Sunnyside Solar Returns! The Gentle Electric Company is Back, Bringing Good Things From Light!

By Dave Bonta, President of USA Solar Store

Carol Levin and Richard Gottlieb ran Sunnyside Solar for 30 years out of their home in Guilford selling their first PV panel in 1983! They have helped over 600 folks get solar; either as students, installers or customers.

Their remarkable story started in the Chelsea House Folklore Center, a Red Barn on the edge of West Brattleboro where Richard met Carol during  one of her famous country dances. Back in 1979 folks used to come from all over to “promenade” the night away at the Chelsea house. Today the Chelsea Royal diner still sports the name, which Carol used, inspired by the Joni Mitchell song of the 1960’s. Carol & Richard married at the Chelsea House in 1979.

After the songs and the dancing ceased in 1981, Richard and Carol decided to dedicate their skills and labors to Solar, notably Photovoltaic.

Richard was a true pioneer of the art & Science of solar ,*RICHARD’S ACTUAL FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH PV WAS WORKING ON THE VANGUARD, AND WORKING ON IT’S BOOSTER SYSTEM, AND PUTING ON THE 6 SOLAR CELLS WHICH POWERED IT’S SPACE TEMPERATURE SIGNAL ONCE IN ORBIT. *

During their years together they designed and installed systems for such notables as /PETE SEEGER, BEN COHEN AND JERRY GREENFIELD (OF BEN AND JERRYS), VARIOUS VERMONT POLITICIANS/ (RICHARD RAN FOR GOVERNOR FOR 4 YEARS ON THE LIBERTY UNION PARTY) –Following thousands of miles of advocacy & hundreds of events, including the first PV Conference at NESEA, the first REV meeting, the first Solarfest, teaching at**GCC AND UBOCES*,* and lastly, Green Island of Bellows Falls, Richard died in February of 2012. His memorial service was a veritable Who’s who of solar. He had earned the respect of hundreds. But he had not earned a lot of money. Because solar has been more a labor of love than a marginally profitable business, those that offer it, especially in the early years, did not make much of a living. However, they still do it- as they understood , well before the rest of us, that it might be part of the solution to so many of our modern day problems.

After doing the heavy lifting & keeping up the hard effort during a legendary career of advocating and teaching in renewable energy, Sunnyside Solar landed finally on the red side of the balance sheet.  Carol, as Richards’s wife & partner, was in a situation where an industry that she helped to birth was now finally growing up, but she would not be seeing any type of just due.  There are some things that call for action; for making it right and there are times when some folks can help.

Our solar buying group, USA Solar Store, working with Co-Op power of So. Vermont found ourselves in that position; We could provide some relief and some reward for Carol, thru a Sunnyside reboot. We have opened over 39 solar stores over the last dozen years- &  learned a lot about how to help avoid failure & to succeed.  We made some calls, raised some money and long story short, Sunnyside Solar is back, now supported by The USA Solar Store brand.

But the best part about this…….the most amazing of all….we are magically back at the Chelsea House again, now renamed, The Sunnyside Solar Store at 499 Marlboro Road in West Brattleboro- from 10 to 6. Carol is here Fridays & Saturdays -come by and say hello-We will be having a Grand Opening on Oct 26^th – Between Carol and myself, you can be sure that you will be given great care!

Our phone number is 802 376-3838.