Fort Scott Lumber, 1905 S. Judson, is closing its doors.
The business venture started with 14 men, in 1991.
They formed a corporation called Fort Scott Lumber LLC following the closure of Comstock Lumber.
The corporation was comprised of Palmer, Gary Bukowski, Bob Carillo, Brent Cosens, Charles Johnston, Jack Karleskint, Craig McKenney, Larry Rogers, Ronald Rogers, Doug Ropp, Bob Tuchscherer, Bob West, Lloyd Wiley and Darrell Winter.
“Several of the men were contractors, they weren’t happy with just one lumber yard in town,” Ronald Palmer, president of the corporation of Fort Scott Lumber, said.
Comstock Lumber closed following the catastrophic flood of 1986 when much of the inventory was lost, Palmer said.
Fast forward from 1991 to 2019.
“We had the chance to sell it and all the owners are getting older, all retiring, two have died, so it’s just time,” Palmer said.
“It’s been great serving the Fort Scott area with our business,” Palmer said.
Starting July 8, all the inventory of the business will be on sale, including lumber, doors, windows, hardware, siding, soffit materials and more, he said.
The building was sold to Ruster and Duster LLC, a corporation owned by Aaron and Lindsey Watts.
“With the progression of Smallville we have been in the market for a new location to expand for the last year,” Lindsay Watts said. “It is unfortunate to see such a great asset to our community closing, but the board’s decision to sell was a great opportunity for us to continue to expand and increase programs that we can provide. We are excited for the opportunity to both continue to grow and continue to serve this community for years to come. We are working closely with the owners on their timeline however Ruster and Duster LLC will be purchasing the property and looking to close in September 2019.”
This event is yet another sign of the “small town business” being swallowed up by larger corporations such as Home Depot and others in nearby towns. I’m saddened by the closing but not amazed. The share holders were supplying a need for the town as long as they could. During my employment with Comstock Lmbr for almost 16 years, I have seen the importance of providing good service to customers. Smaller businesses have to attract people by showing their products come with a happy smile and expert advice. When the prices of larger stores are lower than yours, customers are tempted to shop there even though good service is often hard to find. With the rising of building product prices, people are often forced to shop for bargains. It’s unavoidable I suppose when the average person’s income dictates sacrificing service and helping local vendors in search of lower priced purchases. Personally I want to say it has been a pleasure working with the builders, contractors and the local public in the Fort Scott area. I pray the labor force being let go will find employment in record time. And perhaps someone else would venture into filling the lumberyard vacancy in fort Scott?!