Already have a commenting profile? Stay in the loop with all the news, happenings, and goings-on in Lincoln County with our twice-weekly email newsletter! They dont come to you; you have to go get them.. In the second half of last year the brand exploded, White Rock Chief Executive Officer Paul Coulombe said. This story was corrected at 10:47 a.m. on Sunday, June 5. I'm very, very passionate and I have a real love for Boothbay and I think that sometimes maybe comes across with a bit of frustration , Despite the frustration, Coulombe commended the planning board for having seen the process through fairly and thoroughly. Consumers noticed that Pinnacle, which had debuted in 2003, its raw vodka imported from France and, again, flavored and bottled in Lewiston, had a lower price and higher import cache. The story was also unclear about Coulombes donation to the local hospital. It was hard work, but we were aggressive, Coulombe said. Distillery whips the competition with its cream-flavored vodka. . Even the Maine Monitor, known for research journalism, for the public interest whitewashed Coulombes means to financial success: Yes, and pay-to-play had nothing to do with it. Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration. There are people doing commercials for us, he said. It really started to take off when one of its brands, Three Olives Vodka, started producing flavored versions. Coulombe's business grew from three employees to over 200 employees and became one of the 25 largest businesses in Maine in 2012 with revenues that exceeded 200 million dollars per year. But the relief was temporary. Timing is everything, time is a luxury, really I think I'm slightly misunderstood and I think some of that is brought on by myself, by statements and comments I've made in the past. I wanted to invest every dollar we ever made back in the business, that was just my philosophy. Michelle Amero photo, Cathy Honeycomb, mother of young adult twins with autism, speaks at the fundraiser at Boothbay Harbor Country Club. Marriage. That was really fun, nerve-wracking but fun. But Ive always felt true philanthropy is anonymous. Remembering bumper to bumper traffic, stores so packed one could barely move, and lines at the sightseeing boats long enough to bump visitors to the last run, Coulombe said it is something he would like to help restore. 5 at 2:00 pm, POSTPONED: Benefit Screening of PASANG: In the Shadow of Everest at The Waldo Theatreon Sat, March 18th at 7pmin celebration of International Womens Day, Meet the SponsorsTwo Salty Dogs Pet Outfitters, Sam Grinnell Joins Allen Insurance and Financial, Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce, Town of Boothbay Harbor - Public Notice Liquor Licenses, Town of Boothbay Harbor Building Permits 03-02-23, Coastal Car Wash Automotive Detail Specialist, Zander Lee - Manager, Executive Assistant, Crooker Construction March 7th Alna Planning Board, Author talk at Southport Memorial Library, Langhorne Slim with John Craigie live at The Waldo, Tada to play the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor. Because of a reporters error, the original published version was incorrect about the background of one of his critics. Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration. Try to find a bus driver! I suggested a limousine service instead but money could also be saved by paying a bus driver competitively well, which would not come close to seventy-seven million dollars in the cost of building such a school on this Penisula because we do not believe we can find a bus driver to transport the students to a more regionally centric location. And why not get out while the gettings good? I thought about it for a few months and I thought, Yeah, Im tired of it, too.'. Mr. Coulombe volunteered to come up with donors to fund the architectural design and that is as much as the public knows about the identity of the funders. By that argument, we could pay the bus driver one million dollars a year, and still, it would be cost savings. They were excited but were nervous, though, and I was, too. Coulombe purchased the country club in 2013 for $1.4 million. For people opposed to change, or at least his brand of it, Coulombe said change is constantly occurring: There is no such thing as 'no change' everything ages.. The Lewiston native's wealth comes from the sale of White Rock Distilleries, the business that his family purchased in 1971, when son Paul was a teenager. You will receive an email to complete the registration. We were all nervous.. Hes spending his money in our town and they dont have the money to spend in our town, so theyre going after him. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. That turned out, for White Rock, to be a very good thing. