CEDAR AND SO MUCH MORE AT
THE CEDAR SHOP
Written by Rennay Craats Published by Melissa Mitchell
I
n 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.
Mitch Wile, President and Tyler Palko, Owner. Photo by Riverwood Photography
Begaiym Khaldarova and Oliva Lloyd, CBE Interns. Photo by Riverwood Photography.
THE CEDAR SHOP // 45 YEARS // 1
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