Maple Landmark

Maple Landmark has been making eco-friendly, educational wooden toys, games and gifts since 1979 at its shop in Middlebury, Vermont. They pride ourselves in being a local company that supports other local companies who operate in a responsible and sustainable manner. Maple Landmark employs about 40 local folks year around. As a result of these practices the company produces products that have always been safe and of superior quality. Mike Rainville, Maple Landmark's founder, first came to woodworking as a hobby in the 1970's while he was in school. Working out of his parents' basement with scraps from his grandfather's carpentry projects, he duplicated household items, things like spool holders and cribbage boards. Before long friends and neighbors were asking Mike to make things and by 1979, he started selling wholesale. Local craft fairs also provided income and experience. At age 15, getting lumber wasn't just a matter of borrowing a truck but a driver as well. At the time, the best selling items were cribbage and tic-tac-toe games. After graduating Clarkson University in 1984, Mike went to work constructing a new woodshop of ample size for his now full-time business, now known as Maple Landmark Woodcraft. The choice "Maple Landmark" as the name for the business was a natural extension of the name Mike's family used for their maple sugaring business and dairy farm, Maple Landmark Homestead. His grandfather, Fletcher Brown made maple syrup for over 65 years and was always available to lend a hand. Maple Landmark likes to consider the company to be like a family but there actually is a lot of real family here. It is common to find four generations helping out. Not only are there Mike and Jill, his wife, but Mike's sister Barbara, mother Luthera "Pat" and her mother Harriett. Mike and Jill's boys, Adam and Andrew are around when not in school or other pursuits.