In late January, Tiny Homes of Maine welcomed state legislators from all over the state to their Dyer Brook, ME manufacturing facility. These attendees are all part of the Maine Development Foundation’s Policy Leaders Academy, touring various facilities across Northern Maine on a 3-day bus trip. Policy Leaders Academy is a non-partisan educational program of the Maine Development Foundation for Maine Legislators on the Maine economy. Program participants learn about the fundamentals of the Maine economy and the factors that drive long-term growth.
This bus tour focuses specifically on challenges to rural Maine and how collaboration across sectors and organizations creates opportunities. The group arrived at Tiny Homes of Maine and first spent some time with General Manager Corinne Watson and Design + Production Manager Tom Small. Corinne and Tom gave the group a brief overview of the company, how it started, how things are going, challenges they faced, and most recently teaming up with Hancock Lumber following the October 2024 acquisition.
Following introductions, the groups split up to get a true hands-on tour of the manufacturing facility—each group saw the two tiny homes being built, and also got to tour the fully finished tiny home ready to deliver to its new owners. Corinne, Tom, and Maggie Small (Sales + Marketing Coordinator) fielded questions about the process, what it takes to manufacture a tiny home, the lean manufacturing process, and more.
“In all the evaluations from the legislators who attended the Tiny Homes stop, it was one of their tour highlights. An amplifying partnership between Hancock and Tiny Homes that helps bring more affordable housing options to Mainers (and beyond)—a win for all involved!”
—Julie Beane, Maine Development Foundation