BRATTLEBORO-The entity once known as 69A Elliot St. — named for the storefront where it originally came into being — will continue down the street as the community resource it has become, under different leadership and corporate structure.
“I want to thank everyone who has supported 69A and everyone who came in and utilized our community art center,” said 69A’s director, Lisa Marie, adding that she dissolved its corporate entity, 69A LLC, on June 1.
“I did this with a heavy heart and I will miss working with all the volunteers and everyone who utilized the space,” she said.
While Marie has stepped away from the art center and gathering place, co-worker Caitlin Baucom is taking the reins.
“We are still open,” the multidisciplinary artist and community organizer said, adding that the hours remain the same: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and until 9 p.m. every first Friday for Gallery Walk.
“Lisa Marie stepped away from 69A operations to work on another project, for which we are all very excited and love her,” Baucom said. “Dissolving it gives Lisa a clean break for new business ventures, but doesn’t affect the permit or usage of the space.”
And there’s already a new name of sorts.
“For the moment, everyone’s calling it ‘70B,’” Baucom said. “We are going to sit down with our bookkeeper and an advisor to go through the options and see what structure makes the most sense for us; most likely it will be another LLC.”
An artistic expression transformed by community care
In the winter of 2024-25, a Brattleboro couple, Kate Bachler and Scott Berzofsky, tapped into their savings to rent the storefront at 69A Elliot St. in the aftermath of the national election and a contentious local debate over “acceptable community conduct.”
Without knowing the exact contours of how the space would actually be used, the former owners of Avenue Grocery did know they wanted to restore a community gathering place in the same spirit of the community convenience store that they briefly ran on Western Avenue in 2017 and 2018.
Amid the final dismantling of the state’s motel program in July 2025 for those who were unsheltered, and the already acute homelessness epidemic in the region, 69A Elliot St. became an oasis for those in need, offering free coffee, tea, water, Wi-Fi access, various gear and supplies (including tents, sleeping bags, flashlights, and clothing), restrooms, music, and a social milieu.
After losing its lease last fall, the operation moved to 134 Elliot St. in December 2025.
“While I’ve been the other primary keyholder since last year, and Lisa and I get the most attention as 69A representatives, it’s always been a collective effort,” Baucom said of the collaboration that is 69A.
“All of the work Lisa and many others put into real community infrastructure, both at 69A and, for years, on the streets, means that the space is able to do what a space like this should,” they added.
In her parting message, Marie noted that 69A started with a question: What does Brattleboro need?
“The answer was that Brattleboro has an extremely large population of people who need and still need assistance in many ways,” she said. “Help is still much needed not only in Brattleboro, across the state, and in the nation, but also in the world.
“We may not be able to help the most vulnerable individuals around the world right now, but we can help out our fellow Brattleboroians. We will need people to fill an invaluable void in this town.”
Much accomplished
Marie wrote that, since May 2025, folks at 69A helped obtain 30 jobs, found housing for 25, helped 19 overcome drug use, assisted 13 rape survivors get help and services, aided 11 people in reconnecting with family members, saved nine people from drug overdoses, assisted eight kidnapping victims to get help and seven to get home, stopped four suicides, helped three people get emergency medical help, and aided two people to stop using alcohol.
“Not to mention, no one died from cold exposure this winter with 69A’s support,” Marie said.
“We could not have done this without our amazing volunteers and the townspeople who pulled together to donate time, supplies, clothing, and money. […] Your assistance and support have helped hundreds of people in need over the past year.”
And the work will continue in the new iteration.
“While anyone leaving, especially Lisa, changes things, other people have immediately stepped up and into roles and responsibilities that suit them,” Baucom said. “People feel such responsibility and care for the space, because it is our home.”
A transitional leadership team has formed, including Baucom and folks she “first met years ago in an encampment.”
“Back then, they were building collective structures and community agreements while living outside and have each since gotten themselves stabler living situations,” they said. “Witnessing them get a chance to apply lessons and ideas learned under duress to our space has been humbling and incredible.”
Judy and Britnie are co-managing daily operations and volunteer scheduling, with Tony and Patrick “as eyes and ears.”
“Everyone works well together and has complementary skills and interests,” Baucom said. “We have volunteers scheduled daily, a new bookkeeper, and more and more community collaborations.”
Baucom said Britnie — an artist — and her son are part of the Winston Prouty community and they are working to bring more families in. Judy “is a dedicated artist and makes sure everyone has space and time to get creative.”
“Tony has so many ideas to bring more peer support and direct resources into the space,” Baucom said. “Everyone is great at communicating and de-escalating, both themselves and each other.”
Skyberry House — a “home offering hospitality to local unhoused children and families” in Brattleboro —and The Workers Center remain two of the group’s longest collaborators. The group is a staple at Gallery Walk.
The AIDS Project and HCRS bring resource vans to help every other Friday. Food is coming in from The Putney School, and outreach workers from Groundworks, Turning Point, and HCRS regularly spend time here.
Judy and Baucom spoke at All Soul’s Church on June 7 “and heard some great ideas for offerings from their congregation,” Baucom said.
They said regular meetings will start soon, and leadership will expand “as we come to community agreements.”
“Everyone who comes in the door has ideas and needs and something to offer,” said Baucom.
“This work is incredibly joyful and incredibly intense. The more of us hold it together, the better off we all are,” they said.
“We love you all. We love and will miss Lisa while she works on other projects for now, and we appreciate all of our community partners and supports so much,” Baucom added. “I’ve never in my life been prouder or more impressed with collective work — and have been organizing in this manner for over a decade.”
This News item by Virginia Ray was written for The Commons.