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- Rachel Hellman
- Love Letters box
It's no secret that Burlington is in need of some lovin'. Business owners say safety concerns have led to reduced foot traffic on the Church Street Marketplace. The staff at Common Deer, a store selling locally made goods on College Street, are soliciting a timely cure to the Burlington blues: love letters.
Inside the airy boutique — filled with handcrafted mugs, Skida beanies and amber maple syrup — is a writing station where customers can share what they appreciate most about the Queen City. The valentines are displayed in the windows for passersby to enjoy.
"Burlington is not going to be able to get through this tough time without realizing that this place is important to us and that there are things that we can do," said Sarah Ramsdell Beal, cofounder of Common Deer.
More than 100 people have written notes since the project started in mid-January. Two came via snail mail, and a few others on social media.
"I love the memories I've made here since I was 18, and now new ones, with my wife and kids," one person wrote. "This place and its people made me feel safe and at home when I had to leave my Country!" another shared.
Hanging nearby: "I love the friendliness, how strangers hold doors open for each other. People are kind here."
Employee Amanda McKeever said customers were surprised and excited by the project. "I feel like people really take the time to reflect on what they appreciate," McKeever said.
Ramsdell Beal hopes visitors and Burlington natives alike find joy in the messages.
"I think that we need to constantly remind people of how cool Burlington is," Ramsdell Beal said. "That's what the project is really about."