Last month we asked for anyone with information or photos of Gepetto's, a  very unique restaurant and settlement (real estate development?) south of the Center to get in contact with us.  Several members did and we're grateful for their help.  No photo's yet but we have a lead or two that we are chasing down.  

    Gepetto's was built by a man named Charlie Trois, a musician who played in the band "Soul Survivors".  The following is from an email Don (Chops, aka Chopper) Bordner sent us.  He compiled reminiscences from Sherm Potvin, Al Oktavec, Terrel Titus, and Jim Levy with his own in 2016. The period in question was the early 1970s in Montgomery: 

                                                                                                                                                   thanks, Scott

     "I only remember him and his band playing at Corkies.....then he decided to leave the band and remain in Montgomery....came into my real estate office and told me he wanted to buy some land and build an Italian Restaurant....but it had to be way back in the woods with "no" road frontage....and he wanted to build some sort of "village" around it, and rent or sell small stone homes or shops to the then "hippies" to sell their goodies....thought he was dreaming, and could never imagine that I was dealing with a genius !
 
     I just happened to have 49 acres listed...owned by Bunny Gregoire.....in Avery's gore that fit his needs just perfectly....he made the buy....$15,000. was the price I believe...that was in the early Spring, but don't know the exact year....it was just when Act 250 was kicking off and his village concept, subdividing and selling small lots, etc. was under close scrutiny.
 
    I did not hear anything more about his plans after he closed on the deal, and kind of forgot about it.....until Buddy Rouse, our local State cop, came into my office and asked "if" I have any idea of "who" may be stealing farmers "stone walls" ?
 
     And then I paid a visit to Charlies 49 acres in the middle of the Summer of year (?)......and he and his brother were building Gepettos...by themselves, no equipment to dig with....all by hand and genius methods to move dirt, move big rocks, etc. etc......just amazed me as to what he was trying to do....never thought he would complete his project !
 
    .....and realized then that the "stones" were from the "farmers missing stone walls".....seems he was paying the hippies 5 cents per stone delivered !
 
     He did open "Gepetto's that following Winter....reservations were made by calling the Carinthia and directions we given to drive up to the Avery's Gore parking lot....Al Oktavek (sp?) would drive down with the sleigh and horse to pick you up and deliver you to the Restaurant.....what a magical special place he created ...am so glad to have been able to personally experience it!"