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Coulombe, who grew up in Lewiston and lived for many years in Cape Elizabeth while heading White Rock Distilleries, visited the Boothbay peninsula with his family as a boy and fell in love with its beauty. Sign up and we'll deliver the top stories to begin the day to your inbox at 6 a.m. He had grand plans and needed the geographic flexibility to execute them. And so youve got to come for the ride with me, unless you dont want to. Everybody stuck it out. Coulombedescribed White Rock as losing money and bleeding badly. He had to make that up, fast. Thats just the way it is.. Mr. Coloumbe walked away with 600 million dollars while the public official who took the bribe lost his pension. So he began to spend it. Governor Paul LePage celebrating Paul Coulombes Boothbay Country Club in the Lincoln County News May 2016 "This is going be to a treasure for years to come, and it's going to be an attraction for people to come here," LePage said. Use the form below to reset your password. In concerns expressed by Kaplan and others around town, its clear that there is a broader fear over the changes coming to their community, an aging, economically stagnant community. Louise also worked for the Welfare Department and co-owned a knitting store with her sister Natalie. But even his donations, while always welcome, have been criticized by some who say hes buying the town so theyll support him. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. Venezuela might have been Mars because that was how remote it was, he said. Paul Coulombe: Year Founded: 2003: Pinnacle Vodka Essential Facts . An article in the Boothbay Register titled Series of responses to CEOs BHWP notice of violation tells that the Code Enforcement Officer of Boothbay Harbor Geoff Smith issued a stop work order against the Park, alleging the Park did not have a series of permits. We blew by them. Fred Kaplan did not serve in Vietnam; he was an anti-war protestor. I had no idea of that.. Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration. There was an old snack shack overlooking the boats moored in Cozy Harbor. recently proposed amendment to Town Article 25, the center stage of the drama is the golf course, Maine DOTs legalized pay-to-play terms of the agreement. Coulombe said Pinnacle grew in popularity thanks to online hype and Facebook postings. While all of that legal dealing over White Rocks pay-to-play scandals is going down, unreported in the media, Paul Coulombe is taking advantage of the Maine DOTs legalized pay-to-play terms of the agreement to rearrange the center of Boothbay to his liking through the construction of the notorious roundabout, which will eventually recreate the Boothbay Center with Paul Coulombs country club as its central focus, with Paul Coulombe styled road decor wrapping ribbons around the Town Common and the Town Office. Kaplan wanted to know if Coulombe was prepared to put in writing a guarantee that the town wouldnt be on the hook if something were to happen to Coulombe. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. LePage and first lady Ann LePage bought a house in East Boothbay and plan to spend much of their time there after the governors second term is over. Shes on board with his long-term plans to boost economic development and grow tourism. Coulombe, Donald A. age 80, of Lindstrom, passed away May 28, 2007 after a short battle with lung cancer. 1. We, as with all of our local businesses, need your support, too. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. If not, please subscribe or become an online supporter today. July, 2014 | By: Debra Spark | Photography: Irvin Serrano. (Maia Zewert photo). When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. Even if the roundabout goes through, it probably wont always be smooth sailing for Coulombe. In the first two months of 2011, White Rock produced 304,000 cases of 9-liter Pinnacle bottles, including 125,000 cases of Pinnacle Whipped. That was plenty. I didnt imagine that in my wildest imagination, he said. Create one. White Rock now bottles and ships some 16,000 cases weekly of four Pinnacle Whipped varieties original, chocolate, orange and cherry. (after a few seconds code is mysteriously inserted into link address) In all of the stories written about the Pay-to-Play case, this is the only one, I found that names names beyond the Company names, identifying Paul Coulombe. I didnt go into the details about why I do not think it is appropriate to have meetings about the design of a school prior to the ballot initiative wherein the public gets to decide if they want to take such a direction, but I did welcome the opportunity to explain that dark money is not my personal term, but is a widely used term, quoting from Dark Money Basics on OpenSecrets.org. We sold more than all the other flavors combined. Ten years ago, in 2005, Paul Coulombe stood on the warehouse factory floor of White Rock Distilleries in Lewiston and asked his workers to trust him. The bully of Boothbay.. Made from vodka distilled in Iowa, EPIC will be less expensive than Pinnacle and will come in new flavors, such as cookie dough, cake bread and Swedish Fish. The Boothbay Harbor Country Club celebrated the completion of its new clubhouse with a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 11, a week prior to the clubs opening May 18. Everyone is just so attentive, and the care is very personable, Giselaine Coulombe said. I didnt realize I wasnt just content to read a book.. The controversy rather than the stop work order is the subject of the Boothbay Register story. Create one. She wanted her kids to grow up here. December 11, 1831. Courtesy photo, Take the Latch Electric Folding Bike Anywhere, Cottage Connection of Maine Vacation Rentals Since 1993, Jazz in June: Grace Kelly + Staci Griesbach, New Hope Midcoast