Childhood best buds, Fairfax natives and culinary entrepreneurs Tyler Stratton and Silas Pollitt are serving much more than just pizza at their new localvore restaurant. They’re serving their community, with delicious food and a gathering place for neighbors, friends, and family.
Stone’s Throw Pizza in Fairfax had plenty to celebrate (and eat!) at their grand opening on
November 11th. Tyler, Silas and their team fired up the pizza ovens to produce specialty pies
including ‘The Farmer’ (house-made white sauce, braised short ribs, toasted hazelnuts) and ‘The Harvester’ (white sauce, roasted squash, dried cherries, ricotta), alongside classics like pepperoni and cheese.
Per the restaurant’s website (stonesthrowpizzavt.com), Stone’s Throw “started with a crazy idea” nearly two decades ago, when, as schoolmates, the duo dreamed of someday working
together.
Silas went on to enroll in the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, learning classical French cuisine from internationally renowned chefs. When he discovered his tastes ran more toward casual than classical, he opted for a career at New England pizza franchise Otto Pizza.
Tyler studied medical biology. For extra cash, he’d pick up hours at a pizza shop near his college campus, a turn he credits with steering him from medicine to administrative roles at Whole Foods Market’s Texas headquarters and (coincidence?) Otto Pizza, then on to ownership in two Boston-based pizza shops.
Across these experiences, Tyler learned the ins and outs of restaurant ownership, including “the importance of ambiance, staff, aesthetics, what hospitality means,” and how the right atmosphere can foster community.
“Periodically, Tyler would call to see if the time was right to start something up together,” Silas recalls. It wasn’t until reconnecting at a mutual friend’s wedding that they revisited their original ‘Plan A’ and set to work to make the dream happen: their own restaurant. With complementary strengths in culinary arts and business, the time had come.
They met with a bank to discuss financing for equipment and renovations to the location they’d identified, Fairfax’s former general store. When the bank’s financing offer didn’t work for them, a friend suggested the Vermont Community Loan Fund.
“At that point, we didn’t realize that our concept for a restaurant was so in-sync with the Loan Fund’s mission,” Silas notes. “The Loan Fund is all about bringing community together, and so are we.”
In addition to financing, Tyler notes, the Loan Fund helped the Stone’s Throw team figure out where to source local ingredients. “We get as much as we can from local farmers and food processors,” he says, just as a delivery of fresh mushrooms are dropped off at the restaurant.
“Our local mushroom forager is just another example of the community coming together here,” adds Silas, pointing out the many Fairfax community members at work in the kitchen. “Two BFA (the local regional high school) students, one current and one grad.”
“And my sister Elizabeth,” adds Tyler, “and Silas’ parents.”
“And Janet who lives upstairs, and my fiancée, Alison Duhamel, who did our logo, and brand
work and does customer service,” Tyler continues.
“All the work and contributions and effort this community has put into Stone’s Throw,” Silas
adds, “They’ve helped us paint, helped us move. Our friend Joel Bryant created our poured
concrete bar, and just told us he wanted to donate the work. It’s amazing.”
Furthering their concept of a community-centric eatery, the two co-owners would like to link up with other local organizations, school groups and more to host events and foster alliances.
“The Loan Fund understands what we’re trying to do,” says Tyler. “They see that we want to
create a restaurant that brings together a community of people. And that’s what the Loan Fund does: they invest in communities and bring people together.” stonesthrowpizzavt.com
Financing was also provided to:
Almond Blossoms Child Care Center & Pre-K, St. Albans
Franklin County is among the Vermont counties with the highest need for quality infant care, so Almond Blossoms, starting up in St. Albans with 33 available slots, immediately fills a critical need. Owner-director Heather Garceau used VCLF financing to renovate a rent-to-own space. When fully staffed, Almond Blossoms will employ five care providers, offering a holistic, emergent, play-based curriculum.
Awakening Sanctuary/Heaton Woods, Montpelier
Awakening Sanctuary was established in 1998 to address Vermont seniors’ rising need for
affordable, high-quality residential care. They purchased the Bristol House residential care home in 2005 and Ethan Allen Residence in 2013, both with assistance from VCLF. In 2018,
Awakening Sanctuary approached us to help finance energy efficiency upgrades to their latest acquisition, Heaton Woods in Montpelier. Upgrades, including high-efficiency boilers and LED lighting, guarantee an annual energy savings of $36,000 per year. Financing preserves housing for 99 senior residents. livingwellgroup.org/location/living-well-residence-montpelier-vermont
Carmen’s Ice Cream, Lyndonville
With plans to open Mosaic, a new restaurant in Lyndonville’s historic Bag Balm building, the
owners of Carmen’s Ice Cream approached the Loan Fund to help finance start-up costs
including energy efficiency renovations and restaurant equipment. The building’s newly ADA-accessible second-floor space will be leased to Lyndonville State College for use as a community co-working space. Mosaic expects to hire up to 19 employees. carmensicecream.com
Cedar Sawmill of Vermont, Swanton
Cedar Sawmill of Vermont buys cedar logs from local loggers and custom mills them for
businesses and consumers in the northeast. CSV will now refinance of a line of credit with the Loan Fund, preserving one Vermont job. cedarsawmillofvt.com
Don’s Auto Service, Derby
With steady growth over several years, Don’s Auto Service needed more space to keep up with customer demand. Passumpsic Savings Bank committed to financing their purchase of a larger building, with the condition that Don’s obtain a working capital loan; Loan Fund financing, which preserves five jobs and will create three new ones, will serve this purpose. dons-autoservice.com
Peacham Community Housing, Peacham
Peacham Community Housing establishes and maintains housing for low- and moderate-income Peacham seniors and provides programs and services to enhance their quality of life. They’ll use VCLF financing to cover the costs of a new roof on one of their buildings, providing housing for eight residents as well as seven construction jobs. peacham.net/pch
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Since 1987, the Vermont Community Loan Fund has loaned almost $106 million to local
businesses, affordable housing developers and community-based organizations that has created or preserved 6,100 jobs; built or rehabilitated 4,000 affordable homes; created or preserved quality care for over 4,000 children and their families; and supported community organizations providing vital services to hundreds of thousands of Vermonters. investinvermont.org