BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 12, 2025
Old Town native Russ Willey Jr. often wakes up to the sound of his grandfather’s chainsaw running outside. That means it’s time to get to work in the woodyard and start recording videos. Willey, his grandfather Richard Cote Sr. and longtime friend Kevin Violette bring almost 3,000 YouTube spectators along with them to work at Willey’s Firewood. In southern Maine, Phil and Karen Allen film humorous, down-to-earth educational videos about their firewood business, delivery strategies, equipment and the occasional dangers, such as safety episodes. In two years, they’ve gained 153,000 subscribers. The two families are part of a small handful of Mainers making a mark in the community of firewood online companies, whose members call themselves “woodhounds,” around the country.