by Carolyn Webb

Sarah is the co-owner, with her business partner Bri Magnifico, of the W-Collective, an unusual shop, café and event space at 332 West Main Street in Bennington. The shop opened in July of this year, and has an interesting variety of vintage clothing, glassware, pottery, vinyl LPs, hand designed cards, locally made soaps, and many kinds of decorative art for the home. They also offer tea and coffee beverages and cookies. The shop is decorated for the holidays with a colorful magenta pink tree, full of handmade ornaments. Everything is beautifully arranged. Her partner Bri is a 2008 graduate of Bennington College, and a native of Bennington, and they are both interested in fostering the connection of Bennington College students to the town of Bennington. They also offer Bennington College art students a place to show their artwork, several of which are in the shop now.

There is an outdoor courtyard connected with the shop, and Sarah and Bri have had several programs, including book talks coordinated with the Bennington Bookshop, and Wine Tasting events. During the summer, in front of the shop, there was always a cozy seating area, welcoming visitors to sit and chat. They are looking forward to hosting more events in the coming year.

Originally from Staten Island, Sarah attended schools there and also spent a couple of her elementary school years in Quebec City, while her mother taught English at the University. Sarah received her B.A. in Anthropology and Sociology from Seton Hall University and attended Le Moyne College, studying Arts Administration. After college, she moved to Brooklyn and worked in fashion and retail for several years. She and her husband moved to Bennington from Syracuse in May, 2019, after visiting several times.

Sarah and Bri are very interested in ethical and eco-sustainable, well-made clothing, and reuse of clothing and wares, thus the vintage clothing which she has been collecting for several years. They are also involved in the promotion of women designers, makers, and business owners. Sarah is co-coordinator for the Women’s Business Owners Network, or WBON, and is hoping to start a chapter in Bennington. Sarah is also a member of the Bennington Area Arts Council Board. In addition, she is the full-time Advancement and Volunteer Coordinator at Hildene in Manchester. Bri also works full-time helping manage her father’s Bennington restaurant, Your Belly’s Deli. Sarah says, “We both knew that in order to realize our dream of owning a store, the reality for us would be to still work full-time and manage the store on our ‘days off.’ We take things one day at a time, always plan ahead, and are fortunate to have a great support system from our friends and family.”

And, one more thing. Sarah plays the cello in the Sage Symphony Orchestra!

Do stop by the shop when you’re downtown and say hello, especially since we are not meeting in person at this point. Have a delicious cup of tea or coffee, a cookie, and chat with Sarah and Bri.

And enjoy perusing all the beautiful things in their shop.