Frequently Asked Questions
(also see definitions)

How many active members does MWN have, and where are they located?
• The are 60 members: woodworkers, loggers, and forest-based artisans in the western mountains and lakes area of Maine.

How did SugarWood Gallery come about?
• Initiated by Maine WoodNet, SugarWood Gallery opened November 7, 2001 in downtown Farmington. Fifteen MWN members joined to open a member owned and operated retail store where they could directly market their goods. While members were busily making products to stock the gallery, MWN coordinator Chris Krauss organized the set up of the gallery and continues to provide assistance in marketing and product display. The gallery is now a ‘C Corp’ owned by eleven MWN members.

How many members are involved in the venture?
• · The gallery has eleven owners and over forty consigners- 50 + woodworkers and artists now show and sell out of the gallery. SugarWood has a monthly jury process in place to accept new consigners. MWN loggers, primary and secondary wood processors are also involved by supplying materials to the manufacturing members.

Can a gallery in rural Maine sell upscale furniture?
• Maine WoodNet has always believed that buyers will seek out talented woodworkers … indeed the lure of the gallery is in one-of-a-kind furniture pieces, many of them made from rediscovered material. Our sales figures demonstrate that we have only just begun to tap this market potential. Since opening in November of 2001, SugarWood Gallery has mored than doubled its available space with two major expansions.  At the three-year mark, Gallery sales are expected to reach 3/4 million dollars.  Best of all, the gallery remains debt-free!

How do you track your customer base?
• · In November of 2002 the gallery began tracking sales by asking for buyer’s zip codes. What they found is that 60% of the buyers live within an hour drive from SugarWood Gallery. This shatters the assumption that an upscale gallery could only sell to tourists.

Can you give an example of how MWN helps promote member businesses?
• Opportunities often present themselves in unusual ways. For example, while representing MWN at the 2002 Common Ground Fair, a representative for People, Places and Plants Flower and Garden Show saw the SugarWood Gallery brochure and asked if they would be interested in signing up as vendors for the 2003 show. Seeing an excellent opportunity, MWN coordinator approached Gallery members with the idea and a drawing of a 33’ x 15’ booth. Agreeing with the concept of using the event to market the gallery’s unique furniture, home furnishings, accessories and giftware they raised nearly $3,000 for the venture.

The gamble paid off with a record shattering 41,000 people attending the March 4-9 show. Visitors to the booth were impressed with the quality and uniqueness of the work.

SugarWood Gallery members who were not working the show were home expanding the gallery into an adjoining space. After learning that over 3,000 brochures had been passed out at the garden show they decided to reopen the following weekend. All of their hard work paid off with post flower show sales and custom orders totaling over $45,000…including plans for a custom kitchen!

Have area merchants been encouraged to sell member products?
• Publicity, exposure, and the success of SugarWood Gallery have encouraged seven area stores to carry products or point of purchase displays made by MWN members.
• This is where it gets interesting…because of the success of SugarWood Gallery area merchants now see locally made products as a plus instead of a liability. Two shops have opened in Farmington, all dedicated to selling locally made items.

Has any of this made a difference in the local economy?
• Maine WoodNet is not set up to be an economic development agency, and has certainly not been able to offset the huge losses in area woodturning and paper mill jobs.

However, perhaps the question can best be answered with the following quote from Franklin Journal editor, Robert Wallack, in his February 7, 2003 article discussing the recent closings of woodturning mills entitled ‘Economy in Transition: A new way of thinking.’

“…that doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel on our heritage of turning our natural resources into marketable goods. It just requires a new way of thinking about how to add value to the timber we harvest in a state that still remains 95% forested and how to build on the woodworking skills learned over generations.

A prime example of this is Farmington’s own SugarWood Gallery.”

For more information please call Maine WoodNet Coordinator, Chris Krauss at 207 778-6765