Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I N O. X V 6 FA C T BO O K / D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N M A I N E Q UA L I T Y O F L I F E Maine's Top 10 Iconic Brands While we freely admit this list could spark plenty of debate, no top 10 list is without its detractors. Here are 10 consumer brands with deep association to Maine. Let the debate commence. H O N O R A B L E M E N T I O N : Quoddy Handmade Shoes, G.H. Bass & Co., Dexter Shoes, Eastland, Snow's Chowder, Marden's, Reny's, Shipyard Brewing, Gelato Fiasco. 1 L.L.Bean F R E E P O RT With more than $1.6 billion in sales, the Freeport flagship and stores around the United States and Asia, L.L.Bean remains a household name long after its 1912 founding by the spunky, entrepre- neurial outdoorsman Leon Leonwood Bean. While it is still family owned, the retailer earlier this year hired its second non-family member as CEO, Stephen Smith. 2 Stonewall Kitchen YO R K Founded in 1991, Stonewall Kitchen last year took on a sig- nificant private equity invest- ment and has plans to expand its distribution nationally. Its products are already in 6,000 stores. Stonewall's distinctive packaging, tasty products and bustling store at its York headquarters (right off I-95) are evidence the company has found a major following. 3 Thos. Moser AU B U R N Founded in 1972 by Thomas Moser, the furniture maker is known for its classic wooden chairs, stools and other furnish- ings, which are painstakingly handcrafted. It has six stores nationwide, but it may be best known for creating chairs used by presidents and furnishing places like the George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum in Dallas. 4 Burt's Bees F O R M E R LY D OV E R - F OX C RO F T While Burt's Bees has long since departed Dover-Foxcroft, where it was started in 1984, the late Burt Shavitz and co-founder Roxanne Quimby remain symbols of Maine's role in the back-to-land movement. Only instead of being sold at farmers' markets and craft fairs, Burt's Bees is owned by the Clorox Co. and its personal-care products are sold in 30,000 retail outlets. 5 Tom's of Maine K E N N E B U N K Started in 1970, founders Tom and Kate Chappell sought out natural personal-care products. Like Burt's Bees, Tom's is now owned by a major con- glomerate, in this case Colgate-Palmolive Co. Yet the branding never lost the "of Maine" designation that provides some cache of purity. 6 Lie-Nielsen Toolworks WA R R E N Started in 1981 in his par- ents' backyard shed, Thomas Lie-Nielsen produces hand planes, saws and other hand tools that are in the workshops of the finest craftsmen, including furniture makers and wooden boat builders. The manufacturing site on Route 1 in Warren was getting so many drop-in visitors it started offering tours and now has a retail shop. 7 Poland Spring P O L A N D Poland Spring is owned by Nestle but you wouldn't know it by the distinctive green wrappers, which feature the image of a pristine mountain stream. The labeling touts "pure quality" and "100% natural spring water." And the water itself still comes from Maine, from a variety of springs and water sources, ranging from Fryeburg to Poland and Denmark. 8 Old Town Canoe Co. O RO N O The canoe maker dates to 1901 and still has operations in Orono, though it has been owned by Racine, Wisc.-based Johnson Outdoors since 1974. It's still one of the most common canoe brands out there. 9 Moxie D E V E L O P E D B Y M A I N E NAT I V E Moxie was developed by Dr. Augustin Thompson of Union, Maine. While the product was never actually based in Maine, its signs light up on conve- nience stores throughout the state and it is namesake for the annual Moxie Festival in Lisbon. The iconic logo reminds us of a simpler time. More 10 Red's Eats W I S CA S S E T It's a show-stopper. Every tourist who has made the trek up Route 1 has either waited in line at this famous lobster shack or waited in the line of traffic passing Red's. It is a perennial on "top lobster roll" lists throughout New England. And with good reason: It actually does have a killer lobster roll (and the sweet potato fries are pretty tasty, too). Maine's accolades Portland #1 Best small U.S. city to spend the weekend #2 Most underrated American food city — Thrillist.com, 2015 Whitehall Inn, Camden "A Maine inn with a storied past gets a makeover." — New York Times Travel section, May 6, 2016 Rock City Coffee Roasters, Rockland / Green Tree Coffee and Tea, Lincolnville / Rooster Brother, Ellsworth / 44 North Coffee, Deer Isle "Maine, one coffee roaster at a time" — New York Times Travel section, Jan. 29, 2015. Castine / Kennebunkport / Bar Harbor / Damariscotta / Stonington / Camden / Blue Hill / Rockport / Cutler "10 Prettiest coastal towns in Maine" —Yankee magazine, 2015 Lobster BLT at Stonewall Kitchen Company Store, York: "Put these New England Eats on your 2016 summer bucket list now" — Huffington Post, May 12, 2016. Portland International Jetport: 2015's "Best Airport in North America" — Airports Council International P H O T O / R U S S D I L L I N G H A M P H O T O / S T O N E WA L L K I T C H E N P H O T O / W E S T P O R T W I K I — C C B Y - S A 3 . 0 P H O T O / D I R K I N G O F R A N K E — C C B Y 3 . 0 Thomas Moser 1921 catalog cover P H O T O / P U B L I C D O M A I N — W I K I P E D I A P H O T O / M AT T S E LVA P H O T O / G O R D O N WAT T — C C B Y 2 . 0 Moxie was developed by Dr. Augustin Thompson of Union, Maine. While the product was never actually based in nience stores throughout the state and it is namesake for the annual Moxie reminds us of a simpler time. More than that, "moxie" is a synonym for backbone and courage. Moxie is produced in Bedford, N.H. PHOTO / LATITUDE0116 AT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE WIKIPEDIA P H O T O / M AT T S E LVA P H O T O / M AT T S E LVA PH OTO / WES TPOR TWI KI — C C BY-S A 3 . 0

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