By Amanda Kuhnert

Andrew and Josh Jonestein visited Vermont on a whim in 2023, after catching glimpses of the state on social media. It was November–arguably the least inviting month of the year–but they were impressed by what they found. Over the next few months, they purchased a historic inn in Brookfield, Vt.; pulled up their Texas roots, where they had been running a successful Airbnb; and made the move north. They’ve spent the past year and a half restoring the historic 1840s property into the Green Trails Inn and Pond Village Pub, set to open in mid September. 

“The community has been very accepting and eager for us to open,” Andrew said. “We often see people peeking through the windows while we’re working, excited to see what we’ve done.”

Their extensive renovations drew on the skills of local contractors, along with a great deal of hands-on work. Although they had no prior experience with commercial projects, the pair took on much of the work themselves. “The house had no insulation, so Josh and I got up there and put insulation everywhere,” Andrew said, pointing to the ceiling. “We did all the painting and installations, helped with the drywall, and sanded and sealed the floors. Plus, all the yard work and gardening.”

“There’s a whole thing about sweat equity,” Andrew explained. “You have to put your heart, soul, and time into it. If not, you really don’t feel like it’s yours.”

The finishing touches 

About three quarters through the renovation, they ran into an unexpected project that required additional financing. That’s when they connected with Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC) advisor Charles Ininger. 

“He was a huge help with putting together our business plan and guiding us through things we hadn’t thought of,” Andrew said. They plan to consult him again as they prepare to open the Pond Village Pub–their first restaurant venture–located in the same building as the inn. 

“We love to cook; we love to eat, but restaurant ownership is new to us,” he explained. “We’re excited to jump into it because Brookfield really needs places like this. The town is seeing a small resurgence with our friends at 1000 Stone Farm recently opening The Farmer’s Hand, and now we’re bringing in our restaurant.”

Andrew and Josh envision the pub as Brookfield’s “third place”–a welcoming community gathering spot. 

“In Dallas, our community was spread out. When we came here, everybody responded with open arms. It felt really good. We knew we made the right decision.”

Stay up to date on their opening plans by following @GreenTrailsInnVT on Facebook and Instagram, or by visiting greentrailsinn.com.