In 1962 the late Lionel R. Plante Sr. moved to Peaks Island in an attempt at early retirement. Entrepreneurial by nature, Lionel soon discovered he wasn't suited for a relaxed lifestyle and began his search for a service which was presently unavailable and that he could provide to fellow islanders. He began his small company by opening the first and only laundromat on Peaks Island; as it stands today it is the oldest, continuously operating business on the island. Today, Lionel's wife Catherine, her two brothers, Terry and Coley Mulkern, and sister, Bridget Kinner, continue to identify services needed in the bay. Through hard work and innovation they create a means to meet those needs. This multi-faceted family business has grown to be the major supplier of a diverse array of services to make islanders’ lives a bit less difficult.     LPA's dedication and focus on islanders’ needs has been rewarded by overwhelming support from the customers they serve. This continued support has allowed the company to expand into a variety of businesses and services and grow their area of operation to include the entire coast of Maine.     From its base on Peaks Island the company still operates the laundromat as well as a full-fledged oil and propane business, a gas station, a marina, an excavation business and a barging company.
    The company has a long history of meeting transportation needs, beginning with a barging operation in 1967. In 1978 the family opened the first dedicated water taxi service in Casco Bay. Today the business offers first class transportation between the mainland and coastal islands aboard its founder’s namesake, a state of the art, 85-foot landing craft style ferry named the Lionel Plante Sr. This is LPA's fifth vessel, its unique design custom generated by more than three decades of island transportation experience.     The Lionel Plante Sr.'s shallow draft and bow ramp design allows the family to bring their excavation experience and equipment to almost any island along the coast. The vessel is routinely employed as an efficient and economical means of transporting lumber, concrete, aggregates, fuels, modular homes and just about any other product an islander requests.     Cathy Plante and her siblings and partners utilize their knowledge of construction and marine experience to further develop LPA's unique focus on increasing the quality of island life. The company's ability to install modern septic systems, drilled wells, rock seawalls and the cleanup of dumpsites are all examples of quality improvements these islanders offer to everyone.