Wilbur Senter started from the humble beginnings of a one room “Specialties in Dry Goods” store in 1909 to the multi-use building known today as Senter Place. Decades of change and progress occurred to keep a family legacy in Brunswick.

Over the last century properties and buildings were purchased, built and renovated to make room for product to meet demands of an ever changing economy and community.

Passed on to his son, Alfred M. Senter, the progress did not slow. Alfred took great pride in the family business. He hired professional window display artists to adorn the front of Senter Place throughout the year and Christmas was no exception. People delighted to see the elaborate decorations for the Christmas season.

Alfred was all about community. Along with the many roles he played in government and a founding leader in the Brunswick Rotary, Alfred wanted to adorn the Maine Street that was home to Senter Place. From his greenhouse in Harpswell Alfred would bring the petunias he started as seedlings and plant them along the median of Maine Street for all to enjoy. This planting has become a tradition as the Village Improvement Association has continued the planting of flowers on Maine Street for Decades.

As Maine Street retail faltered change came again to Senter’s Department Store. The building, still owned and operated by family, began a new transition in 1995. New offices for professional suites and smaller retail shops were carved out of the 40,000 square foot building to maintain a Senter presence on Maine Street for the future.

Mr. Senter, a forward thinking man and never to forget about the community that supported his family for nearly a century, had a plan to keep giving back. A Trust was formed where the proceeds from sales of properties were invested along with any income from the newly developed multi-use Senter Place that was not used for operating expenses. A portion of those funds are used annually to make grants to area non-profit organizations. About $150,000 is granted annually to nearly 30 different organizations. Since 2002 grants of nearly $2,000,000 have been awarded.