Relies on Clothing and Accessory Donations for Its Largest Fundraiser, FREE Family Film: The BFG, at The Waldo Theatre on Sunday, March. He gave $1.1 million to the urgent care center in Boothbay after the hospital closed. But Bryer said he also understands that the communitys history is important to people and that change is hard. I wanted to be independent; I was kind of the black sheep of the family, Coulombe said. The plan will go to a townwide vote later this year. I was in a lot of debt buying out the family, he said. Enter your email and password to access comments. He flavored and bottled it in Lewiston, in bottles hand-painted in France. Its luxurious and grand without being garish, similar to the new clubhouse at the golf course. Heres why. His mom, though, a Lewiston native, was done with the adventure. Hes put people to work and a lot of this wouldnt happen without him, Gamage said. It is undoubtedly media coverage due to an anonymously funded architectural design for a single option choice for the future of education on the Boothbay Peninsula. But I guess you are what you are. See Offers. The hospital has announced $10.5 million in philanthropic pledges. The rum was written up in the Wall Street Journal as a crossover phenom: Designed by White Rock Distilleries to lure female buyers, it unexpectedly became a hit in the gay community with its beach-hunk graphics. But he has been spending significantly more time there since he retired in 2012 with his wife, Giselaine. Paul Coulombe sits at his office desk at Boothbay Harbor Country Club. A drone image shows the new Boothbay Harbor Country Club and the surrounding town. Nonresidents pay more: a $10,000 initiation fee and $4,500 annually. Storm could drop 18 inches of snow on Portland by Saturday night, Saturday storm will cause major travel problems in southern Maine, A year after record-breaking catch, value of Maine lobster landings are lowest in a decade, Nor'easter starting Friday set to end messy, stormy week, Over a century since launching its famed boots, L.L. Marie Anne Lvesque. Its very clear that Paul Coulombe benefits, but what about the rest of the town? I didnt want to drive fancy cars or have fancy homes, I wanted to make the business as big as it could be. The company buys liquor in bulk from distillers in Europe, Scotland, Mexico, the Virgin Islands and the United States. The means to the end is easily whitewashed away. Maine Home + Design. Among them are Jim and Ginny Farrin, who own the Howard House, a bed-and-breakfast just south of the proposed roundabout, and another 6 acres behind it that abut the golf course parcel. Coulombe told Wine & Spirits Daily that Pinnacle was the number one brand at White Rock Distilleries. Kaplan says Coulombe resurrected the idea for a roundabout an idea that voters rejected only two years ago and bankrolled a study that supported changing the traffic pattern. Today, Coulombe spends half the year in Florida. Gamage has had several dealings with Coulombe since and has mixed feelings about what hes done for the region. Coulombe was born at St. Marys Regional Medical Center. I believe in you and I believe in me. This is going to a treasure for years to come, and its going to be an attraction for people to come here, LePage said. But one flavor, Pinnacle Whipped, trumps all the rest, said Coulombe. Both the tower addition and the heliport are expected to be completed this year. The key is that tourism doesn't always have to be only three months. But belly up tonight, and theres a good change youll see blue-tinted Pinnacle bottles, emblazed with the French flag, on the front shelf. Login. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. Change is hard, she said. Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile. This button displays the currently selected search type. Im tired of traveling; Im tired of getting beat up,' Coulombe recalled. Don't have a commenting profile? You can share 5 more gift articles this month. I worked for myself, paid my own expenses. That looks crazy.'. Fortunately, a recently proposed amendment to Town Article 25 that would have taken away hearing residents appeals of decisions of the Code Enforcement Officer and the Planning Board was defeated at the ballot box. The first major success on his own: the sweet taste of cherry and grape vodka. He married 30 September 1670 at Sainte-Famille, Ile d'Orleans, Ouebec to Jeanne-Marquerite Boucault (or Foucault). Don't have a commenting profile? When his parents, Ray and Cecile, purchased White Rock Distilleries in 1971, the company had just three employees. The liquor is pumped into the bustling plant, where it is diluted with water to roughly 80 proof, then flavored and filtered. Why is the Eastside Waterfront Park not open? Coulombe purchased the country club in 2013 for $1.4 million. Boothbays history is steeped in fishing and there are still vestiges of that in the picturesque harbor, where lobster boats with chipped paint occupy the same space as luxury yachts, including some that belong to Coulombe. Learn more. But critics like Fred Kaplan wonder if Coulombes political influence has helped him secure support from the Department of Transportation. White Rock generates $185 million in revenue and owns and distributes roughly 100 brands of liquor. Expecting it would