The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times
The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times
The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times

Hinckley's serves burgers and tools for lunch

Contractors
Contractors browsed the tool displays while enjoying their lunch. Photos by Susan Safford

By Pat Waring - June 7, 2007

Whoever said there's no free lunch has never been to a cookout at H. N. Hinckley and Sons in Vineyard Haven. Dozens of hungry contractors along with a number of employees from neighboring businesses converged on the Beach Road store last Thursday and Friday for hamburgers and hot dogs served fresh off the grill by representatives of the Cape and Islands Red Cross. Along with the tasty noon meal, personnel from the Bostitch pneumatic tool company were on hand providing free nail gun tune-ups, tool repairs, and demonstrations. By 1 pm on Thursday more than 100 nail guns had been tuned up.

Representatives from a number of other tool companies including Delta, Dewalt, Porter-Cable, Metabo, Lynn Ladder, and Huber Engineered Woods were also there displaying products and offering bargains. At another table a display of current hardware sale items attracted considerable interest.

Steve Tetreault
Steve Tetreault of Bostitch repaired and tuned up nail guns, free of charge.
"It turns into a fun thing for local contractors to come, have a burger, and check out the new tools," said Wayne Guyther, who manages the business that he owns with his brother and two sisters. "It's a little mini trade show."

Mr. Guyther said the business provided all the food, going through at least 800 hot dogs and 800 burgers along with plenty of chips and cold drinks during the two-day event. He said the tradition began a number of years ago, with Bostitch being the only company represented, but the gathering has grown.

"It's been one of the most successful events nationally," said Mr. Guyther.

Red Cross board members Ann Hunt and Richard Williams stationed themselves at the blazing grill, serving sandwich after sandwich to the crowd. According to Ms. Hunt, Mr. Guyther made a substantial donation to the agency.

"He's very generous," said Mr. Williams.