Throwback Thursday: 84 Lumber's bold plans

The Jan. 30, 1989 issue of National Home Center News, the forerunner of HBSDealer, profiled 84 Lumber and founder Joe Hardy’s plan to open some 200 stores in the 1990s, and push the footprint to more than 600 stores.

The article reported: “Hardy envisioned a chain of close to 700 stores with sales of close to $3 billion by 1990." The article was accompanied by a photo of an 84 Lumber hot air balloon used to promote store openings. The balloon was expected to get a “real workout in coming years.”

In some ways, the company exceeded even its own lofty sales goal, it just took a little longer. The Pennsylvania-based pro dealer hit $1 billion in sales in 1993. It hit $2 billion in 2002, and crossed the $4 billion mark in 2005.

The 1989 article attributed the following quote to the 84 Lumber founder, who recognized training as the key to growth. “You must change to meet the customer’s changing needs, and act quickly.”

Like the rest of the lumber distribution industry, 84 Lumber retrenched heavily during the housing market downturn. 

Today, 84 Lumber is back in expansion mode. The 250-plus location dealer has recently opened stores in New York, Massachusetts and Florida. And Joe Hardy’s advice to be nimble is being followed by his daughter Maggie Hardy Magerko, current president.  

HBSDealer will take a detailed look at 84 Lumber in the upcoming November-December issue.

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