Chamber honors AMB Signs as Business of the Year

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    MILO — Carl and Vicki Brackett have been life partners for 44 years and business partners for 30. Now, they can add Piscataquis Chamber Business of the Year to their list of milestones and accomplishments.
    The owners of AMB Signs in Dover-Foxcroft were honored at the chamber’s annual meeting on Oct. 2 at the Three Rivers Kiwanis Club in Milo.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    BUSINESS OF THE YEAR — AMB Signs was honored as Piscataquis County Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year at the organization’s annual meeting at the Three Rivers Kiwanis Club in Milo on Oct. 2. Pictured, from left, are Chamber Executive Director Denise Buzzelli; AMB owners Vicky and Carl Brackett; Will Wedge, last year’s honoree and chamber board member; and incoming president Christopher McGary.

    The award was presented by last year’s honoree, Will Wedge of Will’s Shop ‘N Save in Dover-Foxcroft. “Carl and Vicki both learned the retail business from their parents,” Wedge said. “Carl’s father was a lobsterman and Vicki’s father had some seasonal camps. And they both learned how to take care of their customers.”
    The name “AMB” derived from the Brackett’s two children: Adam and Megan.
    The Bracketts, who are originally from the Boothbay region, came to Piscataquis County through Carl’s employment with Nissen Bread Company. “He was supposed to come here on a short stint and then return to the Bangor area,” Wedge said. “Forty years later, he’s still waiting for that call.”
    After purchasing a small supermarket in Dover-Foxcroft, the Bracketts started AMB Video in 1986 and operated it for 17 years. Wedge noted that the couple started all of their businesses “from scratch. Some of us, like myself, are fortunate enough to take over a business that’s already established. But they built theirs from the ground up, and that’s a real point of pride for them.”
    The Bracketts also own Foxcroft Printing, the Foxcroft Laundromat and Quilting Mania.
    Brian Woodworth recalled that the Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis Club honored the Bracketts with their community service award last year. “Carl told me ‘how much he hates these things (award ceremonies)’ and that he doesn’t like to be the center of attention,” Woodworth said, pointing to a photo of the ceremony onscreen. “So tonight, he grabs me and says ‘You know how I hate these things’ again.”
    Woodworth cited AMB Signs’ generosity and support of many community service events like the Dover-Foxcroft Homecoming, the Kiwanis Hooked on Fishing program, Friends of Central Hall and others. Many signs around town were created by AMB Signs at no charge, he said.
    Matt Spooner of Dave’s World told the audience that AMB Signs was a perfect selection for Business of the Year. “A business is not a logo or a storefront or even the goods that you sell,” Spooner said. “It’s the people in that business and you have some good ones.”
    Spooner said that when he’s having a bad day, he often drops in AMB Signs “because I know they’ll cheer me up. They are a joy to be around.”
    Carl Brackett, admittedly a “man of few words,” thanked the Chamber for the honor and joked that he appreciated everything that was said about him, even if “a lot of it was true and a lot of it was kind of sketchy.”