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Business Description

Hammond Lumber Company was founded in 1953 by Skip and Verna Hammond with a single sawmill in Belgrade, Maine. Today, the fourth-generation, family-owned is one of the largest independent lumber and building material retailers in the northeast with over 900 employees and 22 locations across Maine and New Hampshire. Hammond Lumber Company carries a full line of building materials, millwork, kitchen, bath and flooring products, and is a quality manufacturer of eastern white pine. Hammond has multiple Kitchen, Bath & Flooring Design Centers and showrooms, Home Planning Design Centers, and millwork showrooms across the State. Hammond is the 17th largest pro dealer and lumberyard in the nation by 2022 sales according to the LBM Journal 100. The building material supply company has received numerous awards, including 2020 ProSales Dealer of the Year, Best Places to Work in Maine in 2021, 2022, and 2023, Best Company to Work For in New Hampshire in 2023, National Safety Council's 2023 Occupational Excellence Achievement Award and 2023 Industry Leader Award, and NeLMA’s 2023 Outstanding Safety Performance Award. Learn more at www.hammondlumber.com.

Family Business History

In 1953, Clifton "Skip" Hammond borrowed $50 from his wife, Verna, bought a sawmill and started a lumber business in Belgrade, Maine. In the years since, Hammond Lumber Company has grown into one of Maine's largest independent building suppliers. In addition to the ever-expanding sawmill, there are now twelve retail stores around the state and also Hammond's Maine Pine Log Homes division, which manufactures and markets log-home building packages. Skip Hammond's philosophy from the start was to saw straight, talk straight, and do more for his customer than the guy down the road would do. Son Donald, who started the retail stores in the late '60s, and grandson Michael, who has added highly successful product lines such as ShoreMaster Docks and spearheaded the company's recent expansion, have followed suit. Skip, who always preferred riding a bucket loader to riding a desk, stepped aside as company president a few years ago, handing the title over to Donald, who in turn handed the vice-presidency over to Mike. Skip still routinely visits the Belgrade store to share stories with the staff while his wife, Verna, is also a regular presence. Donald Hammond opened the first retail store, next to the sawmill in Belgrade, in 1967, when he was just out of high school. Skowhegan was added in 1975 followed by Farmington in 1983, Auburn in '89, Greenville in '91 and Fairfield in '97. Mike spearheaded the purchase of the Bangor Store from Wickes Lumber in '02, the construction of Portland in '08, the purchase of Brunswick from Downeast Energy in 2010, and the purchase of Boothbay, Damariscotta and Pemaquid from New England Building Materials in 2011. Maine Pine Log Homes was launched in 1987. "We've been really lucky to have so many good people work with us along the way," says Donald Hammond, "and so many who have stayed with us for a long time. That solid core of stability and experience has allowed us to keep expanding our products, services and stores." Companywide, there are over 120 people who have worked for Hammond Lumber for more than ten years. More than 40 have been with the company 20 years, and almost 20 have been with Hammond for more than 30 years. Others now working for the company, especially in the newer Hammond stores, have many years of prior experience in the industry. "That's the story right there," says the man who started the retail stores. "It's about people. The more people you have with experience in this business -and especially experience with us- the more you can accomplish. You can't do this by yourself."