About Us

Three generations of Brooks family, and we're still growing! The present owners of Brooks Trap Mill are Mark Brooks, Julie (Brooks) Russo, and Stephen Brooks, all three of whom are fully involved in managing the business. Below are some highlights from the more than 60 years of the Brooks family's involvement in the lobster fishing supply business.

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.

1949

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

1959

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

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)

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."

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.

1987

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

1990

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

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.

1999

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

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.

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.

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.