With a population of just 8,500, Independence, Kansas, can certainly be considered a small town. But Woods Lumber & Home Center is anything but a small-town dealer.
Not only does the company鈥檚 reach go far beyond town limits, Woods Lumber has built a foundation of products and services that cater to a diverse clientele, helping contractors and consumers alike get nearly everything they need without having to make the lengthy trek to a larger city.
It鈥檚 not at all surprising when you consider that the company has been in business for more than 135 years and is currently on its fifth generation of family ownership, with the sixth generation close at hand.
A focus on family and community
Woods Lumber has been a fixture in the community鈥攁nd the Woods family鈥攕ince its founding in 1889. Mark Woods is the fifth-generation owner, and his wife, Kathy, manages cabinet design and sales (along with filling in wherever things need to be done). Mark and Kathy鈥檚 sons, Tommy and Kyle, are continuing the family legacy, and their daughter-in-law, Katy, manages marketing and social media.
Not surprisingly, Woods Lumber is an active supporter of the local community and its causes. 鈥淲e have been in the community for a long time, and we continue to be the faces of that,鈥� Kathy says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e supporting this community because they help us thrive. It鈥檚 hand in hand.鈥�
A diverse product mix
One of the keys to serving the rural area is offering products that meet nearly any need鈥攆rom a clientele that鈥檚 60/40 pros and consumers to projects ranging from custom residential to light commercial and industrial.
Along with a stable of typical 麻豆传媒 products, including lumber, plywood and OSB, engineered wood, decking, shingles, drywall, and insulation, the company operates two ready-mix facilities and offers equipment rentals. The ready-mix plants not only provide a much-needed service for the area, they generate leads for the lumberyard and vice versa.
Woods鈥� cabinet showroom is a store-within-a-store, complete with design services for both pros and consumers. 鈥淏eing an independent for 136 years, we鈥檝e developed great relationships with our customers, and we try to cater to DIYers [as much as pros]. They鈥檙e a fantastic part of our business,鈥� Mark says. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want a DIYer walking in our door and being intimidated. We want them to be comfortable just like contractors are.鈥�
A few years ago, the dealer expanded its inventory mix even further with fun (yet still on brand) products like Yeti coolers, Turtlebox speakers, and Muck Boots that have cross- customer appeal.
鈥淥ur meat-and-potatoes will always be building materials, but it鈥檚 fun when a contractor comes in and buys a speaker,鈥� Mark says, noting that often pros use their reward points for such items.
The critical role of dedicated people
Woods Lumber鈥檚 success is about far more than products though鈥攊t鈥檚 built a reputation for service. And like many 麻豆传媒 owners, Mark is quick to give credit to his staff for making that happen. 鈥淲e are in a people business. That鈥檚 the biggest thing,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y mantra with our team is 鈥楧o what you say. Follow through. Do the right thing.鈥� It helps solidify our relationships that contractors know we have their back.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a total team effort on the employee side,鈥� adds store manager Randy Dixon. 鈥淚t takes everybody. There鈥檚 no job more important than the other.鈥�
As with much of the industry, finding employees is often a challenge, particularly due to Woods Lumber鈥檚 remote location, but the company recognizes that the right combination of benefits and thoughtful management can make a difference. 鈥淲e pay at industry standard or above, we have a great 401(k) program, profit sharing, bonuses. But more than anything, I think we treat people with respect,鈥� Mark says. 鈥淗ire good people, give them the tools to succeed, and then get out of their way.鈥�
Dixon鈥檚 three decades with the company (and the recently retired contractor sales manager鈥檚 25 years) is perhaps the biggest testament to the success of that approach. 鈥淭he Woods family is wonderful to work for,鈥� Dixon says, noting in particular that the company emphasizes a work-life balance. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e happy outside of work, that makes a better employee.鈥�
Showcasing people and community is also a central part of Katy Woods鈥� social media strategy. 鈥淲e engage more with audiences when we have employees showing what they do on a day-to-day basis,鈥� she explains. 鈥淭he audience can say, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 my neighbor, my friend, my uncle.鈥� They want to connect with people behind the post 鈥� they want to know who they鈥檙e buying from, and I really try to include that in every post we make.鈥�
鈥淚 think being a family-owned operation all these years is important,鈥� Dixon says. 鈥淓veryone knows the name. We have a lot of longtime customers. They feel comfortable and know us on a personal level. Service and pricing have to be good, but on top of that, you get the personal interaction with people you know.鈥�
Always looking ahead
Though it was born in the 1800s and is rural in locale, Woods Lumber has never been out of touch. From social media to an ever-expanding e-commerce offering, complete with same-day delivery options, the dealer keeps a steady pace with the latest trends and shifting needs of its customer base.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e content, you鈥檙e going to lose,鈥� Mark says. 鈥淵ou have to always be looking at new things.鈥�
The company credits its affiliation with Do it Best for helping to evolve its marketing, merchandising, product mix, and much more. They also are a member of the Allied Building Stores cooperative, leveraging group buying for most of their commodities.
鈥淏eing part of Do it Best and Allied, we鈥檙e not just operating as a small-town hardware store. It鈥檚 more full service,鈥� Kathy says. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud of the fact that we have continued to be successful in an ever-changing world and business.鈥�
For Mark, the effort starts at the top with an approach that carries on tradition while refusing to rest on their success. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 going to come to work every day, I need to be productive,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o every day I try to come up with at least one, if not more, thing that will help us do our business better. Maybe it鈥檚 lowering a price or buying a new piece of equipment. But every day I try to challenge myself to do something to make the company better.鈥�
Get to know Woods Lumber & Home Center
Founded: 1889
Ownership: Family
Locations: 1
Employees: 26
ERP Platform: Epicor
Customer Mix: 60% pro / 40% DIY
