Mainebiz

V O L . X X I N O. X I J U N E 1 , 2 0 1 5 38 S M A L L B U S I N E S S F O C U S After seeing their work around Biddeford, Bryan Holden reached out to Artas when he was searching for chairs to fi t to the Luke's Lobster chain of restaurants he was opening in New York, New Jersey, Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C. "When a customer walks in, we want them to feel like they're com- ing into a lobster shack on the coast of Maine," says Holden, who co-owns the business with his brother Luke. " eir use of reclaimed barn board for seats and carbon steel for framing added a nice complement to what we are doing. And they were just so easy to work with." David Libby, president and CEO of Town and Country Federal Credit Union, discovered Artas Designs last fall, when TCFCU was working with Portland Food Co-Op (another Artas client), as it ramped up to its grand opening. "I was just blown away by their cre- ativity," says Libby. For the credit union's new 20,000-square-foot administra- tive offi ces, which opened in December, Libby hired Artas to design a 14-foot communal table made from fl oor joists from an old textile mill and reclaimed struc tural I-beam and square tubing. Artas designed chairs and benches made out of reclaimed barn board, bar-height cafe tables and shoe cubbies, as well as a special wall to display recognition awards. "We wanted our space to have that connectivity to the outdoors," says Libby. "We liked the synergy that these earthy elements of reclaimed wood and metal created with our open, fl exible offi ce space." What's more, it fi t into the company's sustainability goals for the new facil- ity. ough the new headquarters isn't LEED certifi ed, it is built using eco- friendly materials and building practices. "We wanted to have sustainable, low-impact building," he says. Improved economy driving business While plenty of other craftsmen are making furniture from reclaimed materials, Mikuzis and Timofejev say they're not feeling competitive pres- sure. Demand keeps growing, plus clients are now ordering with longer lead times, which they interpret as a sign of confi dence in the long-term health of the economy. " is stuff is so popular now," says Timofejev. "And with the economy getting better, it feels like there is plenty of business for everyone." But they do grapple with the same frustrations that so many other small businesses do. Energy costs are high; they have to maintain a temperature of about 65 degrees in order for the glue to dry, and that can mean spending in excess of $1,700 a month just for heating. What's more, attracting and retain- ing a workforce is a challenge, especially as they hope to double the size of their staff in the years ahead. Even new hires who have experi- ence in woodworking need up to six months of training to learn the nuances of working with reclaimed materials. An errant nail stuck in the wood can ruin an expensive piece of machinery; it takes extra time to apply fi nishes because the wood is so dry. "You can't learn it from a text- book," says Timofejev. "You have to put your hands on it and try it about a trillion times." And they work hard to keep a pleas- ant and safe working environment for those they do hire. e two founders work side by side with employees on the production line, whenever they're not meeting with clients or handling back-offi ce work. " ey feel that and they respect that," says Mikuzis."We don't have a layer of management. " ey must carefully calculate how much work to take on, so they have enough of a buff er if a part doesn't arrive on time, a lasering job that they out- sourced falls through, or half the staff is out with the fl u. "You're always balancing how much work can you take in, and still keep the employees and the clients happy," says Mikuzis. In a business as theirs, that has grown almost entirely on its sterling reputation, that's especially important. "If the client is not happy," he adds, "they're not going to go with you again, and then you have to scramble for work. And that creates more troubles." J e n n i F e r Va n A l l e n , a w r i t e r b a s e d i n Ya r m o u t h , c a n b e r e a c h e d a t e D i t o r i a l @ m a i n e b i z . b i z Northeast Bank's experienced team worked with Peter to understand his business and help him get the SBA financing he needed. The small business team at Northeast Bank understands SBA lending and has access to all SBA programs, including reduced fees for veteran- owned businesses. They will work with you to find the right lending solution for your business. For more information visit www.northeastbank.com/sba Peter McVety, Owner McVety's Hearth and Home Veteran Small Business Owner Peter McVety proudly served his country. Now we're proud to serve his business needs. | SBA Preferred Lender To learn more, contact: Jonathan Smith SVP, Director of SBA Lending Office: 207.786.3245 x3267 » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E With the economy getting better, it feels like there is plenty of business for everyone. — Art Timofejev

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