One in 8,200 Where the personalities of Middlebury proper are celebrated

Author: Lea Calderon-Guthe

Middlebury's industrial district boasts several well-known Vermont companies, but is also home to America's premier bow tie maker. As Bill Kennerson and his wife Deb Venman approached retirement 16 years ago, they sought a way to keep busy and satisfy a niche market, and Beau Ties Ltd. was born.

"If you go to a men's store and you try to find a bow tie, good luck," Kenerson said. "If they have them at all, they may have half a dozen. So my wife and I had the idea that we should make them and sell directly to the individual."

Kenerson and Venman started in the spring of 1993 by sending out a one-page flyer that featured eight patterns. Now, they have a fully functioning website and send out 500,000 catalogs a year, offering more than 200 fabrics that can be made into bow ties, long ties, cummerbunds, ascots, cravats, ladies' scarves, pocket squares and vests. Seven years ago, Kenerson and Venman built their own factory off Exchange Street in Middlebury.

Kenerson proudly shows off the building, particularly the work floor, where several women sit at tables busily crafting custom orders. He also points out a spacious kitchen and patio that serve as reminders of Beau Ties' roots.

Beau Ties specializes in custom orders both for individuals and at the wholesale level for organizations, especially local ones. Kenerson and his team have outfitted College alumni with commemorative ties, and they recently worked with the men's rugby team to design long team ties. Even though long ties have traditionally been more popular, Kenerson only began to offer them along with his bow ties four years ago. His true calling is to fill a nationwide niche as a bow tie maker.

"We want to make sure we find all of the bow tie wearers in the world and get them on our mailing list," Kenerson said. "That was our original goal. We figured when we succeeded, we'd try to convert folks that wear long ties. And it's happening - a lot of younger folks are wearing bow ties."