Our life roadmaps have unexpected twists and turns, and certainly this is true for Hilarie Vetere, who with her husband, Ron, decided to make a quick visit to Rocky Mount, NC at the end of a vacation. That trip resulted in buying a building they fell in love with, which in 2009 became the Bel Air Artisans Center. Rocky Mount gained two strong advocates for the revitalization of the downtown area.
Hilarie lost her husband to illness in December 2014, and her usual enthusiastic and energetic self is naturally thwarted at the moment. Throughout our visit, however, I easily glimpsed the beautiful girl that remains, the one who is trying to get back on her feet. The Vetere’s vision of The Artisans Center is a fantastic gathering of talented artisans; a destination for art enthusiasts. Hilarie is the perfect subject for this Main Street Rocky Mount post because one of the key words she resonates with is the word, IMAGINE. Hilarie’s mind works like this….“Imagine if we could do this…or that?”
There are a lot of wonderful people like Hilarie and her late husband, who are busy reimagining the possibilities for Rocky Mount. The Artisans Center is open and a great destination at any time, but during August, while the kids are still on vacation, be sure to get there. I am enclosing a link from Chatham Home Realty to see 25 photos of this property that has had so much love poured into it. The future of this location is calling out to a new owner fortunate to follow the Vetere’s in their imagining for the downtown area.
I invite you to FOLLOW Main Street by clicking on the FOLLOW button above. Join Me with a positive attitude. Help me spread the word about this great place.
Main Street Rocky Mount 
Hilarie is to love her (and her late husband Ron). The couple heavily influenced my decision to come downtown.
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I’m sorry I never met Ron Vetere, but admire Hilarie as she gets back on her feet. They have made a great contribution to the community, constantly having new ideas and working hard. We all salute them both.
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