Acton Moving Company Sold After 88 Years of Family Ownership: Report

ACTON, MA—An Acton Moving Company that had been family owned for the past 88 years is now changing hands.

According to a report by Wicked Local Acton, John Palmer Moving & Storage has been sold to Big Foot Moving & Storage president Michael Bavuso from brothers Craig and Leonard "Nate" Palmer. The brothers bought the business from their uncle in 1972.

Reports Molly Loughman, who broke the story on Wicked Local Acton's website:

John Palmer Moving & Storage, which was founded in 1928, was sold recently by brothers Craig and Leonard “Nate” Palmer to Michael Bavuso, president of Big Foot Moving & Storage of Arlington. Nate said his brother and father bought the business from his uncle in 1971 and seven years later he joined the company, which initially began with three moving trucks and ended up with 15. Throughout the decades, John Palmer Moving & Storage operated two warehouses in West Concord and Acton.

“We started with renting 6,000 square feet and ended up with 42,000 square feet, so we worked hard for 30 years and it was nice to be able to sell it to another mover who kept all the employees and will continue to run the business. It’s a win-win, I think,” said Nate, noting the company’s former 15,000-squate-foot warehouse off Domino Drive in Concord was sold in spring 2015.

Business brokerage firm ROI completed the sale earlier this month, which includes the business and also the real estate of the 28,000-square-foot warehouse at 5 and 7 Craig Road in Acton.

“Honestly, I’m thrilled to be a part of the Palmer history and legacy,” said Bavuso, who started his independent moving company, Big Foot Moving & Storage, out of his Watertown apartment nearly 18 years ago. “I have had years of success at serving customers and treating people fair and doing them right. I was on board with (purchasing John Palmer Moving & Storage) because of my business goals of growth and owning a commercial building."

Bavuso said he saw a lot of synergy between the two companies and did not want to terminate the nearly 90-year-old, reputable business.

You can also view Loughman's full report here.