In the heart of town, where the mills of Lewistons’ industrial past still stand, McIntosh & Company is hard at work handcrafting beautiful high-end cabinetry, precision millwork, and furniture for any living space. McIntosh & Company, led by Erik Flanagan, is more than just a woodworking shop — it is ongoing proof that art and craftsmanship can coexist. Taking pride in their work’s quality and unique design, every piece created by McIntosh & Company combines a blend of artistry and functionality.
A Passion for Craftsmanship
Flanagan’s path to ownership of McIntosh & Company had some twists and turns along the way, but it was led by a love for woodworking and a craft that came naturally to him.
“I grew up restoring an old farmhouse with my dad,” Flanagan recalls. “I’ve always had a love and interest for old barns and working with wood.”
His experience carried him through college, where he studied finish carpentry with the intention of becoming a teacher. But his career took an unexpected turn when he and his wife, Molly, decided to move to Thailand, where they taught English as a second language.
“I didn’t want to teach forever,” Flanagan confesses. “But while there, I ended up working with a builder of villas who needed someone with woodworking experience to train local workers.”
This experience deepened his passion for teaching, collaboration, and the joy of seeing a project come together, even if the path to completing the project is not always easy. Flanagan soon became familiar with the frustration of a project failing. After all his time teaching, Flanagan found the opportunity to learn something himself. His time in Thailand taught him many things, but it especially taught him the techniques needed to get through the more challenging side of woodworking — when things don’t quite come together. He took this home to Maine with him and still values the lessons he learned.
“I learned to take ten minutes to regroup,” he shares. “Walk away from the project, think, or even ask for help – usually, by the end of the ten minutes, you are on the way to a solution.”
He brought this skill back with him when, in 2007, it was time for him and his wife to move back to Maine.
Once back home, Flanagan decided to leave teaching behind for a bit. To keep himself busy, he found work building decks and stairs, and working with Habitat for Humanity.
This work provided him with time for contemplation and he started thinking about the craft of furniture and cabinetry making. He sought work in the industry, but when first contacting McIntosh & Company, he found they were not hiring at the time. Flanagan did not let that deter him, though, and had a plan.
“I asked for scraps so I could continue to work on my skills,” he says. “With that, I crafted a box and sent McIntosh & Company a photo. A year later, they reached out and brought me in.”
The Evolution of McIntosh & Company
Todd McIntosh and John Tuttle founded McIntosh & Company in 2001. Previously known as McIntosh & Tuttle, it was renamed McIntosh & Company when John left.
According to a piece done on the duo in woodshopnews.com, “From the start, the goal of McIntosh & Tuttle Cabinetmakers was to serve the high-end residential market throughout New England, but particularly the Boston area.”
The company’s early years, during Flanagans’ time on the floor, were mostly spent focusing on high-end work in Boston and collaborating with architects and designers there. By 2008, 90% of their clientele was Boston-based.
“We could compete on every level — quality, price, delivery — except when requests for changes to an order came in,” Flanagan shares. “These were tough for a small operation.”
When Flanagan started working for the company, he spent most of his time on the floor, learning the intricacies of cabinet-making before moving into project management and then production management. A turning point for him came when he was given more responsibility on the design side of the process.
“A designer or architect comes to us with a vision, and from there, we do a site visit,” Flanagan shared. “We then use AutoCAD to draft a solution based on their aesthetic design with elements of our functional input.”
As the company evolved, this setup proved to be problematic at times. A designer would ask for something without communicating costs, resulting in the company being at odds with the contractor. Since then, the company has shifted to a workflow that involves more direct communication with contractors.
Flanagan spent several years with the company, learning the ins and outs of the woodworking craft as well as the business side.
“I realized there was also an art to managing a business,” he says. “Developing systems for productivity became a challenge I really enjoyed.”
In May 2019, Flanagan and McIntosh put together a five-year buyout plan for Flanagan to take over. Since then, the business model has changed a bit and evolved. Today, 80% of their consumers are in Maine. This geographical shift and demand for their work were accelerated when the pandemic fueled an influx of money moving into the community and throughout the state.
“’Lewiston — it’s happening here’— there’s so much growth and positivity,” says Flanagan. “People are bringing the area up, and there’s a focus on the arts.”
Crafting Functional Art
From its inception, McIntosh & Company has taken pride in its tagline – ‘Functional art for life.’ Founder Todd McIntosh coined this phrase, representing the promise of a commitment to simplicity, beauty, timeless design, and functionality.
The company’s approach prioritizes functional simplicity, keeping designs clean and efficient to manage costs for contractors while maintaining artistic integrity.
