IRASBURG — Along Route 5 in Irasburg is a store where you can rent a movie and purchase a firearm at the same time. The store is Green Mountain Sporting Goods and Nancy’s Video, two separate businesses sharing the same retail space. An interesting combination maybe, but one that works.
Nancy’s Video has been in Brien Lemois’ family since it opened in 1990. Lemois eventually took over the business, opening Green Mountain Sporting Goods in 2006. This summer they were able to double the square footage of the building, allowing them to increase retail space, as well as manufacture ammunition and firearms.
When it comes to firearms, Lemois can make them, sell them, and fix them. He’s a Master Gunsmith, so for repairs, cleanings, or customization, Green Mountain Sporting Goods has you covered
The store also sells hunting, fishing, trapping, and camping gear, basically stocking anything to do with the outdoors. If they don’t have it, they can get it.
Lemois is not only a local business owner, he’s also the Constable of Irasburg, and a certified part-time police officer. Giving back to, and creating a sense of community is something he feels strongly about.
“We are a very family oriented business, and we treat our customers like family,” Lemois said. “We want to bring back that sense that the storeowner cares about more than just making money. We like working with our customers on an individual basis.”
Traditional Vermont values are not the only things Lamois and his fiancée Trish are looking to revive through their business. Keeping the old-time traditions of Vermont alive is something they are both passionate about. They recently started Northeast Kingdom Sportsman Education Center, a nonprofit that aims to teach hunters education, trapping, and canning, just to name a few. The goal is to eventually purchase land that will house the training facility.
“The simple everyday skills that I grew up with are slowly being lost, so there is a need to keep these practical skills alive,” Trish said. “We need to take a step backwards, and bring some of this knowledge back before it is lost.”
Although an outdoor enthusiast herself, being a certified Range Safety Officer through the NRA, Trish looks after the video store.
Nancy’s Video has over 5,700 titles to choose from, and over 6,700 DVDs on hand. New releases are only $2 per night, and old titles run just $1.50. They also sell old movies. Both stores are active on Facebook, posting daily deals.
In the future both would like to see an indoor and outdoor gun range be available at the Irasburg location.
For more information on Green Mountain Sporting Goods and Nancy’s Video, visit their Facebook page by clicking: HERE
Or their website by clicking: HERE
