Building Steady Business in Texas

Founded in 1944, Teague Lumber Co. in Fort Worth, Texas, has adapted through the decades to remain a central destination for lumber and hardware supplies.

Now, the company is still family-owned and overseen by president and general manager Paul Teague, grandson of the original founder, R.J. Teague. He isn’t the only Teague working within the company: Don Stogsdill has 55 years of experience as an inside salesperson; Randy Stogsdill is vice president of customer relations and also a grandson of founder R.J. Teague; and Stephanie Gilley, a cousin to Paul Teague, serves as the vice president of accounting.

According to Paul Teague, this family presence is reflected not only in the business’s administration, but also in the customers it serves.

“I really enjoy the relationships and interactions we have with our customers,” he says. “We’ve established a lot of long-term connections that go way back. We’ve had customers that turn into fathers, then their kids become customers, and then their grandchildren are coming in. We really like seeing that develop.”

Constructing New Sales

Teague Lumber is located within one of the busiest construction zones in the U.S. According to analytics firm Metrostudy, more than 34,000 new single family homes were started in the Dallas-Fort Worth region in 2018, with median home prices around $330,000.

Teague says that construction activity has energized his professional and DIY customers alike.

“Business has been good so far this year, thanks to the construction in the region,” he says. “There are always cycles, but you have to take advantage of it while it’s there. We’ve been fortunate and we hope the building continues.”

Teague says the business doesn’t rely extensively on advertising to boost sales. Instead, word-of-mouth recommendations have helped spread the word about the quality of Teague Lumber’s supplies and its employees’ helpfulness.

With the price of lumber always fluctuating, Teague says diligently observing the market is crucial.

“Lumber prices always rise and fall,” he says. “It’s something the business has to monitor to keep customers informed about changes.”

Even if customers aren’t planning a large-scale construction project, Teague says employees are trained to fully understand a shopper’s prospective project and guide them toward a beneficial solution.

With supplier Blish-Mize’s assistance, the business has introduced an array of hardware and home improvement products to meet every customer’s needs, Teague says.

Eyes on Tomorrow

Even with the rise and fall of construction activity and lumber prices, Teague says the business has its sights set firmly on the future.

As one of the few family businesses in this industry still operating in the region, Teague says maintaining steady sales, introducing new products and adapting to market shifts is crucial.

“Our plan is to keep doing what we’ve been doing for 75 years,” he says. “We want to keep this operation rolling, keep our niche and do what we do best.”