News

Business Briefs:

Dunlap Insurance moving
Gray- Mr. Dennis Lundgren, President of Dunlap/HRH Insurance, confirmed that the office located in Gray Village on Shaker Road is moving to Pineland in New Gloucester.

"Our lease is up in June 2005," Lundgren said, "and we started looking at alternatives." Lundgren said that their four story building in Auburn housing the home office is not maximized and one third of the staff at Shaker Road will be re-located there. "There's no sense to keep a building of that size [in Gray] with our other property not filled."

Another third of the staff, the sales staff, will move to an office in Portland. The remaining third, claims and loss department will move to Pineland, likely to Brunswick Hall. A letter of intent has been signed already. Above, the Dunlap building in Gray. The Monument: Prata photo

No jobs are expected to be lost and "this is in no way, shape or form a downsizing," Lundgren said.

The company's personal property tax is assessed at $250,000 and their personal property tax assessment was assessed $3,350 this year, according to Gray Tax Assessor Helen Taylor.

Lundgren said that building owner Steve Dunlap is in discussions now as to possible new tenants.

The Dunlap Corporation has been providing insurance products within New England and beyond for more than 135 years. With the combined resources of parent company, Hilb, Rogal & Hobbs, they are the seventh largest insurance broker in North America, and tenth in the world.

Pemberton's Opens store
Gray-Pemberton's Gourmet Foods co-owner Sarah Johnson announced that the nationally renowned wholesale operation is opening a retail store for the holiday season. Penberton's is a manufacturer of high quality all-natural specialty foods including Pemberton's Dessert sauces and mixes, Death by Chocolate gourmet chocolate sauces, Nomad Apiaries flavored honey, as well as their own salsas, savory and hot sauces, and potato seasonings.

In addition, the company distributes some of Maine's best specialty foods across the country - Raye's Mustards, Jacks Pickles & Relishes, Kandia's Teas, Spruce Mountain Blueberry products, and much more. Pemberton's currently distributes their full line of cooking sauces, dessert sauces, salsas, pestos, mixes, and other gourmet products to almost 1,000 specialty food stores nationwide.

In March of 2004 it was announced that Pemberton's was partnering with the Maine-based Sea Dog Brewing company on a new national product: two new beer marinades that feature Sea Dog Windjammer Ale.

Johnson said that some of the products that will be available at the store in Gray will be Tuscan Olive Pesto, a Mango Salsa, and a new product, Artichoke Scarpetta pasta and a spicy arrabiata sauce.

For the holidays, gift baskets will be available and custom corporate can be made. The store will be open 9-4 Monday through Friday and is located at 32 Lewiston Road just a mile north of Gray Village. Their website is www.pembertonsgourmet.com

There will be an open house on December 2, 2004, all are welcome to see the retail store and meet the Johnsons.