Top Showrooms: Tart Lumber
There was a time when Libby Fritsche would say, “I wish I was selling pizzas.”
Something with fewer parts and limited selections so it was easier to understand all that was available. Now, what the CEO of Tart Lumber enjoys most is helping clients with their selections, and that, Fritsche acknowledges, requires a comprehensive knowledge of products, suppliers and emerging trends.
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An arched doorway on display in Virginia. -
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Front Door
In the showroom at Tart Lumber — located in the affluent community of Sterling, Va., little more than a stone’s throw from D.C. and its surrounding powerhouse neighborhoods — contractors, consumers and consulting designers find everything from lumber and mouldings to windows, doors, cabinetry, hardware and more. Whether it’s new construction, remodels or additions, if you can dream it, they’ve got what you need to build it.
But the most critical thing they offer customers isn’t really for sale: It’s the 75-plus years of intellectual property and family legacy that dates to 1951 when Lynwood Tart opened his lumber store in Arlington. A home center followed in the early 70s, located in Sterling, and within a few years he consolidated all of the operations in Loudon County.
Stat sheet
Tart Lumber
Sterling, Virginia.
Owners: Elizabeth (Libby) Tart Fritsche and husband, Craig Fritsche
Design showroom: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday – Friday, and
10 a.m. to 2 p.m, Saturday
Showroom staff: Four full-time
His daughter, Elizabeth (Libby) Tart Fritsche and her husband, Craig Fritsche, added the expansive 9,000-square-foot design showroom in 2012.
“We are a full-service lumber and building materials retailer, with a design showroom and a custom millwork shop, and we sell a lot of framing and decking materials, plus doors and windows, to contractors and — especially in the showroom — we have a lot of homeowners who come in to discuss their projects,” says Libby Fritsche.
The showroom is a pristine presentation where almost everything is installed so customers can see what it will be like in their home. “We don’t like a messy [floor] with a bunch of things standing around,” she says.
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Tart Lumber of Sterling, Virginia. -
More door options.
“We spend a lot of time problem-solving with our clients, who are usually looking to do something specific and special for their homes.”
As an example, she talks pocket doors, which require expertise to ensure the finished installation is a perfect fit.
“I thought pocket doors were a fad, but they haven’t gone anywhere and we’ve been selling barn doors since this showroom opened in 2012. The look has changed, they’re more contemporary with a lot of glass, as opposed to something with a ‘Z’ design in the middle that looked like a barn door,” she says.
On inventory and labor
The showroom has a limited inventory on hand, although lumber and mouldings are typically in stock. All kitchen cabinetry and doors are ordered for the customer.
They aren’t seeing the supply chain issues that were prevalent during the pandemic and most things arrive quickly, with lead times of about a week.
“The challenge now is not the supply chain as much as it is the workforce,” Fritsche says. “Finding people who are willing to work has been an issue for me and for some of our manufacturers, so sometimes that pushes back on the production times. And in our showroom, there’s a lot we have to know and talk about, so that’s another reason it’s so hard to find people.”
What customers don’t see is what they need most: that knowledge base that answers all the questions customers don’t even know to ask.
There are more remodeling projects than new construction and the goal is to find a good solution for whatever problems exist, like the windows over kitchen sinks that are inherently problematic for anyone wanting a room with a view.
“People don’t want that window to have a big stile going up the middle of it, so we come up with solutions where they can look out into their yard, not at millwork,” she says. “We also carry several lines of kitchen cabinetry, everything from quick-ship to fully custom.”
The showroom is all about meeting the expectations for form, function and, to a large degree, fashion. What’s trending hot is a priority for homeowners and contractors alike, and the right hardware is essential.
Tart Lumber features a range of hardware on display including selections from Emtek, Baldwin, and Rocky Mountain hardware. “We’re the only local dealer for Rocky Mountain, which is a beautiful bronze, hand-hammered custom hardware,” Fritsche says. “There’s also been a trend back to brass but it’s more of a satin brass, paler and softer looking, not an antique or shiny brass. I just sold my first barn door track in a gold color as opposed to a black- or stainless steel-look so we are seeing the trend to brass.”
The showroom itself is constantly evolving to feature the latest products. Glass barn doors had just arrived as Fritsche talked with HBSD and the recent trend to arched doorways are showcased in a striking built-to-order exterior Upstate Door with an arch that extends across the sidelights.
“We’re seeing a lot of the board and batten look, white houses with black windows on the exterior, more one-level sprawling homes for aging in place, and designs incorporating interior options for walk-in closets, walk-in pantries and more open spaces,” Fritsche says.
Another interesting trend is the movement toward some processes that make wood a more viable option. Thermally modified wood, like the products they carry from Thermory, and Accoya wood (which Fritsche says can have a 50-year warranty), make wood a more stable, long-lasting solution.
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