Episode 63 | The First Branch in Martha’s Vineyard
The high-end shops, eateries, art scene, and residential areas are a staple of Martha’s Vineyard, an island seven miles off the coast of Massachusetts and south of Cape Cod. When electrical wholesaler City Electric Supply (CES), known as Concord Electric Supply in the Northeastern region, decided to open its second island location in North America, forming the right team that represented the CES brand and had a deep connection to the island was crucial to making the launch of CES Martha’s Vineyard a success.
“The team that we have at CES Martha’s Vineyard understands our CES culture, and it’s important for our customer base to see that,” said VP of Operations Jaime Marujo. “We’ve wanted to open a branch on Martha’s Vineyard for a while now, so seeing it come to life has been really rewarding.”
Crucial Connections
CES Martha’s Vineyard Branch Manager Justin Tullock and Operations Manager Paulo DaRosa had ties to the company and the island. Former team members of CES South Dennis and natives of Martha’s Vineyard, Justin and Paulo established a nearly 10-year working relationship that served them well in building CES Martha’s Vineyard.
“I’m pretty familiar with the Cape Cod market, having worked several of our stores in the area,” said Justin. “I’ve gotten to work with different customers and clientele in the market, so I’m excited to use the experience over here.”
“I used to live in Martha’s Vineyard years ago,” said Paulo. “It’s a place near and dear to me. I went to high school here, and I have a lot of friends here as well.”
Challenging Commute
During the year-long construction process of the branch, one of the main challenges faced was the commute between the mainland and the island.
“Paulo and I both lived out on the mainland when the ball started rolling on this location,” added Justin. “We would commute back and forth, which would be a little time-consuming having to drive out of Woods Hole to take the ferry to travel to the store.”
They were able to secure a condo unit around 10 minutes away from the branch location.
“When we were both living here on the island full time, we were able to focus more on the store and the build-out, starting to build customer relations ahead of our opening,” said Justin.
Taking on New Projects in New Markets
It didn’t take long for the new team to begin taking on local projects that made an impact on the island as a whole.
“We’re working on this pretty big landscaping project,” explained Paulo. “It’s for a nonprofit organization, and they teach a few skills like cooking, dancing, and a few different things. It’s been a fun learning experience so far.”
Paulo helped provide the organization with landscape lighting for the exterior of the facility.
“I sold them all the lights they needed and some extra for future use. The project went very well,” said Paulo.
“No two days are the same in terms of what projects are coming up. It could be putting together a lighting package for a home or working on new utility projects, you never know who’s going to walk through the door next. It’s great to be able to work with contractors that would typically deal with construction companies in Boston or New York City,” said Justin.
As Martha’s Vineyard continues to gain new developments, the island’s population has been outpacing housing growth. Just in 2020, there were 5,234 housing units in the town of Edgartown alone, rising 0.27% since 2010, according to mvtimes.com.
“Justin currently has connections to projects regarding the local transportation system and assisted living facilities, but, for the most part, this branch works on projects on the residential side,” added Paulo.
Working on projects with local contractors has helped the up-and-coming CES Martha’s Vineyard make its mark on the local industry. And there’s no doubt that the team is just getting started!
