Yankee Quipper ~ Uncle Henry`s Still Going Strong

TOURIST NEWS, JUNE 9, 2016
PAGE 19
Yankee Quipper . . . .by Nancy McCallum. . . .
Uncle Henry's Still Going Strong After 47 Years
Mainers put up with
Craigslist and may even
use it from time to time,
but our natural affinity is
for Uncle Henry’s weekly
swap or sell it guide.
Rockland resident
Henry Faller started Uncle
Henry’s in 1969. Over time
it became THE place to go
if you wanted to buy, sell,
swap, give or get stuff. The
folks at Uncle Henry’s have
made some concessions to
technology, with an online
site available (www.unclehenrys.com) – but the "hard
copy" guide, about the size
of the Farmer’s Almanac,
is still sold at just about
every convenience store in
Maine.
And not just Maine;
Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Vermont and
New Brunswick, Canada
stores also stock it. Yes,
people will travel to Maine
for the great deals found in
these pages. Or maybe they
just enjoy the write-ups.
So, just what keeps Uncle Henry's going strong? I
believe it is the earnestness
behind the ads. People
write their own ads; they
are not cleaned up much
(if at all) by a classified ads
manager. Mainers are essentially honest, frugal and
sincere. So when they write
their ads, you get a true
picture of the item, and
sometimes of the person
behind it.
Some of my favorite ads
from a recent Uncle Henry’s
include:
“For sale: 15-mile electric fence, charger, controller. Used this for my goats.
No more goats.”
“For sale: Fire hydrant
very old. Good for dog or
lawn.”
“Swap/Trade: Phish
poster in a nice frame. $50
OBO or trade for something useful.”
(Yes, do NOT call the
Phish guy and offer something frivolous. Usefulness
is important to Mainers. As
my landlady used to say
to visitors, “Make yourself
useful as well as ornamental.”)
“For sale: Old Style
Singer Sewing Machine.
Plugs into the wall. Has
foot pedal. Folds down into
cabinet for storage. Was a
little slow the last time I
tried it. . .but still works.”
I love the use of the ellipsis,
for a bit of drama. And yes,
she’s slowin’ down some. .
.so you best buy this before
she goes kaput.
Another reason Uncle
Henry’s stays in business
is because the incentive to
advertise here is huge – if
you buy a guide for $2, you
get a form for a free ad on
the back.
Uncle Henry’s WORKS.
When I needed a laptop
years ago, I bought a guide
for the first time. I didn’t
see anything available in
my price range, so I filled
out the ad form on the
back.
I wrote, for the “wanted” section, that I was a
freelance writer in search
of an affordable laptop.
Nothing fancy. Just something reliable. A lady from
Millinockett called me and
said she had a Toshiba. I
asked her what the selling
price was, and she said the
exact amount I had put
aside – $250. Next we had
to figure out how to meet,
since Millinocket is four
hours north.
No worries – she had
an upcoming trip to Massachusetts planned, so she
brought the Toshiba to my
house in Wells, where she
and I and her husband
had chicken salad sandwiches, discussed the art of
chair caning, among other
things, and generally enjoyed ourselves. The laptop
was loaded with software,
including Microsoft Publisher, which ended up
helping me tremendously.
It lasted almost 10 years.
I believe Uncle Henry’s
retains its popularity because of the tone of sincerity that runs through the
listings. When I read it, I
rarely feel like people are
just out trying to make a
buck. There seems to be
a desire to just get a fair
price for an object that is no
longer of use to the owner.
From a recent Uncle Henry's: “For
sale – 15-mile electric fence, charger,
controller. Used this for my goats.
No more goats.”
In fact, prices are so
fair, that it seems a person could totally reinvent
himself if the need arose.
In the latest issue I saw the
following ads, which led
me to imagine leaving the
grid to live off the beaten
path up in the woods. With
Uncle Henry's as my guide,
it would be completely
doable.
