ELLSWORTH — On Tuesday morning, the 4 Boles siblings accrued in an upstairs convention room at their Coastal Auto Parts NAPA shop on the Downeast Highway. The topic becomes the information they gained from the 2019 Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce Top Drawer Award. Each year, the award is given to “a tremendous individual, corporation or corporation that has made a sizable contribution to the increase and improvement and development to our city, county, and country,” consistent with a press release from Chamber Executive Director Gretchen Wilson. Coastal Auto Parts NAPA has grown from one keep on High Street acquired with the aid of Fay Boles in 1981 to more than 25 locations and 270 employees, with boom displaying no signal of slowing. The commercial enterprise has deep ties to Ellsworth. Fay, who commenced the commercial enterprise, and his stepfather, Buster Harding, graduated from Ellsworth High School. So did his wife, Patricia Morrison Boles, and all four of their youngsters.
Michael Boles states that family companies are increasingly uncommon, which makes this oneuniquen. The siblings—Michael, Matt, Christopher, and Marcia (who now’s Marcia Boles Jude) — once entertained other career paths. “After excessive college, I became going to be a tax lawyer,” said Michael. But all, in the end, lower back to their place of birth and their family enterprise. So how is it, working as an own family? “It’s got its pros and cons. Job protection is pretty accurate,” said Michael, smiling. Do they ever disagree? “Oh, continuously,” Michael laughed. But, he delivered, “We continually have each others’ backs.” Both parents are nevertheless concerned about the business. However, they take a two-month excursion in Florida every 12 months for the start of the baseball training season, constantly returning with memorabilia and signed pictures, which adorn the workplace’s partitions.
“Our roles have evolved to what’s wanted at the time,” said Matt. “We’re increasing all the time.” “NAPA owns the supply chain, and we purchase from them,” said Matt. But the corporation isn’t like traditional franchises in that character shops can buy from outside the NAPA supply chain if they see a product they like. “We have flexibility; a few manage over our pricing,” Michael brought. “I don’t realize many industries that paintings that manner.” Today Coastal Auto Parts has stored some distance east as Machias, as far north as Caribou, and as far south as Auburn. They are on the right track to accumulating another save in April, having delivered four under the Coastal Auto Parts umbrella in 2018.
“We’ve grown so fast,” stated Michael. “I assume we’re each different save owners’ retirement plan.” But they did not do it by themselves. “Several people have helped form the corporation to what it’s far nowadays,” in keeping with the press launch from the Chamber. The listing consists of Charlie Harding, Fay’s brother and longtime salesman for the organization; the Jellison Family: Lynn, Edward, Scott, and Bo, along with Rick Trombley, who has worked for Coastal Auto Parts for the reason that 1981 and has done the entirety from counter income, manage a shop, and his modern-day role as head of purchasing. Ken Welch, a longtime, well-known supervisor for NAPA, has served as a mentor and superb partner to Coastal Auto Parts. “Burt McNally,” the discharge continued, “has been instrumental in Coastal’s current increase.” The company has been heavily concerned with children’s and different area sports.
Fay became instrumental in the beginnings of the Ellsworth Football League, wherein he served as president. Michael volunteers to educate teenagers in sports activities. Marcia has performed at the Ellsworth School Board and is a guide for the Rainbow Girls nearby assembly. Coastal Auto Parts has also been worried about the Autumn Gold Car Show for decades, including the title sponsor for several years. Matthew Boles additionally served on the Chamber Board of Directors. Coastal could be offered with the award, a domestically crafted, custom-designed chest, at the Chamber’s annual awards dinner on May 16, at a vicinity to be announced.
