Business and Tourism – Ralston, Vermont's "Green Island" City

Kyodai Cafe

The tokusatsu themed cafe known as Kyodai (after the subgenre) is a hub of Ralston’s subcultures. It has the vibe of a small town diner and serves standard cafe food. It has neatly packaged photogenic sandwiches and stocks a small selection of international candies and snacks. Its most recognizable feature is the giant wooden statue of the tokusatsu hero Ultraman which is parked in the lot to the cafe’s left. The statue serves as a tourist attraction in its own right with people coming up to visit during or after their visits to Burlington to take photos with the thing. Kyodai always has some old Godzilla movie or episode of Kamen Rider playing on the retro TVs scattered around the place. The establishment is a cafe sure, but as opposed to the town’s other cafes which cater to a more general cafe crowd. This place caters to hobbyists and nerds. Board Game tables, retro consoles, and a few arcade games can be found towards the back of the establishment

Annual Canoe Race

Ralston would benefit greatly from incorporating an Annual Canoe Race around the island, both as a tourist attraction and as a recreational way to bring the community together once a year. Ralston’s main attraction is how it is a small island surrounded by water, which makes a recreational race around the island very plausible and unique, because most other islands are far too large to accommodate a race of that scale. Not only this, but Ralston could also hold events prior to the race where the community can come together to build and decorate their own canoes, which highlights the creativity of the town and the pride they have in their community. This could be for all age groups, or it could be separated into junior and senior events to make the competition more fair.

To make watching the race entertaining, there could be stations set up around the coast of the island for residents to set up camps and watch as the racers go by, whilst also having cameramen on boats following and recording the racers to go on live television for those that are unable to attend the race in person. Prizes for the race could include something physical like a trophy, or memorial like being able to name an attraction or tourist spot in Ralston.

“The Ralston Garden” Publishing

The local privately owned news agency by the name of “The Ralston Garden”, manages publishing all news related media from newspaper, cable to articles on their website. They range from local stories, concerns as well as General Vermont Concerns and a segment for national and world news. It would be a staple of the community and where most locals get their information for all sorts of things from government to the farmers almanac, as well as new local businesses. The Ralston Garden should also have segments about the culture of the city and how it has been changing and adapting to new communities becoming a part of it as well as local legends. The Ralston Garden will reflect how those a part of the community trust their officials and each other to keep them in mind. This is the most popular in Ralston and has been gaining popularity outside of Ralston due to publishing multiple sides to one issue to give fuller coverage.

Ralston Yarn & Tea

Source: Churchmouse Yarns & Teas (2025) – All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Ralston Yarn & Tea, established in 1959, has served as a community space for Ralston’s adult residents since its inception. Historically, it has been used as a meeting place for some of Ralston’s most influential women as well as a center for community discussion outside of more formal halls.

At Ralston Yarn & Tea, customers can buy from a selection of yarns, teas, and fiber-working supplies, as well as kits and patterns developed by the store and its partners. As Ralston has long been known for mosaic crochet in the fiber arts world, the current owner of Ralston Yarn & Tea, Samantha Cleary, has made strides toward developing and distributing mosaic crochet patterns for community members. All staff members have been trained to guide customers and visitors through any snags in their personal projects.

In recent years, Cleary has also reached out to local schools with the hope of introducing more of Ralston’s youth population to the environment of her store, which has always valued learning as much as the products on its shelves. As a result, she has observed different generations interacting to a degree typically unseen in the public sphere. In the summer, she hopes to open workshop sessions that will further appeal to school-aged visitors.

Ralston Innovation Hub

The Ralston Innovation Hub serves as a dynamic space dedicated to supporting local businesses and startups. It’s a central point for entrepreneurs, creatives, and business owners to access the resources, mentorship, and networks needed to launch and grow their businesses. Located in Ward 2 of Ralston, the hub offers co-working spaces, meeting rooms, and event venues where individuals and teams can collaborate, brainstorm, and connect with others in the local business community.

The Ralston Innovation Hub regularly hosts workshops, networking events, and mentorship programs to provide valuable knowledge and connections for both new and growing businesses, as well as the broader community. In addition to offering tools for business growth, the hub fosters a strong sense of community and collaboration, helping to drive innovation and entrepreneurship within Ralston. The hub creates an inclusive space that contributes to the overall economic development of the area, encouraging the growth of local businesses and startups.

