Big goals for former navy base

According to Jim Kendrick, he and his business partner Mary Birsto from Vermont have been researching the site for three years since the first time he stumbled across the site while searching for a vacation property.

Their plans include a myriad of business ideas including a film studio, a candle making factory and a fish hatchery. “While the film studio at the facility is our number one priority,” said Kendrick, “there needs to be other things happening at that site to make sure the whole thing floats in profitability.”

Although neither have had much experience in films or fish, they have both developed successful businesses in rural communities.

Kendrick recently sold his shares in a media entertainment business he had started that featured national magazines such as Sports Field Management and Superintendent, the Magazine for Golf Course Superintendents.

Birsto will be relocating her already established candle-making factory that specializes in scented gift candles and its 20,000 per day production is expected to hire only a handful of people to operate.

One of the reasons, Kendrick explained, for the hatchery is that it is already established at the site. “We have a lot of research to do but we are working in cooperation with the community college organization and we want to see that facility reopened and reinvigorated,” said Kendrick.

The business duo will be marketing their wares internationally but will be gathering up their team locally for an expected employee base that will eventually reach over 100 as t he business develops. “The complete secret to success in a rural area is the high quality of people in the area,” he said.

Their focus will turn to the education and training of employees as well. “One of the big goals for an area like Shelburne is to have something for the young people to do,” he said. “Increase their education and give them careers and jobs at home rather than having to go somewhere else.”

Kendrick created 80 positions in his former business.

They have been pleased to date how their business has been handled by the South West Shore Development Authority and various other people they have had to deal with during the transaction. “Everyone including the dreaded Frank Anderson has been great,” Kendrick said adding that everyone so far was widely supportive of their project. “We are entrepreneurs and this is an opportunity,” he explained, “our main thing is to have fun and make a few bucks.”

The pair is open to suggestions from the community on what might work at the site. “If we connect with the community and we are open then what will develop ultimately is what the community needs,” said Kendrick.

He is excited for the boom of economic development he expects to come to the area via the film studio. “Shelburne has experienced the kind of economic infusion a movie brings,” he said. “If one movie brings a few million into the economy what happens if it’s an up and running full time operation?”