ADDISON COUNTY — We, two Middlebury College students, set off on a mission: 16 country stores, 408 miles, one week. Our wild, cross-county expedition was motivated by a slew of questions: Why have multiple Vermont country stores closed across the state in recent years? What is the future of country stores? What makes a store, a country store? We interviewed the owners at each store to uncover their challenges, triumphs and everything in between. These traditional mainstays of Vermont life come in all differ … (read more)