Estabrook’s State-of-the-Art Production Facility

The Independent Retailers Shared Services Cooperative would like to congratulate Estabrook’s for their commitment to growing and planting in the state of Maine. We are pleased to have worked with Estabrook’s, the Independent Garden Centers of Maine, and Plant Something Maine for ten years. Independent garden centers have had a tremendous impact on the Maine economy, and we hope that more grocers in Maine will buy from local suppliers like Estabrook’s in the future.

On June 23, 2025 a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at their new state-of-the-art production facility In Pownal, Maine. This new greenhouse’s first phase measures 55,000 square feet, with a planned build-out over four phases to cover 4.7 acres under one roof. The pond holds two million gallons of water and the fuel storage has a 30,000 gallon tank for propane. The water room recycles 120,000 gallons of water for the flood floors in three large tanks that hold clean water, and two different customer fertilizer batches for the flood floors, hanging baskets, and other systems. The hanging baskets use the oasis water by a weight watering system to ensure crop consistency.

This is a production house and not open to the public on a day to day basis. Over 200 people viewed the facility on the 23rd, including Pownal town officials, past employees and vendors. Estabrook’s has two gardening centers for retail, one in in Yarmouth and one in Kennebunk.

News Release:

Estabrook’s Opens New Production Greenhouse in Pownal

Josiah Petrin, Broadreach Public Relations

The 55,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility expands Maine’s domestic horticulture production
while achieving sustainability and efficiency gains for Estabrook’s

POWNAL, Maine (June 25, 2025) – Nearly 200 Estabrook’s family members, past and current employees, friends, and partners, as well as state and local government officials, gathered Monday, June 23 for the opening of Estabrook’s new 55,000-square-foot production greenhouse in Pownal. The greenhouse supplies products to Estabrook’s customers through the company’s retail locations in Yarmouth and Kennebunk. The greenhouse is not a public retail location.

Believed to be the first of its kind in Maine, this production greenhouse greatly expands the state’s domestic horticulture production capacity. It also achieves substantial efficiency and sustainability gains for Estabrook’s, a multigeneration family-owned and operated business serving retail customers as well as wholesale, grocery and hardware clients, other garden centers, and more than 300 landscape companies.

Today’s event was the culmination of more than 30 years of planning and a dream come true for the Estabrook family, which originally conceived the production greenhouse concept in 1994, and purchased the 16-acre Pownal property in 2002.

“For the Estabrook family, today represents what hard work, dedication and persistence can lead to,” said Tom Estabrook, President of Estabrook’s. “I am sure my grandparents would have never thought we would’ve built the business to what it is today, and we could not have done that without everyone who has helped us along the way.”

Historically, Maine has imported as much as 50% of the horticultural products that are typically sold by independent garden centers and other retailers. With this facility, Estabrook’s can double its local plant production, while reducing energy consumption – meaning more Maine-grown plants, using less water, fuel, electricity and time. Estabrook’s hopes the greenhouse will help demonstrate the strong demand that exists for Maine-grown plant products, as well as the need for public policy that supports horticultural growers.

Guest speaker Craig Lapine, Bureau Director of the Maine Bureau of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources, remarked on horticulture’s economic and cultural impact, and how the new facility represents the future of Maine’s growing industry.

“Estabrook’s new facility is an example of how Maine agriculture continues to innovate and grow,” said Craig Lapine. “It’s not only creating high-quality, locally grown products and good jobs, it’s also reducing our reliance on imports, strengthening Maine’s economy, and serving as a model of environmental stewardship for the entire industry.”

David Toohey and Melanie Byrne, of Eason Horticultural Resources (EHR), also presented a plaque to Estabrook’s in recognition of the company’s partnership and achievement with this new facility.

Tours of the greenhouse shined light on the energy-efficient features and technologies, such as the advanced watering systems, floor flooding system, mechanized curtain system to retain heat at night, closed-loop, self-sustaining water recycling system, and automated potting machines.

For more information about Estabrook’s and the production greenhouse, visit https://www.estabrooksonline.com/pownal/.

About Estabrook’s
Estabrook’s is a full service, family owned and operated garden center in Yarmouth, with a seasonal location in Kennebunk and a new production greenhouse in Pownal. Operated by the Estabrook’s family, it offers a wide range in products from plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, tools and other products, reaching clients in wholesale, grocery and hardware stores, other garden centers, and more than 300 landscape companies. Learn more at https://www.estabrooksonline.com/.

Interior of Estabrook’s new production greenhouse in Pownal on Monday, June 23, 2025.
Photo credit: David P. Jordan Photography

Estabrook’s President Tom Estabrook (foreground in green shirt) addresses nearly 200 guests at the opening ceremony for the company’s new production greenhouse in Pownal.
Photo credit: David P. Jordan Photography

Guests tour the inside of Estabrook’s new production greenhouse
in Pownal on Monday, June 23, 2025. Photo credit: David P. Jordan Photography

Melanie Byrne and David Toohey of Eason Horticultural Resources (left) present Andy and Tom Estabrook (right) with a plaque on Monday, June 23, 2025. Photo credit: David P. Jordan Photography

Guests smile and look on at Estabrook’s ceremony for the opening of its
production greenhouse in Pownal on Monday, June 23, 2025.
Photo credit: David P. Jordan Photography

Craig Lapine, Bureau Director of the Maine Bureau of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources addresses guests at Estabrook’s production greenhouse opening ceremony on Monday, June 23, 2025. Photo credit: David P. Jordan Photography