12 Week of March 6 – March 12, 2015

SARATOGA COUNTY — You’d be hard-pressed to find a local, family-owned business in the region that has been around as long as Curtis Lumber. The full-service, home improvement com-pany is currently celebrating its 125th anniversary and as you can imagine, there’s a lot of his-tory behind this well-known and well-loved business.

“It is still a locally-owned busi-ness owned by the original family – the Curtis Family. It’s unique,” said

Dave Bielawski, Marketing Director for Curtis Lumber. “The family is most proud of the fact that they have been a part of the community this whole time.”

In 1890, Elmer A. Curtis pur-chased the original sawmill on Charlton Road in Ballston Spa from Captain Isaac Henry Curtiss and thus began the inception of Curtis Lumber Company.

Kent Curtis continued the Curtis Lumber Company fam-ily ownership beginning in 1938 and Curtis Lumber Company, Inc., was established in 1949 by Robert K. Curtis.

In 1992, when Jay S. Curtis became president, there were nine locations. Throughout the 1990’s and 2000’s, Curtis Lumber con-tinued to add stores for a total of 21 locations throughout New York and Vermont.

In 2015, 125 years later, Curtis Lumber not only continues to grow as a company, but it supports local communities to help them grow and thrive as well.

“The Curtis’ are very generous people,” said Bielawski. “We’ve done a lot to support local charities, local programs. We work with Rebuilding Together Saratoga County and I

personally take care of a lot of the Eagle Scouts when they need help with projects. The Curtis’ are also strong advocates for pets and they’ve done a lot to help get pets adopted from shelters and so forth. They’re really community-minded.”

Curtis Lumber Co., Inc. employs around 600 people in its 22 locations and is New York and Northern Vermont’s largest inde-pendent building supplier.

With the tremendous amount of growth and success the com-pany has exhibited over the last 125 years, the secret behind it is pretty obvious, according to Bielawski.

“I think it’s a matter of being involved in the community and selling good products at fair prices, having good service and knowledgeable employees,” said Bielawski. “That’s the recipe.”

As far as forecasting the future, Bielawski says the com-pany will continue to stay with the Curtis Family and the com-pany will continue to grow, even-tually celebrating (hopefully!) its 250th anniversary 125 years from now.

For more information on Curtis Lumber Company, Inc., visit curtislumber.com.

A Special Supplement to Saratoga TODAY • Pages 12-17

Curtis Lumber Celebrates 125th AnniversaryLocal Family-Owned Business Sees Continued Success

by Stephanie Hale-LopezSaratoga TODAY

Photos provided by Curtis Lumber

Week of March 6 – March 12, 2015 13

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

1823 — Captain Isaac Henry Curtiss builds first sawmill on Charlton Road.

1890 — Business purchased by Elmer A. Curtis. Drops second “s” of name as waste of time.

Inception of modern day Curtis Lumber Company.

1910 — Fire destroys Curtis sawmill, but is rebuilt.

1938 — Kent Curtis assumes ownership from father Elmer.

1949 — Robert K. Curtis assumes ownership from father Kent and establishes Curtis Lumber Company Inc.

1952 — New office constructed with 9 employees.

1955 — Store rebuilt in Charlton, expands into hardware with 11 employees.

1966 — Schuylerville store opens.

1967 — Warrensburg store opens.

1969 — Curtis Lumber clears way for construction of Ballston Spa location.

1971 — Schodack store opens.

1972 — New sawmill opens.

1974 — Delmar store opens.

1976 — Curtis Lumber moves Charlton Rd. store to current location — Route 67, Ballston Spa.

1981 — Hoosick Falls store opens.

1982 — Mill fire closes sawmill operation.

1986 — Amsterdam and Glens Falls stores open.

1989 — Schroon Lake store opens.

1990 — Curtis Lumber celebrates 100th anniversary and expansion to current 130,000 sq. ft. store.

1992 — Jay S. Curtis becomes president — assumes ownership of 9 locations from father.

Hoosick store opens.

1994 — Perth store opens.

1996 — Fort Plain and Granville stores open.

1997 — Queensbury store opens.

2004 — Curtis Lumber is Pro Sales Magazine's Dealer of The Year.

2005 — Curtis Lumber purchases seven Webb & Sons locations in Central New York.

2006 — Curtis Lumber purchases four Gregory Supply stores in Northern New York and Vermont.

2007 — Curtis Lumber has 22 locations throughout New York and Northern Vermont.

Over 600 employees and over 150 million dollars in sales

New York and Northern Vermont's largest independent building supplier.

2008 — Curtis Lumber is Home Channel News' Pro Dealer of The Year.

2015 — Curtis Lumber celebrates 125th anniversary