(We’ll see you soon!)