The Halloween Blizzard of 2011 was the storm of a lifetime for many.
It’s unusual, but not unheard of, to get snow in October in Connecticut, but the freak blizzard that hit the state on Oct. 29 that year brought high winds and heavy snow at a time when pumpkin decorations still adorned front porches and most of the leaves were still on the trees.
Power outages were long and widespread and there was a scramble for days after the storm among residents desperate to find generators.
For Brendon Montstream the blizzard was memorable for another reason: It changed the trajectory of his electrical contracting business.
“When the snowstorm hit I sold a lot of generators and hired another employee and all we did was put in generators for a long time,” Brendon says.
A licensed master electrician, Brendon started his business, Streamline Electric in 2006 in Marlborough.
“I started out on my own, a one-man show for the first four years doing residential and commercial service work.”
After the Halloween Blizzard customers started asking about automatic, or stand-by, generators, the kind that come on automatically when the power goes out.
The popularity of automatic generators has skyrocketed as summer and winter storms have intensified in recent years and power grid issues - including rolling blackouts and brownouts - have increased.
As the generator part of his business picked up, Brendon says, he sought out a generator manufacturer that he could rely on for quality and reliability and selected Kohler.
“I’ve built my business on being on time and selling quality products, so Kohler is a good fit for me. They sell the best generator that money can buy and they provide support for their dealers.”
He also hired Jim McCue, an electrician who became Streamline’s lead generator installer and technician. His expertise in the field, Brendon said, is so well-known that his nickname is “Generator Jim.”
Streamline was recently named a Platinum Dealer by Kohler, a designation reserved only for high-volume dealers who sell hundreds of generators a year, Brendon says.
The company now has five employees; two installers/technicians, an office manager and two apprentices, and recently rebranded as Streamline Generators.
Many of those who want automatic generators include retirees who spend more time at home, along with people who work at home, a population that has jumped significantly in the last few years because of Covid-19.
“It’s a big deal if you work from home or spend a lot of time at home and you don’t have power for days. People don’t want to have to get a hotel room, especially if they have children or pets. Having a generator gives you peace of mind when a storm hits and provides all the conveniences of home if the power goes out.”
Streamline Generator
91 Portland Road, Marlborough
860-467-6466
streamlineelectricllc.kohlergeneratordealer.com