“For sale. Burlington,
Maine. Camp on 5 acres.
End of road. 1000’s of acres
out back. Deer, moose,
bear. Wired for gen. Real
peace and quiet. $27,500.”
“Gen.” means generator, for those who are not
camp-savvy. “Real peace
and quiet” is not be confused with the general
peace and quiet found in
more settled places. "1000’s
of acres out back" is hysterical to me, as yes, Burlington is essentially that by
definition – thousands of
acres of wilderness in the
heart of Maine, up near
Bangor.
And thank goodness the
camp is at the end of the
road, to avoid the congestion at the beginning of the
road! If I needed to leave
this oasis, I could do so very
cheaply by responding
to this ad from a seller in
Old Orchard Beach: “2000
Chevy Lumina. Stickered.
Good tires. Driven daily.
Reliable transportation.
Take it. $795.”
And for the depths of
winter, when the camp
road is not passable, I could
procure the ideal mode of
transpotation in Brownville, for just $500: “1973
Ski Doo Everest in great
shape. Goes good, runs
good. OBO.” How could
anyone with good conscience offer less?
Ayuh, Uncle Henry’s offers reading entertainment,
the fullfillment of needs
– and even the inspiration,
perhaps, to blaze a new
path. All that for $2. And
a free ad.
Most of all, Uncle Henry’s seems to capture true
Mainers. It’s simple: Here’s
what I’ve got, and here’s
what I need. OBO, since
she’s running slow. Throw
in a chicken salad sandwich, and you’ve got yourself a deal.
Mabel's
Lobster
Claw
OPEN DAILY
Lunch 11:30-3
Dinner 5-9
“Love is the Maine Ingredient”
• Tempting Specials •
Incredible Omelets,
Delicious Benedicts &
Homemade Specialties
Mimosas • Bloody Marys
www.amorebreakfast.com
Specialty Drinks
Inside or Patio Seating • Take Out
Delicious Lattes
& Cappuccinos
Open daily 7–1
207-646-6661
309 Shore Rd., Ogunquit
Near the entrance to Perkins Cove
On-site parking available
F.O. Goldthwaite’s
Pool Lobster
in scenic Biddeford Pool
Full Take-Out Menu • Grilled & Fried Seafood
Lobster Rolls • Soups • Salads • Entrees
Fresh Lobsters, Steamers, Mussels ~ Live or cooked to order
Great Selection of Wines and Beer
Take-out or eat in our scenic ocean-view picnic area
www.poollobster.com
Phone orders welcome
Lobsters packed & shipped overnight nationwide
Pool Lobster Company
Like us on
at Goldthwaite’s/Pool Lobster
in scenic Biddeford Pool
3 Lester B. Orcutt Blvd. • Biddeford Pool • 207-284-5000
Closed May 31 through June 10
Kitchen is open Saturday, June 11, thru Labor Day
H.B. Provisions. . .
a general store
If we don’t have it, you don’t need it.
#hbprovisions
It's a Classic!
Serving the finest Maine seafood
Famous homemade pies & cakes • Full Bar
Reservations suggested • 207-967-2562
124 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport
!
s
U
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Experie
Photo by Shane Corcoran
Dining
• Seasonal, Locally-Sourced Menu
• Indoor/Outdoor Seating • Live Music
• Intimate Theatre & Private Events
• Natural Wildlife Habitat & Bird Sanctuary
207.361.2272 • ClayHillFarm.com • 220 Clay Hill Road • Cape Neddick (York) • 03902
ATM
~ The largest selection of craft beer
and exceptional wines in Lower Village
~ Fastest deli service • Eat in or take out
~ Baked goods made here daily
~ Groceries: Meats, produce & cheeses
~ Gifts from Maine: Mugs, bags, etc.
Home of the
House-made
Corned Beef Hash
served with
poached eggs
15 Western Ave. • Lower Village, Kennebunk
207-967-5762 • www.hbprovisions.com