By Amanda Kuhnert

Step inside PhotoPlace Gallery, a rustic-modern space on Park Street in Middlebury, Vermont, this month, and you’ll find yourself transported to distant corners of the globe. The current exhibition, “Travel: People, Places, and Things,” is a thoughtfully curated collection of photographs captured around the world—from Vietnam’s tea fields and the Russian Arctic to the tanneries of Moracco.

One striking image shows a white-bearded Venetian craftsman in his shop, holding a cell phone—the only clue the portrait wasn’t taken a century ago. Another black-and-white photo depicts Liberian schoolchildren sitting shoulder to shoulder in a crowded classroom. Still another captures farmers tending cows in a mist-covered Kenyan field. Each photograph was selected by an internationally recognized juror. The gallery rotates its exhibits monthly; in September, it will feature “The Coastal Landscape.”

“You’d be amazed how many local residents don’t even know we’re here,” said gallery owner Zach Hoffman, something he’s eager to change. While the gallery has been open since 2009, Hoffman took ownership over the winter. Since then, he’s been busy introducing himself to other entrepreneurs and community members, hoping to boost awareness—and to “connect the artistic dots” throughout Middlebury’s charming downtown.

“We’re working on bringing back the Art Walk at the end of August—something that used to happen every year here but had faded away,” he said. By “we,” Hoffman means a network of local business owners, from the neighborhood coffee shop to the framing store next door, many of whom also showcase artwork.

An Artistic Journey

Though new to business ownership, Hoffman is deeply rooted in the art world. With a bachelor’s degree in film and photography and a master’s in photographic arts, he spent five years teaching and running a community darkroom in Montana before moving to Vermont with his wife in 2020. Soon after, he began working at the gallery, quickly taking on managerial duties. “I was basically doing everything except paying the bills,” he said.

When the chance to buy the business came up, he decided it was time to take the next step. Hoffman turned to Sarah Kearns at the Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC) for guidance. “She’s been an incredible resource, helping me figure out whether the purchase made sense financially and make connections in the community,” he said. “Since she’s local, she stops by often. I even see her at events.” 

Working with VtSBDC, he said, has changed how he approaches running a business. “I’ve learned to create a business plan, understand my finances, and most importantly, to ask for help. As a new owner, I thought I had to do it all myself. Now I know there are people and resources to support small businesses like mine. And that seeking guidance is not only okay—it’s essential.”

PhotoPlace Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Past and current exhibits can be viewed on their website: photoplacegallery.com.