About Us

About Our Town

Before Our Town Buyers Club, there was Our Town Publishing; a small New Hampshire family business run by the Barrafords. Long before everything was online, they were connecting neighbors the old-fashioned way: printing local directories that helped small businesses be seen and helped new families feel at home.

Then came the winter of 1999, when heating prices suddenly spiked. Watching neighbors struggle to afford oil, Dan Barraford had an idea that was simple but radical: what if ordinary people could buy fuel together, like a big customer, and get the same fair price?

That fall, 74 households joined forces, pooled their orders, and negotiated a group contract. They ended up paying less than half what most people spent that winter. It worked, and word spread fast. By year’s end there were 300 members, and by 2000, over a thousand.

What began as a community experiment soon became Our Town Energy Alliance, partnering with trusted local vendors and growing across New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

Today, the next generation of the Barraford family carries that mission forward as Our Town Buyers Club--now serving about 10,000 members while staying true to its roots: proving that when people come together, their collective strength creates lasting value for everyone.

Membership is open to all, with discounted fees for veterans and active-duty military and waived fees for members on state Fuel Assistance programs.