Maine’s First Boutique Lumberyard opening in Portland area

Hard-to-find wood from Maine is now available at a retail lumber yard in one of Maine’s upscale communities.

The Lumbery opened this month to sell wood with a locally-sourced, socially conscious message out of a former pharmacy building in downtown Cape Elizabeth. Owner Mike Friedland said he’s orienting his business to do-it-yourselfers, remodelers and small repair carpenters

“We’ll have ninety five percent of what any homeowner needs to repair, maintain and upgrade their home,” said Friedland, who has been in the construction business for 25 years, most recently as owner of Willard Square Home Repair.

“We’re not doing cabinets or flooring, so no hardwoods. But everything else: framing, trim, siding, sheathing, sheetrock,” said Friendland.

Friedland believes he’ll find a niche in the building supply business because the nearest lumber yard is 30 minutes away. Friedland expects to have an inventory of 40,000 board feet of lumber, sourced mostly from Maine’s smaller sawmills. That includes cedar shingles, pattern siding, and posts; hemlock and spruce dimensional lumber; pine boards and pattern siding.

“We’ll be selling unique products that you can’t find at Home Depot or lumber yards,” Friedland said. “I don’t see a lot of people selling white cedar shiplap [siding].”

With inspirational messages from Henry David Thoreau and Yvonne Chuoniard, the Lumbery website advertizes a tool lending library, consumer merchandise and classes. Part of his company’s mission is to educate consumers about Maine forestry, locally-sourced wood, and carbon-storage in wood products.

We’ll be telling you more about this interesting business in future posts.