When Kathy Reilly was a child, she learned to play the violin on a poorly made instrument that was rife with problems. Kathy was a pretty determined student, however, and was able to overcome the limitations of her instruments, but she remembers how difficult it was and how many of her friends quit as result of poor equipment. When, in 1994, Oren and Kathy started to consider the options of becoming a violin provider, the letters from local teachers poured in: there was clearly a palpable need for quality student instruments in our small Montpelier community. What started as a hobby, open only a few hours each week, quickly turned into something far more important. Sales rose quickly and it was clear that the services this little fledgling business offered were very much needed. After only a year, Kathy quit her "day job" and dedicated herself to the shop and to teaching. By that time, the shop was open full time and people were coming to Montpelier for their violins from all over the state. While life in Montpelier was good, there was not enough players in such a small town. Vermont Violins opened in West Lebanon, New Hampshire in 2003 and then purchased the Burlington Violin Shop in 2004. With strong demographics behind them, the company was able to grow into a fully-fledged, professional violin shop with ample scale to service all ranges of players from beginner to professional. Opening the Burlington shop on Church Street in 2010 brought the violin shop into the main-stream of the Burlington community and a strong, creative addition to the retail life of Vermont's largest shopping district. The new space also afforded the ability to create our own line of instruments designed to meet the needs of our musical community: designed with input from local teachers. Come in and check out our new location, test an instrument or just watch the luthiers at work in the shop. All are welcome, we hope to see you soon!
