CEDAR AND SO MUCH MORE AT THE CEDAR SHOP
In the 1970s, Jerry Palko regularly got calls from contractors and DIYers looking to buy quality cedar products, but as a lumber distributor, he couldn’t sell direct and had to say no. The obvious demand for these products ignited his entrepreneurial fire and in 1978 he and his wife, Bev, opened The Cedar Shop to meet it.
The small specialty store flourished and soon moved into a larger building on 42 Avenue SE to accommodate its growth. They operated there for 36 years, offering every cedar product imaginable, from shingles to decking. After Jerry passed in 2007, Bev carried on running the business, but she couldn’t do it alone.
“Bev hired me in 2015 because the company needed new leadership and management help,” says Mitch Wile, president of The Cedar Shop. “We were trying to compete with the big box stores in the marketplace and to succeed we needed a better facility so we could service our clients better.”
Mitch, who had extensive experience in the building business, made it happen. They had great brand recognition in the area and wanted to stay close so when a building across the street became available, they jumped at the opportunity. In 2018, only months before Bev passed and left the store to sons Tyler and Brad, The Cedar Shop moved out of the 11,000-squarefoot building and into their current 53,000-squarefoot facility. It now boasts a 15,000-square-foot showroom, ample storage, an onsite assembly mill and manufacturing space where carpenters construct beautiful custom furniture and yard accessories including cedar barrel saunas and custom lattice.
Written by Rennay Craats
THE CEDAR SHOP // 45 YEARS // 1
Published by Melissa Mitchell
Mitch Wile, President and Tyler Palko, Owner. Photo by Riverwood Photography
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Begaiym Khaldarova and Oliva Lloyd, CBE Interns. Photo by Riverwood Photography.
While the industry struggled through the downturn in Alberta, the new location breathed much-needed life into The Cedar Shop. Choosing to invest in more inventory so customers never left disappointed paid off and allowed considerable growth in a down market. Then COVID pandemic shut down travel in 2020 and people were staying home.
“The renovation market went crazy (with people) improving their backyards, fences and decks,” says Mitch. “We focused on making sure we had plenty of product in the building and we continually put new products on the floor.”
The company also invested in its delivery fleet so it could implement free delivery to remove barriers to shopping at The Cedar Shop. While they sacrificed their previous delivery fee revenue, delivery service more than paid for itself in increased sales. And as COVID relented, the Shop continued to get busier.
Customers came for the quality cedar decking, lumber, shakes, shingles and siding that they couldn’t find anywhere else, but they came back because of the incredible service and selection of products that extended far beyond just the store’s namesake wood. From an impressive list of exotic woods like ambrosia maple, walnut and rosewood to a choice of composite, treated or cedar decking, The Cedar Shop has amazing options to complete any project.
2 // 45 YEARS // THE CEDAR SHOP
Cody Orr, Damien Thurston, Kevin Schmitz, Alex Palko, Talya Kitai, Mitch Wile, Randy Lazzarotto and Tyler Palko.
Photo by Riverwood Photography.
THE CEDAR SHOP // 45 YEARS // 3 DISTRIBUTION CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CEDAR SHOP FOR BRINGING NATURE TO CANADIAN HOMES FOR OVER 45 YEARS! Post Caps Gate Hardware Balusters & Railing Accessories Fence & Gate Inserts AVAILABLE AT THE CEDAR SHOP | OR VISIT NUVO IRON.COM NUVO IRON is ready to help you reimagine your outdoor space. FENCE ACCESSORIES | GATE HARDWARE | RAILING PRODUCTS | & MORE!
success and support!
www.goodfellowinc.com
www.fortressbp.com
www.fiberondecking.com
CONGRATULATIONS
It is one of the largest suppliers of treated lumber sourced from Spray Lakes in Cochrane and customers can give it the perfect finish with The Cedar Shop’s quality lines of SICO Proluxe oil-based stains and Sansin’s water-borne ones.
The team is dedicated to giving above-and-beyond service and exceeding expectations. The knowledgeable staff and well-stocked showroom help customers find what they need quickly so they can get back to their projects. That is why it has become a favourite stop for contractors as much as weekend carpenters embarking on DIY projects.
Congratulations on achieving this exciting milestone.
One of the most asked about projects is cedar saunas. While The Cedar Shop has incredible lines from builders like Bramari Design Build & Sauna Builder, complete with Harvia Sauna Heaters on offer, many people still want to do it themselves.
“We get so many people who want to build their own saunas, but they don’t understand what it actually takes. We are currently designing kits that will offer three different sizes for customers to assemble,” he says.
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The Cedar Shop.indd 1 2023-01-27 8:55:12 AM
On behalf of Goodfellow and our manufacturing partners Fiberon and Fortress we congratulate The Cedar Shop on their 45th Anniversary and wish them many more years of continued
Alex Walsh & Chris Lattin in the assembly mill. Photo by Riverwood Photography
Standing: Alex McMaster, Kelly LaFave, Jeremy Moon and Alex Walsh. Sitting: Chris Lattin and Chris Kehn. Photo by Riverwood Photography.
The Cedar Shop is a great partner for customers, and the innovative, agile business has come into its 45th year stronger than ever. But what is more important to them than the bottom line is being a vital part of the community. As such, the company supports the Mustard Seed, Salvation Army and Heaven Can Wait animal rescue and proudly sponsors the Alberta women’s curling champions, Team Skrilik, as they leave their mark in the sport.
Whether in curling or business, The Cedar Shop recognizes the importance of having more women involved. Bev was the first female-only owner in a male-dominated industry and Mitch is continuing in her footsteps by encouraging women and young people to work in construction. He launched a high school internship with the CBE and The Cedar Shop welcomed its first two interns, Olivia and Begaiym, who gain credits
THE CEDAR SHOP // 45 YEARS // 5
McLean Lumber Sales Alberta Ltd 5717 84 Street SE Calgary, AB T2C 4R9 CA 1-877-279-2580 mcleanlumber.com Congratulations to The Cedar Shop on their 45th Anniversary!
We specialize in Cedar, Fir, Pine & composite
products.
McLean Lumber distributes high quality building products to the retail and manufacturing industries in Western Canada.
decking
Open Stock on the showroom floor. Photo by Riverwood Photography.
and experience at the company. These young women have the benefit of great mentors in the business and Mitch hopes they’ll stay on as they head to university.
“It’s important that young people, especially women, view our industry as a career choice,” says Mitch.
With great staff in place and unbeatable products on the shelves, Mitch Wile is excited to see what’s next for the iconic Calgary business.
“We’ve been here 45 years and people still can’t believe we have all this,” he says, and he invites Calgarians to visit them online at Cedarshop.com or visit the showroom, breathe in the smell of cedar and see it for themselves.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE A PART OF YOUR SUCCESS. LETHBRIDGE 403.328.0697 EDMONTON 780.484.2218 RED DEER 403.314.1680 CALGARY 403.279.1043 So you can focus on what matters most your business. Working for our members every day. 100-285 Manitou Road S.E, Calgary, Alberta T2G 1G7 Email: info@cedarshop.com Phone: 403-243-5720 www.cedarshop.com THE CEDAR SHOP // 45 YEARS // 6 Hardware & Stains.
ON 45 YEARS
