Brooks Trap Mill History

2018

04/01/2018

Brooks Inc. (the parent company of Brooks Trap Mill) purchased Brooks Industrial Marine in Wakefield.

2013

Portland Trap moved from its cramped location on Union Wharf, and opened the doors at its new, larger, better stocked location at 222 Riverside Street in Portland. Their new location has 5,000 sqft of retail space, a separate trapshop, and 2 acres of trap yard to stock more of what you need!

2012

Brooks Inc. welcomes Downeast Trap Shack in Jonesboro as our newest location, bringing Brooks’ customer service within reach of even more fishing ports on the Maine coast.

2010

Karl Brooks (our father) died. Karl’s dream was always to have the business be able to support his children’s future. Karl will always be remembered for his hard work, kind heart, and unique perspective. His wife Sally (Mom), Julie, Mark, and Stephen (the children) are proud to carry on the business that Karl built.

2007

With three locations in Maine, the largest of which has over 45,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space and acres of outside storage, Brooks Trap Mill strives to stock the largest inventory of lobstering materials in the industry.

2003

Brooks Trap Mill’s third all steel warehouse was completed. This building provided more inside storage for wire, ergo blocks, and products that should be stored out of the elements. Also of note this year, the ownership of Brooks, Inc. was officially transferred from Karl to his children, Julie, Mark and Stephen.

2001

The company’s second all steel warehouse was completed and ready for use. This building provided an area for trap kits to be put together and increased the trap shop production area.

1999

Bath Lobster Supply was opened to provide a local supplier of lobster fishing supplies to the Bath/Harpswell area.

1997

The first of the company’s new steel warehouse buildings was ready for use. It had a much enlarged store section and in-floor heat. To service this new facility, we got our first factory fork-truck.

1990

Brooks Trap Mill had developed several specialized and computer-controlled wire mesh cutting machines. The machines greatly improved the speed of cutting wire trap parts from rolls of wire mesh while at the same time greatly improving the quality of the product.

1987

Brooks Inc. (the parent company of Brooks Trap Mill) purchased Portland Trap on Union Wharf in Portland.

1986

Karl became the sole owner of the lobster trap and supply business, which by now provided a “one stop” place to shop for lobster traps and lobstering supplies.

1974

Lawrence and Karl built a new and much larger trap stock mill which had room for trap building as well as for sawing the trap stock. They called this part of their business, “Brooks Trap Mill.”

1973

Karl, now the eldest surviving son of Michael Brooks, returned to Maine and joined his brother Lawrence in the wood business. (Karl is the father of the current owners of Brooks Trap Mill)

1959

Three of Mike’s sons took over the management of the trap stock business.

1949

Mike moved his trap stock mill to Beechwood Street in Thomaston, Maine, where Brooks Trap Mill is located today.

1946

Michael Brooks (the father of Karl Brooks, and grandfather of Julie, Mark, and Stephen) set up a trap stock mill on Camden Street in Rockland, Maine upon the return of his son Karl from the US Navy.