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Vermont Edition
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Vermont Edition

New book honors the history of Bennington's Blue Benn Diner

By Mikaela Lefrak
Published September 23, 2022 at 9:59 AM EDT
A photo of the Blue Benn diner in November 1982, with a light dusting of snow on the 1980s-era cars in a winter scene.
Larry Cultrera
/
Courtesy of Peter Crabtree
The Blue Benn Diner in November 1982.

In 1974, a short-order chef named Sonny Monroe and his wife Mary Lou bought a small, scrappy diner in Bennington. The couple (pictured below) transformed the Blue Benn Diner into a local landmark, a place where their community could come together over good food and hot coffee.

The story of the is now preserved in a richly illustrated book by Caitlin Randall and Peter Crabtree, Sonny鈥檚 Blue Benn 鈥� Feeding the Soul of a Vermont Town. They鈥檙e the co-founders of the Story Project, a North Bennington-based business that creates books on commission.

Our guests are:

  • Peter Crabtree, co-author of Sonny鈥檚 Blue Benn
  • Caitlin Randall, co-author of Sonny鈥檚 Blue Benn

Broadcast at noon on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.

The well-worn counter of the Blue Benn Diner bears the evidence of supporting years of elbows, plates and coffee mugs.
Courtesy of Peter Crabtree
The well-worn counter of the Blue Benn Diner bears the evidence of supporting years of elbows, plates and coffee mugs.
The diner is a haven for many Bennington residents on wintry days.
Peter Crabtree
The diner is a haven for many Bennington residents on wintry days.
Sonny and Mary Lou Monroe, the owners of the Blue Benn, in 1977.
Photo by Julie Snow for "The Rock Ribs of Bennington Town"
/
Courtesy of Peter Crabtree
Sonny and Mary Lou Monroe, the owners of the Blue Benn, in 1977.

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Vermont Edition Food & AgricultureThe Vermont EconomyAuthorBooksVermont Edition
Mikaela Lefrak
Mikaela Lefrak is the host and senior producer of Vermont Edition. Her stories have aired nationally on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Marketplace, The World and Here & Now. A seasoned local reporter, Mikaela has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards and a Public Media Journalists Association award for her work.
See stories by Mikaela Lefrak