84 Lumber opens new Sarasota location
84 Lumber celebrated the opening of its new location in Palmetto, Florida during a circus-themed event at the site—formerly a Ringling Bros. property.
This location includes three buildings on 10 acres, with each structure measuring at more than 20,000 square feet. The entire location employs over 60 associates.
84 Lumber has been operating in Bradenton, Florida since 2006 before this relocation. The Plametto store is about 15 miles north of Sarasota and will serve that market.
“Our Florida presence has had a great impact on our business for many years,” said 84 Lumber owner and CEO Maggie Hardy. “Outgrowing our Bradenton location is proof that we are not only determined to bring in more business but that we are dedicated to doing everything we can to make our customers successful and satisfied. This new store location will allow us to continue to give this market exactly what it needs.”
Regarding the size of the new location, 84 Lumber General Manager Buzz Bowman added, “This larger footprint will provide us with the tools to continue growing in the market and we look forward to a bright future ahead.”
A circus-themed event was held on Feb. 21 to celebrate the grand opening.
The opening celebration was attended by 84 Lumber customers, associates, vendor partners, and officials from state and local governments – including representatives from Sen. Marco Rubio’s office, Sen. Jim Boyd’s office, and Rep. Vern Buchanan’s office, as well as city of Palmetto Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant. Guests enjoyed a celebration that included food and entertainment such as funnel cakes, popcorn, a caricature artist, and a hi-striker bell ringer.
Symbol of Support
During the ceremony, 84 Lumber donated $100,000 to the Fisher House Foundation’s Bay Pines Fisher House.
The organization is currently working on opening a second Fisher House home, allowing military families and veterans staying at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center a place to stay while loved ones are receiving care.
The second house will allow Bay Pines to provide more than 9,000 nights of lodging for families each year, saving more than a million dollars annually in lodging and transportation costs.
“We are humbled by the generosity of 84 Lumber and honored to be selected as the recipients of the donation,” said Bay Pines VA Deputy Director Kristine Brown. “84 Lumber has been a benefactor of Fisher House around the country for many years, and this donation will make an immediate and lasting impact to the support and services our Fisher Houses offer to Veterans and family members on the Bay Pines campus.”
Brown and Shentrela Diggins, Bay Pines Fisher house manager, accepted the donation at the event on Bay Pines’ behalf. Also in attendance was LaVetta Bynum, assistant manager at Bay Pines Fisher House; Dackery McDonald, assistant manager at Bay Pines Fisher House; Shanel Kelly, CDCE chief at Bay Pines; Edgardo Solivan, CDCE specialist at Bay Pines VA; and Robert Frazier, Bay Pines VA public affairs officer.
84 Lumber said the donation is a continued symbol of support and dedication in giving back to our veterans and military service members.
Fisher Houses have provided free, temporary housing to more than 450,000 military and veterans’ families since the program’s inception in 1990. There are 96 Fisher House homes across the U.S. and Europe, with dozens more planned or under construction.