In today’s age, it is rare to see a small family business able to thrive, but an exception to that is N.W Booth Undercarriage Sales and Repair. The business repairs and sells parts and tracks for bulldozers, excavators, and compact track loaders. Started by Nathan W. Booth Sr. in 1945, the business has been around for an amazing 79 years, and is now on its fourth generation of Booths.
The current owner, Nathan W. Booth III, joined the company in 1985. He started off as a kid following around his father, Nathan W. Booth Jr., and thought it was cool seeing all the equipment. He grew to love fixing things, and found it rewarding.
Nathan W. Booth III says he is a sentimental person and “It is so meaningful to me to carry on those relationships with all those customers.” Booth III has customers now that are family of customers his father and grandfather worked for. Booth III says he enjoys reminiscing with those customers.
Despite starting in the business as a young kid, Booth III has never considered another career or leaving the family business. When he graduated high school, he worked at a farm alongside working at the family business, up until his first child was born.
Being a small business owner means wearing many hats, including owner, secretary, and worker. Booth III says that answering phone calls and scheduling is the hardest part of the job, and the actual undercarriage work is the easiest part. He says it is challenging to keep some days low-stress, due to all the jobs the business entails.
Keeping the business in the family, Nathan Booth IV joined the company after graduating from Waterford High School in 2022 and Jonathan Booth is next to join after he graduates this year. Booth III says it brings him satisfaction to work with his sons, yet it is always an adventure. The experience of working with his sons is incomparable and he said “I wouldn’t trade it for nothing.”
Both Nathan Booth IV and Jonathan Booth say they enjoy working with their father. They have learned how to use tools and repair things, which Nathan says has transferred into general knowledge he can use in his everyday life. Nathan says not every father and son are capable of working together, but both Nathan and Jonathan say that they work well all together and have learned a lot from working with their father.
Nathan says that his father having the business made the decision of what to do after high school a lot easier; having a job lined up for him and making everything a lot less stressful than most people coming out of high school.
Jonathan, graduating this June, says he is super excited to start working for the business and to join his father and brother. Both did not have any other plans for after high school, and it was an easy decision to decide to work for the family company.
Nathan and Jonathan grew up like their father, helping with small tasks for the business starting at a young age. Nathan says had he not grown up with the business, he would likely not be in the field of heavy equipment mechanics.
Despite starting in the business as a young kid, Booth III has never considered another career or leaving the family business. When he graduated high school, he worked at a farm alongside working at the family business, up until his first child was born.
As any business would, N.W Booth LLC has changed over the years, and is constantly changing. When the company started in 1945, there was not as much equipment, and Nathan Booth Sr. had to travel often for jobs, all over New England. As smaller, more affordable equipment became accessible, there was less need for travel, and now Nathan Booth III works entirely locally.
