S.W. Collins unveils new lumber warehouse

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
GRAND OPENING — The S.W. Collins Company celebrated the grand opening of its new storage warehouse at its Bangor Street location in Houlton Friday, Sept. 3. Attending the event are, front row from left, Doug Hazlett, Houlton Town Manager; Lori Weston, Houlton Chamber of Commerce executive director; Sam Collins, co-owner; Scott Dionne, Houlton branch manager; Pat Collins; Gregg Collins, co-owner; Walter Goodrich, Houlton Town Council; and Sue Tortello, Houlton Town Council; and back, Wade Hanson, town of Houlton; Kent Good, Chamber president; Donald Collins; and John Tribou, chamber member.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — The S.W. Collins Company celebrated the grand opening of its new drive-through lumber warehouse Friday, Sept. 3, marking the completion of an 11-month building process. Measuring 105 feet by 210 feet, the new warehouse gives customers an opportunity to browse inventory from the comfort of their own vehicles.
    “Nearly all of the products that were stored outside, are now stored inside,” said Scott Dionne, branch manager for S.W. Collins’ Houlton office. “This will improve quality and allows us to inventory a greater number and variety of products. It will also allow us to have more product on hand, so that we don’t have to transfer it down or special order it.”
    About 250 customers congregated at the Bangor Road building supply store to check out the new warehouse, while also sampling a barbecue lunch complete with country music entertainment, provided by Ted Bither and Kevin Hogan.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
FAMILY GATHERING — Grilling up food for lunch are, from left, Sam Collins, Donald Collins and Gregg Collins at the S.W. Collins open house Friday, Sept. 3.
    Local contractors, according to Dionne, did construction of the warehouse. Brown Developments and Nelson Construction did the groundwork, while Barry Dow did the concrete work. Buck’s Construction of Presque Isle erected the building.
    “It really was a complete local effort,” Dionne said. “The big thing is how much we have invested in this store in the three years we’ve been here. We’ve done a complete store remodel, doubling the size of the retail space. We’ve also installed drainage so that mud no longer flows into Pearce Brook.”
    In addition to the warehouse, other improvements were made to the area by re-grading and paving the entire facility.
    S.W. Collins is a family-owned, full-service lumber and building materials supply center that started in 1844 in Caribou and has since expanded to Presque Isle and Houlton. The S.W. Collins Company in Houlton was formerly known as Fogg’s Hardware.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
GUITAR GUYS — Ted Bither, left, and Kevin Hogan provide musical entertainment at the S.W. Collins open house Friday, Sept. 3 in Houlton.