Vesta Urband, board of directors’ member and media spokesperson for the Vermont Antiques Dealers’ Association (VADA), released the following statement on Thursday, July 29:

The Vermont Antiques Dealers’ Association held a board meeting at the Middlebury Inn on July 27 and voted unanimously to dissolve the association. The decision was not an easy one and was made with much regret.

All checks received for 2021 dues will be returned.

The VADA Antiques Show usually held during Vermont Antiques Week has been cancelled.

We thank all those who have supported us over the years with their continued membership.

I have enjoyed writing the VADA newsletter and thank you for reading it.

Wishing everyone a great end of summer and many days of happy, successful antiquing.

Best Wishes, Vesta Urband, vkurband@gmail.com

Antiques and The Arts Weekly reached out to co-President, Kyle Scanlon, for further comment.

“It was 100 percent about the membership numbers, which have been in decline over the past ten years. Two years ago, we had less than 100 members. During the pandemic, we did not collect dues and when we sent out membership letters recently, we had very little response.”

Scanlon, whose grandparents, Nathan and Margaret Merrill, helped found the organization, stressed that he did not think it was a reflection in a lack of interest in antiques, but more a change in how people in the antiques field do business. “There are still plenty of people selling antiques, but fewer people are keeping shops open and the organization just couldn’t afford to continue. It was a really hard but unanimous decision; some of our members had been in the organization for more than 50 years.”