“We don’t have a showroom or a signature aesthetic,” Flanagan says. “We build what the client wants, ensuring that our commitment to quality, functionality, and craftsmanship shine through.”
McIntosh & Company’s work can be used in any room of the house. They craft pieces perfect for any space, from kitchens and bathrooms to pantries and mudrooms.
“We used to focus just on kitchens, but now we’re designing for whole homes,” Flanagan says.
Behind the Craft
Operating out of one of Lewiston’s historic mills, the Roy Hill Mill, McIntosh & Company is part of a longstanding tradition of skilled craftsmanship in the area.
“In this mill alone, there are three other builders,” Flanagan says. “We work together, help each other out — it’s a real community.”
Today, the company employs eight full-time and two part-time workers and works with subcontractors for finishing and installations. As their workload grows, McIntosh & Company has found it’s not always easy to find people with the right qualifications or experience to bring into the shop.
“Hiring has been a challenge,” Flanagan admits. “We used to bring in younger people and train them, but it wasn’t always effective or efficient. Now, we look for carpenters with a solid understanding of tools so they can pick up the skill of cabinetry faster.”
Key team members at the company include Nate Ouellette, who manages production, and Greg Fowler, a draftsman and cabinetmaker. Flanagan, while leading the company, still enjoys working on projects when needed.
“If the shop is backed up, I’ll go out and build for a few days to help keep things moving,” he says.
A Legacy of Craftsmanship
McIntosh & Company’s home base, the historic mills of Lewiston, adds a layer of depth to their story. The mills were once the backbone of Maine’s textile industry and are now home to various artisans and small manufacturers.
The Roy Hill Mill was built in the 19th century as part of Lewiston’s booming textile industry. According to the Maine Memory Network, the city’s mills were among the largest in New England, drawing workers from diverse backgrounds and creating a thriving industrial hub.
“The history here is incredible,” Flanagan says. “You can still feel the energy of the past craftsmen who worked in these buildings.”
A piece written for MaineFeatures attributes the completion of the railroad through town to increasing the number of mill occupants and employees.
“Irish immigrants were the primary laborers during the early stage, but others quickly followed. Lewiston’s population doubled in 1850, 1860, and 1870. In the midst of it all, the city of Lewiston was incorporated and organized in 1863. The mills were the primary driver of this growth. By the 1880s, the Bates Mill Complex alone employed 3,000 workers.”
Another piece by Maine Preservation says, “The mill era in Lewiston began in the mid-1800s and prospered during the Civil War, growing and expanding with the increasing population. Lewiston’s location on the Androscoggin River proved to be the perfect location for emerging industries during this time.”
Both resources offer great insight into the breadth of expansion these mills brought to the area and how essential their contribution to the city’s growth has been and continues to be.
The mills’ continuing transformation throughout their history has led to the creation of modern workspaces for artisans, builders, and entrepreneurs, which are part of Lewiston’s ongoing growth and revitalization today.
Growth and Innovation
Despite the company’s strong foundation, Flanagan is always looking to refine operations and processes.
“One of the biggest challenges was information flow in the shop,” he explains. “We spent a lot of time developing systems to improve productivity.”
This led to creating a custom project tracking board, replacing traditional whiteboards that were less durable and needed constant erasing. Flanagan and the crew are always thinking about more efficient ways to do things in the shop. When a process is perfected, or close to it, it opens up room for growth.
Future plans include expanding into smaller projects and potentially launching a mini-affiliate company to take on the warranty work. Later, they may consider expanding that division to handle the delivery of smaller projects and minor renovations.
“It’s about staying insulated as the market changes,” Flanagan says. “We want to keep our team well-paid and happy while continuing to grow.”
A Community-Driven Future
For Flanagan, McIntosh & Company isn’t just a business — it’s a passion project rooted in community and craftsmanship.
“I always dreamt of using art to build,” he reflects. “This business was Todd’s dream, and I try to keep it enjoyable for everyone involved.”
That philosophy extends beyond the workshop. With Lewiston experiencing a cultural and economic reawakening, businesses like McIntosh & Company play a vital role in preserving the city’s history while shaping its future.
“Seeing my kids grow up here, being part of this amazing community, it all reinforces why I want to stay,” Flanagan says. “Lewiston is a place where craftsmanship and creativity can thrive.”
As McIntosh & Company continues to craft functional art within the walls of Lewiston’s historic mills, it carries forward a legacy of skilled artistry—blending past and present into a craft that is truly timeless.
McIntosh & Company
Lewiston | mcintosh.company
by Jessica Gendron-Labbe | photography by Brewster Burns