take a long time, Coulombe said he could never have anticipated the opposition which unfolded. If it gets below 90 degrees, you are in trouble, he said. Its had a big transformation, better than I could possibly imagine, Coulombe said. The Magazine. Success. After Note: Once the Boothbay Waterfront Park published its own timeline of events. The only reasons people have is that they dont want change or they fear it. 202 - . The centerpiece of his development is the revamped golf course, which he renamed Boothbay Harbor Country Club even though its entirely in the town of Boothbay, and a brand-new $50 million clubhouse/restaurant that had its grand opening last month. However, change and the communities relationship with it is only a small part of the problem; like many in the region, Coulombe said he believes affordable housing and education are the two biggest issues facing the communities. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. Then came Pinnacle Whipped Vodka, rocketing to the top-selling flavored vodka in the world, 90 days after release without a dime spent in advertising. Already registered? Staff Writer Jonathan Hemmerdinger can be reached at 791-6316 or: [emailprotected]. New print or eEdition subscriptions are available at a 30% discount (use 'subscribe-to-support' coupon code at checkout). Join our email list to stay updated on all things Maine; food & drink, events & festivals, home & garden and much more! At the ribbon cutting for the clubhouse last month, Coulombe asked Whitten, a veteran of World War II, to do the honor of raising the American flag. The women walked back in and insisted theyd leave as soon as he took a sip. The only weekly newspaper locally owned, printed, and published in Lincoln County. That was the whole company.. Coulombe even offered to pay for one-third of the $3.5 million cost through a public-private partnership between himself, the state and the town. (Maia Zewert photo). Hes put a lot of money into this area. HEALTH: Paul and Giselaine Coulombe and their daughter, Michelle Coulombe-Hagerty recently made a $7.5 million pledge to Maine Medical Center (MMC), home to the Coulombe Family Tower. Lets make a million cases tomorrow morning, lets go full blast,' he said. The tower expansion which will add 64 patient rooms to the hospitals oncology services and helipad are part of the $534 million expansion and renovation project. His wife, Jennifer, is the daughter of Paul A. Rousseau of 137 Meeting House Hill Road, Durham, and Mary Lou Rousseau of 28 Baldwin Ave., Meriden. Paul Coulombe, who was born in Maine, joined the company in 1975 as a salesman based in Columbus, Ohio. Everybody has a right to their own philosophy.. View Paul Coulombe results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. I was kind of stubborn being a French Canadian from Lewiston. For decades it was owned and operated by Earl Gus Pratt and his wife, Emolyn. They have also lived in Topsham, ME. The heavy trucks needed for construction also damaged the bridge onto Pratts Island, but when it came time to replace it, Coulombe footed the bill. The towns population was 3,120 as of the 2010 Census. Thats just my opinion, but Ive seen it before in my lifetime.. Login. Coulombe abandoned his vision of a New England style-built world class resort for a second time when the rezoning process continued to drag out with a new iteration. Two prominent Maine families have donated more than $10 million to Maine Medical Center in Portland. 1 flavored vodka in the world at the time. Word got out. I saw an extremely vibrant community and that really stuck in my mind. The region may look even more different by then if Coulombe has his way, although the roundabout plan has proven to be a thorn in his side. Everyone who tasted it would tell 100 of their (Facebook) friends, Coulombe said. 1 rum market in the United States. Still is today, said former White Rock owner Paul Coulombe. It would also benefit Coulombes interest in properties he owns and at least two of his former properties of interest. He gathered the 250 employees one last time in April 2012. That might have been helpful in at least opening my eyes to something else.. Use the form below to reset your password. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. Paul LePage joined Boothbay Harbor Country Club owner Paul Coulombe and his wife Giselaine for the ceremony, which celebrated the completion of a $50 million project three years in the making. As he describes it, they would rather have risked seeing it collapse then have Coulombe help. Name Paul Lvesque. Editors note: Last week, three years after he sold White Rock Distilleries, Lewiston native Paul Coulombe agreed to an interview that offered us unexpected access to his Boothbay-area home, properties, history and plans. There are 30+ professionals named "Paul Coulombe", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. Success. The Coulombes understand what bringing a center like this will mean to the people of Maine, including those in the Midcoast region, for families desperate for help. So I dont think thats good. Already have a commenting profile? From the far reaches of Maine, more lives can now be saved, said Linda Bean, owner of Linda Beans Perfect Maine, a group of shops, restaurants and rentals in midcoast Maine.