Maine reason for success? Diversify.

ALK ABour rss American dream! In 1937, Wolf Eldredge, a gentleman of southern Maine, took it in his head to peddle the lumber he planned to salvage from a massive l9th Century summer resort. Today, Wolf's grandson, Scott, runs Eldredge Lumber & Hardware, consisting of three locations, a couple of design showrooms, and a whole lot more.

Wolf, the enterprising founder, expanded his York Beach sawmill to include fabrication of custom millwork. After a fire in 1957, he moved the operation to Cape Neddick, where it quickly morphed into a lumberyard and hardware operation.

Scott, on board since a kid, took the helm in the '80s and transplanted the operation to York, headquarters today-the company's mothership, which boasts a full-service lumberyard with plenty of bells and whistles. For folks in southern Maine, it's become a destination. As has the hardware store in Kittery, l0 miles way, launched in 2000, and the newest lumber-cum-everything outpost 45 miles north in urban Portland, which debuted in 2011.

"York is very much a retail store, with a large homeowner clientele," says general manager Dan Remick, an

Eldredge vet of 22 years and counting. "We also have a large contractor base," he's quick to add-pros who are served in their own sales area by a dedicated staff. Oh, and there's the commercial business, too, garnered by an outside salesperson, snagging accounts that range from an auto repair shop to a mall site to a dentist's office and more.

Marketing is pretty low-tech, the way folks operate in Maine. "We've been here a long time, we're well known," says Dan, "so it's mostly word of mouth." And what are those mouths endorsing? "A really good, experienced staff and a product selection that's second to none." And the competition? "They can't do what we do-personal service. We take care of customers the old-fashioned way. Because we're family-owned, we don't have to 'check with corporate.' No fancy rules to follow. It's all hands-on. Scott Eldredge trolls the floors seven days a week," reports his G.M. "We collaborate really well."

Both agree that the customer is boss. Contractors can count on free delivery with no minimum (forklift services when necessary, too). "We don't argue with them, we just take care of them. Customer service is Number One." It's delivered by a staff cherry-picked for their ability to understand retail and who enjoy being around people. When Dan signed on 22 years ago, the personnel count numbered l5; today, it's nudging 120.

Dan and Scott subscribe to the 'Just get the customer in the door" school of marketing. Once lured, they'll look around and like what they see. And what they see is a complete one-stop shopping opp: Come in for a screwdriver, walk out with trendy Mrs. Meyer's cleaning products. Stop by for some coffee filters and leave with a plan for remodeling the kitchen.

That's the reasoning behind-what's this?-animal feed. What's pet food doing next to the 2x4s? Drawing clientele, that's what. "Lots of people have animals around here," Dan explains. "It's a good market and a great customer base. They need feed; we've got stuff. So we sell them as much other stuff as we can. People thought we were crazy to sell $3 chicks-'You can't make any money on those!' -Well, you can if you also sell them the coops and the feed. The store is busy, and that's what matters."

That's also why there's an Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop at a smaller Cape Neddick location. "It opened 20 years ago in a small, little yard where the manager was asking, 'How can I get customers in my store?' His fishing buddy had the answer. "It opened up the yard to a whole lot more people," Dan testifies.

So does the Atlantic Design Center, a 5,000-sq.-ft. showroom launched on the York site eight years ago that serves as a mega-arena for kitchen, bath and flooring, displayed in complete, full-room vignettes. "It's big," Dan attests. "There's nothing like it around. Formerly, we didn't have a good place to display kitchens for our customers; they deserved better. Now it's become a destination."

The design center is served by close to a dozen design consultants who add value to their services by hosting a "huge variety" of free seminars, ranging from landscaping to contemporary gilding to replacing windows. "But they're not always design-focused," Dan adds. "We hosted the Antiques Road Show and drew 150 people." Eldredge also offers accredited AIA classes, led by vendors, for local architects. It also offers free cookouts for passersby in summer months.

Atlantic has proven so successful that, when Marvin Corporation approached the company to launch a similar gallery in Portland, it was a no-brainer. "There's nothing like it around," swears Dan, "over 50 displays. You leave with no questions unanswered."

Well, why Portland, anyway-and why, during the doldrums of 201l, enter a major city market? "We don't have a growth plan," Dan allows. "We just seized the opportunity. There was an old, vacated wholesale lumberyard, so when Marvin approached us, we decided within minutes."

And came though the recession relatively unbloodied. "Sure, things slowed up, but we managed because of diversity of product selection; we didn't rely on new building alone. We kept the shelves full, the store staffed, and smiles on our faces. Now," he's happy to report, "conditions are definitely improving. South Maine is very fortunate-lots of homes, and second homes, along the coast. Commercial, too. We cater to the builders who specialize in that."

So, thanks to a "wonderful staff and great group of customers," looks like Dan is stuck here for another 22 years, selling everything from baby chicks to coffee filters to custom homes.

Carla Waldemar cwaldemar@comcast.net

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