Route 9 between West Dover and Wilmington passes a lot of scenery, but one building tends to make guests do a double take: a low white farmhouse-style storefront on the North Branch Deerfield River with a hand-painted sign reading The Vermont Bowl Company. Inside is a working factory store stacked floor to ceiling with live-edge wood slabs, cutting boards, and salad bowls turned right there in Wilmington, Vermont.
It’s an easy add-on to a Mount Snow trip — about 13 minutes and 8 miles from Valley View Villa via Route 100 South — and it gives guests a genuine Vermont-made souvenir instead of a mass-produced one.
A Vermont Woodworking Tradition Since 1967
The Vermont Bowl Company traces back to 1967, when Scottish emigrant John McLeod started turning bowls out of a borrowed workshop. The operation grew through a series of humble spaces — a basement, a converted gas station — before landing in its current Wilmington facility, which has been expanded five times to keep up with demand. McLeod still has a hand in design and strategic planning today, with longtime partner Tommy Fox, a 30-plus-year veteran of the company, running day-to-day operations.
The company operates as a division of John McLeod Ltd., and with very few exceptions, everything sold in the store is manufactured on-site in Wilmington rather than imported or outsourced.
What You’ll Find Inside
The showroom reads more like a working wood shop than a typical gift store. Rows of raw live-edge slabs lean against the walls, ready to be finished into serving boards, while tables display the finished lineup: hand-turned salad bowls, cutting boards in every size, charcuterie boards, serving trays, and smaller kitchen pieces like spoons and coasters. It’s a practical stop for anyone furnishing a kitchen or a Vermont-themed gift, not just a browse-and-leave souvenir shop.
Visiting The Vermont Bowl Company Factory Store
The Vermont Bowl Company is at 111 West Main Street (Route 9) in Wilmington, right along the North Branch Deerfield River. The store is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closing only for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it’s a reliable stop whether you’re headed to the mountain in the morning or swinging through on the drive home. The showroom is wheelchair accessible, and parking is available on-site.
Time It Around the Seconds Sales
Twice a year, the company holds seconds and overstock sales on the lawn outside the workshop — one over July 4th weekend and another over Columbus Day weekend — where slightly imperfect pieces sell at a discount on an all-sales-final basis. If your Mount Snow trip lines up with either weekend, it’s worth building in extra time; regulars treat both as an annual tradition. For everything else, the full first-quality lineup is available in the store or online year-round.
🗺️ More to Explore Near Mount Snow
- 1836 Country Store — another Wilmington shopping stop for old-fashioned goods and fudge
- Downtown Wilmington Walking Tour — see how the store fits into the rest of Wilmington’s village center
- Top 10 Things to Do in Wilmington, VT — a broader guide to the town year-round
- Grocery Shopping Near Mount Snow — where to stock the villa’s kitchen before you unpack
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Vermont Bowl Company sell?
Live-edge wood slabs, hand-turned salad bowls, cutting boards, charcuterie boards, serving trays, and smaller kitchen items, nearly all manufactured on-site in Wilmington, Vermont.
Where is The Vermont Bowl Company located?
It’s at 111 West Main Street (Route 9) in Wilmington, VT, about a 13-minute, 8-mile drive from Valley View Villa via Route 100 South.
What are the store hours?
The showroom is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Does The Vermont Bowl Company ever have sales?
Yes — the company runs seconds and overstock sales on the lawn outside the workshop over July 4th weekend and Columbus Day weekend, offering discounted, slightly imperfect pieces on an all-sales-final basis.
Can I visit with kids or in a group?
The showroom is wheelchair accessible and easy to browse with children, though it’s a working retail space rather than a hands-on children’s activity — plan for a shorter browsing stop rather than a full outing.
