The One Stop Ship Shop

Hamilton Marine of Searsport, Maine has opened a new warehouse/store to service commercial fishermen and boatbuilders who often purchase bulk items in large quantities. The 16,000-square-feet facility is heavily stocked with buoys, rope, netting, trap supplies, totes and structural composites used by fishermen and builders.

“It’s set up as a warehouse with pallet racks full of product from floor to ceiling,” says owner Wayne Hamilton, “but it’s also a Home-Depot style commercial store where customers can grab a flat-bed cart and have at it. We’re very pleased with the great response we’ve seen so far.”

The new building is located on a lower level just behind the Searsport store. It has its own parking lot and an overhead door where customers can have their purchases loaded into their trucks. The warehouse side of the operation has six truck bays to facilitate supplying Hamilton’s other four stores and its extensive distribution business.

When asked if he had reservations about expanding in a down economy, Hamilton said, “Of course, but it’s not the first risk we’ve taken in 37 years of business. I started with fishermen and got into supplies for all sorts of boats, pleasure and commercial. Now we have even more of the supplies Maine fishermen require in order to fish and to keep their boats fit and safe. You might say we’re a one stop ship shop.”

In addition to it’s Searsport location, Hamilton Marine has stores in Portland, Rockland, Southwest Harbor, Jonesport and online at hamiltonmarine.com.