CARIBOU, Maine — A water and sewer parts and service company with longtime ties to Aroostook recently launched its first location there.
EJ Prescott opened a new warehouse and parts center at 59 York St. in Caribou in May and celebrated with a grand opening Wednesday. The Caribou store is EJ Prescott’s fourth in Maine and first time that the company has expanded its physical presence north of Bangor.
Over the years, EJ Prescott has seen County municipalities, utility districts and general contractors become around 10 to 15 percent of its business. But the long drive to Bangor, where the company’s next closest store is located, has often been more difficult for more northern customers.
After searching throughout the county, company leaders settled on Caribou because of its central location within Aroostook, said Kris Arsenault, operations manager for EJ Prescott’s Maine locations.
“Most customers will have access [to the Caribou store] within two hours or less,” Arsenault said. “We have a large customer base in Aroostook and wanted to fulfill our commitment to them with a closer location.”
EJ Prescott operates 28 locations throughout New England, New York, Ohio and Indiana, according to its website. Other Maine locations include Gardiner, Bangor and Portland.
Everett J. Prescott started the first store in Gardiner in 1955. Today, the company remains in the Prescott family with Everett’s grandson, Steven Prescott, now president and CEO.
The Caribou store currently employs two people — Jake Holt, utility administrator; and Julianna Morfit, utility specialist — both of whom recently graduated from EJ Prescott’s paid apprenticeship program and relocated to Aroostook.
The company is leasing its approximately 4,044-square-foot warehouse and parts store as part of a larger facility owned by Soderberg Construction.
Local customers can shop for parts and seek out services such as water main installations and repairs, water and sewer line pressure testing and leak detection, with technicians from other Maine locations servicing the region. If there is demand, the company could begin parts delivery services out of the Caribou location, Arsenault said.
Limestone Water & Sewer District has a long history with EJ Prescott, said District Superintendent Jim Leighton, who attended Wednesday’s grand opening.
“Limestone became a [water and sewer] district in 1957 and the first superintendent, George Derrah, met Everett when he was still selling copper fittings and pipes out of the trunk of his car,” Leighton said. “He and George became good friends.”
Having a store in Caribou will reduce travel time for district employees, Leighton said. Previously, the closest store in Bangor was nearly three hours away. Now, the Caribou store is just about 12 miles away. It’s also a potential boost to the local economy, said Caribou City Manager Penny Thompson.
“Anyone who needs to come into town can also check out our other businesses,” Thompson said. “We support any business that wants to invest in Caribou.”
