The Gaujacs Keep Tradition Alive at The Old Lantern
by Rowan Beck
July 15, 2010, pg 8

Lisa and Roland Gaujac, along with their three children, moved to Charlotte in 2006 when they purchased the Old Lantern. The Old Lantern, an event hall since its opening in 1962, was created by Earl Burns from three barns he moved here from Jericho. He held events every Friday and Saturday, and it is rumored he gave the floor a waxing every weekend and opened the building on Sundays for family and friends to rollerskate.

Many big names have appeared at The Old Lantern, like Little Feat and the Brian Setzer Orchestra, previously known as the Stray Cats. At one time there was a campground, and square dances frequently rocked the hall. The place is full of memories; through the years families and organizations have rented it for special occasions. The CCS 8th grade graduation was held there for a number of years after the old Town Hall became the school library and before the multi-purpose room was built.

The Gaujacs are excited about keeping with the tradition of the event hall, as it was the history of The Old Lantern that attracted them the most. Another reason for choosing Charlotte was its central location, close to Burlington and Middlebury. It is also a beautiful spot for weddings and other events. Neither of them are strangers to this business. Roland began his career nearly 30 years ago and was a private chef in Michigan before they moved here.

In March 1995, they decided to move to Vermont and opened Roland’s Place, previously the 1796 House, on Route 7 in New Haven. “We chose Vermont because at the time it was number three on places to live. Number one was Hawaii, and Roland said, “no way,” number two was Minnesota, and they were already living in Michigan, and number three was Vermont. The article said 85% of business in Vermont was small business, so we thought it would be perfect. Our children would be growing up with other children in a similar situation.” Roland’s Place soon became a success, and through two frequent patrons, Trish and Peter Coleman, they learned about The Old Lantern. Lisa had discussed with them how she and Roland wanted to do more catering. After purchasing The Old Lantern, they ran it for a while catering events from Roland’s Place to see how the business would work. When they realized they had a viable opportunity, they put Roland’s Place on the market.

It did not come without drama. In 2009 they had to put the closing of Roland’s Place off a week because they were told the kitchen at The Old Lantern “was not a commercial kitchen because it had wood in it.” Panic set in since there were three weddings scheduled for the following week. The first wedding was Sunday and had to be catered from Roland’s Place. Right after the wedding a crew came in with crowbars and ripped everything out. It had to be done by the following Friday for the next wedding. Lisa called in her friends from the New Haven Fire Department who worked for Champlain Valley Plumbing and Heating. “They worked around the clock to get it all done. It was a crazy week! But we got it all done and passed inspection.”

Lisa has felt tremendous community support here in Charlotte, which was another attraction to the area. She has received numerous e-mails and letters from community members saying they are happy that they are keeping the Old Lantern as is and not tearing it down. “Our offer was accepted over another because we weren’t going to tear it down and we were going to keep it the same and continue to have events.” This summer Earl Burns’ granddaughter will be married there, as was her mother. Last year there were 48 weddings and so far 43 are scheduled for this year.

The Old Lantern is open from April through December, during which time many community events are held. Lisa has hosted the Christmas Eve Mass for Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. Charlotte Central School held a Halloween party and Haunted House two years ago. This year Lisa has donated the space to the Mahana Magic Foundation for its Halloween bash for children whose parents are coping with cancer. For charities based in Charlotte she is happy to donate the space; other charities pay a reduced rate. “You need to support the community,” she says.

The most recent event, held on June 18, was the ground breaking for Habitat for Humanity houses. When asked about it, Lisa’s face lit up. “Everyone brought picnics and spread out all over. People wore big brimmed hats. It was so cute with the Dixieland band and the dessert bar inside. The gratitude and appreciation on people’s faces was so moving. It was so rewarding. The families were so enthusiastic.”

There are many upcoming events at the Old Lantern, including Lowell Thompson and his band, Crown Pilot, scheduled for July 17, and on August 15 the Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department will hold the Summer 2010 Pig Roast in celebration of its 60th anniversary.

Lisa and Roland are currently renting a home in Charlotte, but hope to move into an apartment in the proposed inn to aid future wedding events. “It would be nice to have accommodations for weddings.” Lisa’s dream would be to be open seven days a week. She loves to throw parties and be around happy people. “I love to set the stage and see people’s reactions. I like to make it totally different and fun,” she says with a laugh.