Main Street America: Building More Than a Store
I didn’t grow up planning a career in building materials. At 18, right out of high school, I was working multiple jobs, trying to figure out what came next. Then I met a manager from 84 Lumber who gave me an opportunity in a lumberyard. What started as a job quickly became something more – it became a path to building a career, a team, and a community.
I started as a yard associate and learned the business from the ground up. From there, I moved into dispatch, then into the manager trainee program, and soon after into a co-manager role. Each step brought new lessons, but more importantly, it showed me how every part of the operation connects. Running a successful store starts with understanding every role.
That is what defines “Main Street America” to me. At 84 Lumber, stores are operated with an ownership mindset, meaning that you learn to take responsibility, make decisions, and think beyond the task in front of you.
When I became a store manager at 21, it became clear that people drive success. Building a strong team, developing talent, and creating opportunities fuels everything else. I have always believed that when you invest in your team, they will build your business, and that belief has guided me throughout my career.
Stepping into my current role, I took time to observe both our operation and the market around us. What I saw were opportunities that we hadn’t fully tapped into. From that point on, we became more intentional in how we spent our time, how we developed our people, and how we pursued growth beyond our existing business.
We challenged ourselves to look at projects differently and encouraged our team to pursue new types of work, new customers, and new product lines. Strengthening relationships with our vendor partners allowed us to expand our offerings, including custom millwork and specialized materials. Instead of passing on opportunities, we focused on finding ways to make them work.
That shift made a difference. Our business grew, our team grew, and our presence in the community grew along with it.
Today, we serve a wide range of customers, from professional builders to homeowners taking on their own projects. Whether someone is building a house, remodeling a space, or installing a deck, the approach remains consistent. Alongside materials, customers receive the guidance they need to understand their project and complete it with confidence.
That level of support is what separates a local lumberyard from a big box store. Construction always comes with challenges, and having someone who understands the products and can walk through solutions makes all the difference. That is the role we take on every day.
In our market, that also means helping preserve history. Many of the homes we work on date back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. These projects often require matching original materials or working within strict guidelines to maintain the character of the home. It takes attention to detail and the ability to balance historical integrity with modern needs.
At the same time, the way we build has evolved. Years ago, most homes were stick-built on site. Today, engineered floor systems like trusses and I-joists offer greater strength and efficiency. Roof systems can be set in a day instead of weeks, and materials like fiber cement siding and energy-efficient windows provide longer-lasting performance. These advancements make the building process more efficient for everyone involved. When framing is more precise, the trades that follow can move faster, helping keep projects on schedule and under control.
There are still challenges in today’s market, which makes it even more important to operate strategically by reducing waste, offering turnkey solutions, and providing cost-effective options that help customers keep projects moving forward.
Inside our store, the culture is simple: we get it done. No matter the challenge, or the time of day, the team works together to find a solution. Everyone steps in, takes ownership, and does what needs to be done. I have seen firsthand what that mindset can accomplish. On one project, a group of townhomes had stalled for months. The builder needed support. Our team stepped in, assessed the situation, and got to work. Within days, the project was moving again and progressing through inspections.
That is what happens when you have the right people and the right mindset.
What keeps me passionate about this business is simple—the people. I care about the team in our store and want to see them succeed. Every day, my focus is on building that team, knowing the business will follow.
When I think about Building America, I think about more than materials and projects. I think about the people behind every build and the impact it has on their lives. Every job supports families. Every project creates opportunity. Every building becomes part of a community.
As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, that perspective carries even more meaning. The work being done today is part of a much larger story – restoring structures that have stood since the beginning of this country while also building what comes next.
For me, it all started with one opportunity at 18. Today, it is about creating those same opportunities for others and continuing to grow.
Because at the end of the day, this work goes beyond running a store—it is about building America, one project, one team, and one community at a time.