84 Lumber has consolidated operations in two markets, while re-opening a store in the Lynchburg, Va. Market as part of its annual review of locations, the company said.
"At the end of the year, we review all of our stores from December through January," Jeff Nobers, vp of marketing and public relations for 84 Lumber, told ProSales in a telephone interview today.
As a result, 84 Lumber recently closed stores in High Point, N.C. and Smithtown, Long Island in New York.
However, the High Point market will continue to be partially served by a re-opened location in Lynchburg, Va. where 84 sees "opportunity," according to Nobers, following the closing of the Roper Brothers chain after it went bankrupt last month.
Sales personnel from High Point have been transferred to Lynchburg. High Point will also be served by a location in Winston-Salem, N.C.
"We ask if it's a market where we can consolidate or should we just not be in that market anymore," Nobers explained. "Even in the height of the housing boom, we closed stores."
On Long Island, 84 has consolidated its Smithtown location into its Islip yard. The company believes the move will give it a stronger sales presence in dense Suffolk and Nassau counties on the island.
Additional moves include consolidating a Port Jefferson store into 84 Lumber's Patchogue yard, which was expanded by two-and-a-half acres in 2007. The dealer has a third Long Island location in Riverhead.
Another closing took place in McDonough, Ga. The company has five other locations in Georgia including three stores surrounding the Atlanta market.
Altogether, 84 Lumber now operates about 300 stores in 36 states. This time last year, the company operated 316 locations.
84 Lumber ranked fourth on the 2009 ProSales listing with total 2008 sales of $2.1 billion.
