By DOMENIC POLI / Reformer Staff
Monday June 8, 2015
BRATTLEBORO – A new from-scratch restaurant has popped up in the
sea of fast food joints in the north end of town.
The Porch Too, under the umbrella of Hardy Foard Catering LLC.,
opened its doors on May 11 and is intended to serve a crowd craving
homemade dishes with food as local and sustainable as possible. Hardy
Foard Catering is made up of Gretchen Hardy and Bo Foard, who also
operate The Porch food truck at 53 Stowe Drive, though they have temporarily
shut it down to focus on the new brick-and-mortar business and
the catering service.
Hardy said the food truck’s following was even more loyal than she initially
thought and business has been booming.
“When we opened up here, people were really excited. On our first day,
I literally opened the door, put an ‘Open’ flag up and told a few friends,”
she said, siting next to Foard in one of their eatery’s booths this week.
“Last Friday was one of our busiest day we’ve ever had. People just keep
coming in. ... We had a line out the door for 30 minutes straight.”
The Porch Too is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday,
though there are plans to eventually be open on weekends. The space,
next to One Stop Country Pet Supply on Putney Road, has not been a
gold mine in the recent past. It has been Danielle’s Sandwich Shop, Over
The Top Sandwich Shop and a D’Angelo chain location, but those businesses
have all closed within the past six years.
But Foard, who also owns Foard Panel, where the food truck is, said he
and Hardy are going to use their culinary expertise change that trend.
“We’re real confident that we’re not only going to survive here, that we’re
going to thrive,” he said.
He and Hardy mentioned they have good relationships with area businesses
such as People’s United Bank (across the street), C&S, and New
Chapter. Foard also said he wants to join the fine food tradition that is
sprinkled around the north end of Brattleboro with the likes of North
End Butchers and Dandelion & Sage.
The Porch Too also has full barista service, with coffee from Pierce Bros
Coffee Roasters in Greenfield, Mass.
“I think one thing that would separate us from the rest is really the fromscratch
cooking — we do a lot of specials, we try to be as creative as
possible. We want to be that community café that you can have a business
meeting at, that you can also bring your friends from out of town,” said
Hardy, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.
She said the new restaurant employs 10 to 15 employees, who all bring
there own unique flair to the business.
“They’re amazing. I couldn’t ask for a better crew. We’re are absolutely
spoiled to be able to have people that are fun and creative and full of personality,”
she said. “A restaurant is really a reflection of who you are as a
person and we have to be fun and enjoyable to be around for our customers
to want to come and enjoy being here.”