John Griffin, LJI 

Small towns and rumours were not separated at birth. They are always and forever joined at the hip. 

Take the current level of idle chatter concerning the greater Brome Lake restaurant scene. What is for sale, sold or closing, never to open its shutters again? The gossip changes with the wind, but some things are true. 

Bolt has sold. Carpenters were swarming all over the place in mid-September, and it is expected to be open by the end of the month. It will still be a café, and there was a sign on the door advertising for baristas. As an aside, the same Montreal man who now owns Bolt also bought The Shack down the street. 

Benzos, across from the Virgin Hill retail outlet, was sold. It has yet to re-open. 

Patrick Plouffe, the chef and owner of Le Sapin, confirms that the restaurant is for sale but not the beautiful stone building it is in. 

The restaurant in Auberge Knowlton has endured much gossip. Yet according to voluble owner Gabriel Aubertin, the venerable area eatery, known to long-time residents as Le Relais, is not on the market. Of course, everything is for sale at a price. 

“We are doing well,” he says. “But if you have $3 million, I’m ready to sell. Everything is for sale for the right price.” 

In the venerable department, the Thirsty Boot in neighbouring West Bolton is for sale. This is the heritage wood building with the sonorous acoustics that houses a bar, kitchen, and live music venue. For more detail on how to combine the three, appeal to the good graces of your real estate agent. 

For all the culinary musical chairs being played in our busy community, this much is anatomically guaranteed. Human beings need to eat. And many of us like to eat in the company of others. Restaurants provide both the nourishment and the environment. That is unlikely to end in a future any of us can foresee.