Knapp’s making beautiful music

By Susan BushPrint Story | Email Story
The Knapp's store family, from left are Tammi Outwater, shop owner Jayne Outwater, Jayne Outwater's mother, Jane Latif, and Hilda Outwater. (Photo by Susan Bush)
BENNINGTON, Vt. — Knapp's Pets, Hobbies and Music supply store re-opened on Friday at its newly renovated 198 North St. site with expanded product lines on the shelves, a steady stream of customers walking the floor and a Better Bennington Corp. award on the checkout counter. "There's a lot of good happening in Bennington right now," said Jayne Outwater, who owns the business with her husband, Duffy. "We're trying to put our best foot forward." The family purchased the business in 2000 and first operated at Northside Drive. A move to Main Street proved successful, and Jayne Outwater said that in June the couple purchased the brick building on North Street from Charles and Suzanne Watson for $200,000 and began a complete interior renovation/restoration project. "This was an old building, and it needed a lot of work," Jayne Outwater said. Duffy Outwater said he relied on his three decades of home-building experience to complete the task at hand. Office space was torn out so that the first level could become an open, 3,000-square-foot sales area. Carpet was removed to expose the original wooden floor, and the walls were restored to their original appearance. Window and roof replacement were also included in the work, Jayne Outwater said. The project earned kudos from the Better Bennington Corp., she noted. Duffy Outwater operates the "music room," which offers a wide choice of Fernandez electric and Garrison acoustic guitars, as well as a selection of amplifiers. The shop stocks about 100 guitars at all times, he said, adding that he also keeps a few Fender and Gibson guitars on-site so that musicians can compare the brands for themselves. He said he guarantees the lowest price nationwide on his inventory and sold about 250 guitars in 2003. "I try to sell a guitar as a tool for musicians," he said. "Most people try to buy as 'eye candy,' which is the wrong reason to buy a guitar. I want to sell the best tool for the musician." Outwater said he has played guitar for 38 years and is a member of the local band "Pow, Right in the Kisser." His skills may benefit the clientele, he said, noting, "I've got the hands-on experience.” The main shopping area is sectioned for hobbies, pet supplies and children's educational toys. Toys include wooden building blocks, child-sized musical instruments, art kits, puzzles and an ant farm and a frog habitat, while the hobby section features vehicle model kits, paints, glues and several remote controlled devices. Rockets that are launched add a bit of nostalgia, Jayne Outwater said. "People who had these as children come in and they want them for their own children," she said. "We've brought a lot of new products in. We're definitely expanding our educational toys. Anything that requires some thought and imagination — that's what we're aiming for." The pet section sells traditional items such as food, collars and leashes and has a reptile-and small-animal supply section. The store sells tropical fish and goldfish and has a supply of aquariums. Some salt-water aquarium supplies are available. Special events are scheduled to occur through Dec. 24. The roster includes raffles, weekly specials and a "Holiday Bucks" promotion that awards shoppers one "buck" for every $20 spent at the store. The business hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 to 5:30; Saturday, 11 to 4; and Sunday, noon to 4. The store is closed on Monday. Jayne Outwater said the family is pleased to be part of the town's business community. "We are Benningtonians," she said of herself and her husband. "We were both born and raised in Bennington, and Bennington is our home.
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Weekend: Snow, Cold, Snow

Staff Reports
The weather continues to be on repeat for the weekend: snow, frigid cold, followed by more snow.
 
There's a chance of snow on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. A clipper system will bring Arctic temperatures to the Northeast with lows in the teens and single digits over the weekend. 
 
A major snowstorm is forecast beginning sometime Saturday through Sunday, possibly the "most impactful winter storm" this winter, if not in several years, according to CBS News. 
 
Right now, the bulk of the accumulation will be along the mid-Atlantic, where the clipper will meet warm, wet air from the south Pacific. This could mean a foot or more of snow in places like Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. 
 
Accuweather is predicting 3 to 6 inches across Massachusetts and Southern Vermont, but if the storm shifts north, the region could see closer to a foot. 
 
Greylock Snow Day has a 5 percent probability for a snow day on Monday, but notes that this could change as the storm system develops. 
 
In any case, it's best to prepare for the worst: stay warm, bring pets in and check on elderly neighbors and family members. The Red Cross has some suggestions for keeping safe this weekend. 

A severe Arctic blast this weekend will bring wind chills well below zero for New England. In the midst of this will be a storm moving thru the Mid-Atlantic, with questions about how far north impacts will spread. #MAwx #CTwx #RIwx #NHwx #MEwx #VTwx newenglandstormcenter.substack.com/p/strong-arc...

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— New England Storm Center (@nestormcenter.bsky.social) January 21, 2026 at 8:58 AM
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