Norman Hunt is back in Damariscotta ready to take on his competition by matching prices for building materials supported by strong customer service.
“I think we may just lower our prices a bit just to let them know we are back in town,” he said.
Hunt and his family, who own a sawmill operation in Jefferson, built and owned the buildings housing Hancock Lumber and much of the land on both sides of Bus. Rt. 1 until the 1980s when they sold out.
“We needed more room,” he said.
While Jefferson is a good place for a sawmill operation, it is not so good for retail trade, Hunt said.
“We wanted to be on Rt. 1 where folks will see us, stop in and give us a try. We will offer good quality, good services and low prices every day,” he said. “We want to bring Jefferson prices to Damariscotta.
Hunt is happy with his sawmill operation in Jefferson where he says he exports about $2 million to Canada and $2 million to the New England area, but he wanted to be back in Damariscotta. He says he is happy with his sawmill operation that employs about 120 people. What he lacks is a retail outlet.
“We own about 800 feet of frontage on Rt. 1 in a parcel that is about 26 acres. We plan to build two warehouses behind the trees,” he said pointing to a grove of pines bordering what used to be the Pine Grove restaurant. “We want to keep those trees.”
The longtime lumberman explained they hope to build a warehouse in November and another in the spring.
“We need a retail operation on Rt. 1,” he said “We will go before the planning board soon.”
The operation will feature a full line of building products including bark and sawdust from his own saw mill.
Hunt said he is confident that he can compete with his neighbors and the big box stores in Brunswick, Home Depot and Lowe’s.
“Let me tell you something. Any Lincoln County lumberyard can compete with them and so can we,” he said. “Did I tell you we plan to offer good quality, good service and low prices every day?”
