OLD AND NEW GROWTH

Encore Lumber’s expansion into newer products offers more variety and flexibility

by ELLEN URIBE / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

More and more reclaimed wood is taking center stage in renovations and new construction in the ever-growing Charleston environs. It’s also part of the narrative on the HGTV channel and with decorators, contractors and architects alike.

Bryant Dyess, the founder and owner of Encore Reclaimed Lumber & Millwork in North Charleston, has made a name for his business, which started as a hobby while he was in Alabama law enforcement and now has surpassed expectations.

Recently, Encore Lumber added newer wood materials to its product line, such as white oak, cypress and new pine. Moving forward, Dyess would like to open a second location.

“Our overall goal is to expand regarding the newer materials and grow the business. We want to become the go-to company for middle- and higher-end customers, as well as residential and commercial builders,” he says.

Encore’s business manager, Julie Gibbes, says the new wood product additions allow the company to reach more people with more beautiful options. “We want to continue offering our customers the variety they love—both old and new,” she says.

The new wood offerings are meant to complement the existing line of reclaimed wood products.

“What we specialize in is reclaimed wood from a time period that no longer exists,” says Dyess. “Primarily, the wood comes from the Northeast and Midwest because the wood preserves better. We seek out big, old-growth timbers—pre-1900. Up until the late 1800s, trees were harvested based on maturity. The best trees were used, and the young ones were left to grow where they would gain character and strength. This wood is going to have value and attributes you can’t buy anywhere. There is so much color and texture, and the wood has real beauty and character.”

With an encyclopedic knowledge of all things wood and a dedication to leaving every customer 100% satisfied, Dyess sees the use of reclaimed lumber as a creative way to protect and own a rich and tangible piece of time while preserving history.

“This company started mainly as what I could do myself,” says Dyess, who opened the business in 2012 as a small, rented booth at an antiques store in Opelika, Alabama, where he was displaying pieces of the furniture he created. His now wife, Georgia, encouraged him to quit law enforcement and grow Encore Lumber. So they moved to South Carolina and the real journey began.

“At first I was doing wall boards and pieces of furniture, but about three years down the road, I acquired the mill, which allowed us to do flooring to take our products to the next level,” recalls Dyess.

The mill is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, which is about an hour drive from the storefront in North Charleston. He makes the trip to the mill daily, while Gibbes, who is Dyess’ sister-in-law, primarily spends her time interfacing with clients.

“We complete all processing at our mill,” Dyess says. “This gives Encore the opportunity to re-mill existing lumber from renovations to teardowns and create a unique floor, wall boards or custom pieces. Our mill offers re-saw, kiln drying, edging, planing and profile services.” Encore’s website includes pricing and features photos of the company’s projects.

“A lot of people think using reclaimed wood is totally unobtainable, but we cater to all kinds of customers, and it’s

Georgetown not so,” says Dyess. “Encore offers a large selection of finished and unfinished products, from unique flooring and wall boards to stunning ceiling beams and material for our customers’ DIY projects. Our new products complement our reclaimed line of products, and we definitely think it’s best to keep all our products reasonably priced. We want our business to be a staple of Charleston without going out of the small business realm.”

Dyess also says that Encore Lumber can eliminate the need for additional parties because it maintains full quality control of its projects, from manufacturing to install and finish. “We are very hands-on, and we believe wholeheartedly in customer satisfaction,” he says. “If you call us, we will pick up the phone.”

Salvaging old beams, boards, decking and joists from pre-1900 structures and re-milling the wood can yield results that can’t be duplicated with new lumber. Encore Lumber offers 23 varieties of reclaimed flooring materials, 32 wall and ceiling reclaimed choices, and six varieties of reclaimed beam materials, in addition to the newer wood offerings. “The company specializes in oak, cypress, pine and wormy chestnut, which have great character and beauty,” notes Dyess.

“When I started in the business, I saw for myself the difference between the newer trees and the older trees. It’s not a business that you can be educated on through books. There are no rules regarding this industry, because technically any piece of wood is reclaimed wood,” he adds.

Encore’s customers look to Dyess and Gibbes for guidance, and they deliver. “A lot of our customers come to us with their ideas, and if we don’t agree with them, it’s because our product doesn’t allow for it,” Dyess explains. “So, they look to us to guide them, and most of the time we find a happy middle ground. We have a lot of products, and our new wood additions only enhance our offerings.” Clearly, Dyess loves what he does, so much so that he can make this claim to tout the use of older reclaimed woods: “Wood is like a fine wine, it gets better with time.” *

Ellen Uribe is an award-winning journalist and a communications expert. She is a sought-after speaker, participating as a moderator and panelist at numerous industry events, conferences and broadcast outlets. She has contributed to Vanity Fair, Palm Beach Life, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Women’s Wear Daily and Time Magazine