04/18/2025
Passing the Torch: One Community Chapter Comes to a Close – and Another Begins
In the fall of 2016, a few of us gathered above the Colatina Exit to brainstorm how we might breathe new life into our downtown. I threw out the idea of a community workspace — one that could meet the needs I saw repeated across our region’s small, rural towns. A makerspace for the Bradford Young Makers Club. A conference room for nonprofits to gather remotely. Open offices to help young professionals stay here. A public venue for people to share their passions. A revitalized anchor to fill the vacant former storefront of the beloved Hill’s 5 & 10.
That conversation sparked a grassroots effort that would grow into The Space On Main, a nonprofit formed to serve as a hub for creativity, connection, entrepreneurship, and community building. What followed was a whirlwind of community coffees, architectural plans, unboxed furniture, and unshakable hope. Hundreds of you helped envision what this space could be. And in October 2018, we opened our doors — 100% volunteer-run — with just a few desks and a big vision.
Over the years, that vision came to life in ways I could have never imagined. We built a makerspace, podcast studio, phone booths, cozy corners, and vibrant programming. We survived COVID thanks to grantmakers and a federal loan, and in 2022 we hired our first employee. Since then, we’ve hosted artisan markets, job fairs, concerts, youth STEM camps, networking nights, civics dinners, state meetings, and more. We’ve supported over 110 entrepreneurs through small business courses, welcomed over 45,000 visitors, and cultivated countless friendships, collaborations, and sparks of inspiration.
From the beginning, The Space has served as a gathering point for people from across the Upper Valley — on both the Vermont and New Hampshire sides of the Connecticut River. We’ve proudly connected and supported residents of neighboring towns, helping build a shared sense of place across rural lines.
And The Space On Main hasn’t just been a local resource. It has also been recognized as a model for rural revitalization — featured in statewide and national conversations about community development and the power of place. From Vermont to national stages, we’ve had the privilege of sharing our story and showing what’s possible when small towns invest in each other. The work that started here has inspired other communities to dream bigger and reach wider.
Like many grassroots efforts, especially in rural areas, sustaining this work financially has been our greatest challenge. Despite deep generosity from donors and tireless work from our board, we’ve not been able to bring in enough consistent funding to keep the doors open.
This is not a decision made lightly, and it comes with a heavy heart. I have poured everything into this place — as have so many others. For a long time, I carried the responsibility of The Space as something personal. It felt like I wasn’t just closing a building — I was letting go of a promise to help lift up our region. Rationally, I know that’s not fair. But emotionally, it’s been one of the hardest truths to sit with.
Then this spring, something beautiful happened. At Bradford’s Town Meeting Day, a community member asked The Hub: Bradford Teen Center when they might expand their offerings. Their team said they were ready — but unsure of where. That conversation led me to reach out to Patrick Peters, founder of The Hub. I asked if he might want to carry forward the legacy of The Space. And to our great joy, Patrick and his team said yes.
In the coming weeks, The Hub will take over operations at 174 Main Street, expanding their youth programming while also continuing coworking and some of the community offerings people have come to love from The Space. Angela and Vin Wendell — our landlords and longtime supporters — have graciously agreed to support this transition. And with that, what could have been an ending now feels more like a handoff.
It’s hard to describe the relief and gratitude that comes with knowing this space will live on in service to our community. The Hub is already an incredible resource — and now they’ll have the room to grow into something even more impactful.
There are so many people to thank: the donors and grantmakers, the partners and collaborators, the brilliant board members who helped steer us with care, and the volunteers who made magic happen every single day. But most of all — to our members, our visitors, our community: thank you. You gave this place life. You made it sing.
While The Space On Main is closing this chapter on June 1st, its spirit will carry on — in the relationships built here, in the businesses born here, in the quiet moments of connection that will ripple outward for years to come.
I will continue to serve our region in the State House. As for full-time work, I’m exploring what’s next — and as always, open to hearing your wild ideas over coffee. Sometimes, the smallest spark turns into something transformative. The Space taught me that.
Thank you for believing in it — and in each other.
With love and gratitude,
Monique Priestley
Founder, The Space On Main
Newsletter share: https://mailchi.mp/thespaceonmain/closing
