MARGIN BUILDERS

Specialty yard builds its business on redwood

REDWOOD STORE is led by (front) owners Cheryl & Dave Hough, (back row, l-r) production manager Shane Wilson, and manager Daniel Hough. Redwood has been a favorite material for generations of builders. One lumber dealer, in fact, has so much affinity for the wood, it has based its business on it.

The Redwood Store of Farmington, N.M., was founded in 1988 by Dave Hough and is now co-owned with his wife Cheryl and managed by their son Daniel.

It is part full-service retail lumberyard and part in-house specialty manufacturer, producing its own fence panels, deck boards, outdoor structures, furniture and other items. “We have a ‘standard line’ of furniture, arbors, trellis and decks, but we do custom sizes frequently,” said Daniel. “Quite often customers bring in a pictures of items, and we accommodate them as best we can.”

He adds, “Variations in sizes of our arbors are a common request. Large beam pre-cut and pre-stained custom arbors are very popular with local and regional professional landscapers.”

Although the company also handles Douglas fir and cedar, its “primary and preferred species of wood” is redwood.

“Redwood is a great material to build with,” Daniel notes. “The rich, warm color works well in just about any project and its ability to remain comfortable to the touch is important to a lot of people as they consider building materials for high-touch areas.”

The Redwood Store’s customer mix is 60% homeowner, 40% pro. Selling them on the advantages of redwood is helped by having a highly experienced staff, including one employee who has been with the company for 30 years and another for 26.

“First and foremost (experience) creates customers who know they are

getting knowledgeable, experienced and effi cient service,” Daniel explains. “Experienced employees are able to not only do their daily jobs more effi ciently, but also take care of customers, projects and yard service quickly and eff ectively. This, in my opinion, is why we have such a loyal customers.”

How does the fi rm retain its workers? “I would like to think a good working environment and consistent work,” he says. “We always have and always will pay a comfortable living wage, so our employees can enjoy life.”

What’s next for The Redwood Store? “To keep doing what we are doing, do it better when possible, and slowly branch into things that accompany what we do,” Daniel says. The concentration on redwood, however, is here to stay.

Arbor Master

Farmington, N.M., homeowners were seeking to add to the landscaping of their home and had some pretty specifi c ideas in mind. In particular, they desired a curved redwood arbor to provide shade over a large, curved concrete seating area. The new seating area and redwood arbor serve as a beautiful centerpiece for their main outdoor gathering space.

To bring their ideas to life, the homeowners reached out to Copper Creek Landscape, who had previously completed landscaping for them, as well as for the previous owners of the same home.

Materials for the project, including all the redwood, came from The Redwood Store. Since 1988, The Redwood Store similarly has cultivated a following of loyal customers in northern New Mexico. Furthermore, Copper Creek Landscape and The Redwood Store have a great working relationship. According to Copper Creek’s Mark Christensen, “The Redwood Store has always given me exceptional, caring, and professional service.”

When it came to choosing materials for the project, there was no question what the homeowners wanted to use. “We knew we wanted redwood for our arbor” said the homeowner. “We didn’t consider any other material for the project. The strength, natural beauty, and durability of redwood truly makes it the perfect material for the northwest New Mexico climate, where our weather conditions range from below freezing temperatures in the winter to well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.”

The homeowners further shared that they wanted a redwood arbor specifi cally for its “wow factor.”

“We wanted something that fl owed with the natural curves of our home, landscaping, and natural surroundings. We wanted it to enhance our home, which it does. The redwood arbor is in perfect harmony with our new landscaping, and we now have a gorgeous place to sit and relax, eat with family and friends, or just sit and enjoy the beautiful views.”