BY ANDREA PALMER
Curtis Lumber, a well known lumber yard for
contractors and do-it-yourselfers, is celebrating
125 years in business.
Founded in 1827 by Captain Isaac Henry Curtiss
as a sawmill, the family-owned independent
company has bloomed into a 21-store operation
employing around 570 people full-time.
“The two biggest things driving our success in
the region are people and customer service, said
Doug Ford, general manager of the Ballston Spa
location. “Curtis Lumber has a habit of hiring
good people and keeping them. My average staff
member has been here over 15 years. Many have
been here over 30 years. Curtis Lumber has a
philosophy of listening to our customers. We pay
attention to what works and don’t try change the
game all the time. We are consistent.”
Ford has been with Curtis Lumber for 19 years.
Prior to Curtis, he worked for 17 years with Grossman
Lumber. “Prior to that, I went to school to be
a high school math teacher and ended up in the
lumber business by default,” he said. Jay Curtis, CEO of the company, is the fifth generation
in the Curtis Lumber lineage. His son and
daughter both work for the company and represent
the sixth generation. Curtis became president of
the company in 1992, assuming ownership of nine
stores from his father and expanding to additional
stores shortly after.
Ford said that, while there has been an increased
demand for green and energy-efficient
building products in recent years, consistency in
customer service is what has driven the company’s
success. He said part of good customer service is
equipping employees with knowledge and ability.
“Customers are always looking for good service
and that’s something that we give them. We deal
with middle and higher end products. We don’t
try to play down our price with imports and low
price-point items like our competition. We carry
quality products, brand names. We invest in customer
service. We spend a lot of money training
our employees so they can do more than just find
something on a shelf for a customer,” said Ford.
Curtis Lumber saw $170-million in total sales
last year. Its project center includes flooring,
kitchen equipment, lighting, baths, doors, paints
and stains, windows, decking, siding, roofing and
stairs.
Curtis Lumber is involved with many area
organizations, including Rotary, local chambers of
commerce, business associations and home builders
organizations. The Ballston Spa location hosts
a farmer’s market every Friday, as well as Lion’s
Club events, a yearly car show and a Pet-A-Palooza
pet adoption event. Jay Curtis is an avid animal
advocate.
All stores are involved with their respective
communities.
“One of the big reasons we’ve been so successful
is that we are willing to get involved in the communities
our stores are in. We are encouraged
from the top down to be involved, not just come
to work, do our job and go home–we want more
than that,” Ford said.
Said Ford, “As far as future plans go, Curtis is
always looking to grow. It has to be the right opportunity
and the right market. We are a community driven
company, so we look to be in communities
where we are welcome and we provide a value to the community.”
A timeline for some Curtis Lumber history in
the area includes:
1823 – Captain Isaac Henry
Curtiss builds first sawmill on Charlton Road;
1890 – Business purchased by Elmer A. Curtis.
Drops second ‘s’ of name. Inception of modern day
Curtis Lumber Co.;
1949 – Robert K. Curtis assumes
ownership from father Kent and establishes Curtis
Lumber Company Inc.
1955 – Store rebuilt in Charlton. Expands into
hardware with 11 employees;
1976 – Curtis Lumber
moves Charlton Road store to current location at
Route 67, Ballston Spa;
1990 – Curtis Lumber celebrates 100th anniversary
and expansion to current 130,000 square
foot store;
1992 – Jay S. Curtis becomes president,
assumes ownership of nine locations from father.
1996 – Fort Plain and Granville stores open.
2004
– Curtis Lumber is “Pro Sales Magazine” Dealer of
The Year;
2005 – Curtis Lumber purchases 7 Webb
& Sons locations in Central New York;
2007 – Curtis
Lumber, with 22 locations throughout New York
and Northern Vermont, reaches over 600 employees
and more than $150 million in sales in New
York and Northern Vermont.
Its website is www.curtislumber.com.
Photo/Todd Bissonette Photography