Ralston City Central Market

Early last year, the construction of the Ralston City Central Market began. Although it cost a good deal of taxpayer money from all four wards, the extensive building operation has already attracted a large amount of local and non-local businesses to the area, providing revenue from both local and non local consumers, as well as the businesses themselves. The once split up town of Ralston has begun a shift towards a more centralized, understanding community, due to shared experiences in the new market.

Numerous Benefits:
● The market’s size and variety provides everything a Ralstonian would need, keeping money in town.
● The new large venue in the center of the market provides local artists, both visual and audio, a space to show off their Ralston pride.
● The market is at most a 20 minute walk from the far reaches of Ralston, providing easy access to anyone who wishes to use it.
● A large amount of property and sales taxes from the new buildings and their businesses has already begun to offset the initial cost, not to mention the community improvement this investment has generated.
● The local bi-weekly farmer’s markets held at the market are a wonderful opportunity for anyone in the area looking to promote their business or entertainment.
● Perhaps most importantly, all four wards are easily able to use the market, and the conjoined experiences, locations, events, and parks both created by and or around the market have raised the social capital in the area greatly.

Possible Downsides:
● The beer at the market is so good, that the amount of tourists and citizens causing disruption in the town has risen almost 35% since the installation of the central Ralston brewery, located right next to the open venue in the center of the market.

Biological Research Center

The Biological Research Center studies local wildlife and fauna to discover new information about them. The research center also runs tests on local water sources and marine wildlife populations to determine the health of the local ecosystem. The financial benefits of the institution are very significant as many grants and funds used to fund the research are subsequently dispensed into the Ralston economy by the employees. In addition to economic growth, the presence of the Biological Research Center in Ralston promotes environmental stewardship and community engagement. The data collected from research on wildlife, plant species, and water quality will be used to inform local conservation efforts, ensuring that the region’s natural resources are preserved for future generations. Educational programs, public lectures, and citizen science initiatives hosted by the center will encourage residents to participate in environmental monitoring and learn more about the unique ecosystems surrounding them. Collaborations with local schools and universities will provide hands-on learning opportunities and internships, fostering interest in biological sciences and creating a

Ralston Farmers Market

In Ralston, people lack a number of different events that might strengthen their community. One is a farmers market. A place for small, local businesses to come together, for local artists and musicians to come together, and a hub for new friendships and community. This should go under “non-profit organizations and space” for blatant reasons. I had a farmers market in my town as a kid and I have very fond memories of being there and dancing to live music and getting fresh strawberries, bread, and cheese and sitting in the grass with my friends. The farmers market would happen every week and be closed or moved inside during the winter. The farmers market would include local food vendors, (fruit, veggies, herbs) and local bakeries, local craftsmen (knife sharpening, soaps, stained glass, handmade knitted work) and local music artists (new band every week). This would amplify the amount of people who know each other and might help people find others with common interests. It also just gets people out of the house and doing things.

Ralston City Arcade

The Ralston City Arcade, located by the Figley Cinema in Ward two, will satisfy all of your entertainment desires! We offer a wide variety of entertainment from retro arcade cabinets to laser tag and even go-karts! This will be an ever-expanding attraction that will drag you in. We also offer food options so you can eat and get right back into the action. We plan to host events during the warmer months and have half-off token prices on Tuesdays! Having a birthday party? Come to the Ralston City Arcade, where all you have to do is book your party with us, tell us your child’s preferences, and we will cover the rest. This will serve as a comfortable and fun place where kids get to have fun and parents get to be kids again! For the future, we plan to expand with ziplining, escape rooms, laser mazes, and more! So come on down to the Ralston City Arcade where everyone gets to have fun!

The Bakery Shop of Ralston (Ward 3)

The Bakery Shop of Ralston is a focal point of Ward 3. Community members come together here in the mornings and early afternoons to do work while they snack on a variety of pastry options, or just get their morning coffee and breakfast before the day ahead. You’ll find people sitting in and talking with locals about any current news, interests, or even drama. We have a variety of pastry options ranging from cookies, croissants and muffins to danishes, scones, and cakes. We also offer catering services for events such as weddings, birthdays and even just small get-togethers. We make custom decorated cakes and cupcakes for these events if requested.