Mike Flanagan starts Flanagan Agencies in the unfinished basement of his home with an old kitchen table as a desk and waffle box as a garbage can. The focus of this new business was to be a sales agency for food service manufacturers in Atlantic Canada.

After adding a nice assortment of manufacturers to our line card, Maureen Flanagan joins Mike managing the office. Together the business began to expand rapidly.

Flanagan Agencies becomes Flanagan Agencies, INC. (FAI).

FAI recognizes the need to warehouse products in our territory. This had become very important to US-based manufacturers who struggled with the logistics of getting their products into Canada

FAI moves out of the basement and into our new office/warehouse. Inventory increased to include imported furniture from eastern Europe, commodity products from Asia and parts to support the equipment they were selling.

The addition of the first salesperson, Brent MacDonald, located in Halifax NS. Brent brought with him decades of experience working for a national foodservice dealer and is still an integral part of our team today.

FAI purchases their first property and building – fully equipped for future growth and expansion.

In an effort to diversify the business, FAI opens Atlantic Outdoor. With the addition of Jim Doucette, a retail store was opened with a focus on outdoor power equipment. Jim had just wrapped up a long career with Husqvarna working in warehouses across the country. This marks the Flanagan’s and Jim’s first foray into retail. The initial retail space was less than 300sqft.

Atlantic Outdoor is a huge success. Several new lines are added across the outdoor power market as well as patio furniture, outdoor grilling and power tools. A shoppable website is added and begins to gain traction. Mike and Maureen’s daughters Melissa and Melanie join the team as retail manager and controller, respectively, setting the stage for a future expansion.

Ground is broken on the new 12,000 sqft. building. The new building will allow for an expansion of retail area as well as a more usable warehouse space and a large service area.

FAI acquires its first business with the purchase of Power Plus Tools Sales and Service, a staple in the power tool sales and repair market in Moncton. Former owners Eugene Lirette and Randy Theriault joined the staff for a seamless transition.

Move in day to the new building happened Friday the 13th and with Covid-19 sweeping the nation, Atlantic Outdoor was forced to close its doors on Monday, March 16th. After being recognized as an essential service, providing fuel, parts and service to first responders as well as farm feed to the areas’ farmers, business was allowed to resume and traffic in the new location took off.

An additional 6000sqft expansion was completed on the warehouse, allowing for the addition of logistical services to be offered to some of our manufacturers.

With a focus on growth, FAI Inc. announces the promotion of warehouse manager Benoit Cormier into the role of Business Development Manager. With the ever changing markets, FAI remains committed to bringing new and exciting products to market while supporting the existing customer base.

Today FAI Inc. and Atlantic Outdoor operate with a full-time staff including counter people, salespeople on the road, warehouse staff and service technicians. Serving clients effectively, both retail, private, and manufacturers alike is at the forefront of everything Atlantic Outdoor does. Whether its sourcing a part for a 30 year old chainsaw or handling thousands of dollars of equipment as a logistical warehouse for their manufacturers, Atlantic Outdoor always has the client in mind and continues to grow and expand to meet the ever-changing demands of the industries.