Century Club
Spahn & Rose: 115 and growing By Andy Carlo Baseball immortal Cy Young pitched the first perfect game in the modern era, and Theodore Roosevelt was president when Spahn & Rose Lumber Co. was formed in 1904. More than a century later, Spahn & Rose continues a tradition of providing products and services that make it easier for contractors and builders to operate their businesses efficiently and profitably. And the Dubuque, Iowa-based pro dealer continues to make moves. In early March, Spahn & Rose announced that it had acquired Lake Geneva, Wis.-based Dunn Lumber; also a 100-year-old-plus dealer having been founded in 1894. Dunn Lumber was recently named the 2019 Wisconsin Retail Lumber Association Dealer of the Year. Following the acquisition, Spahn & Rose now operates 18 locations in eastern Iowa, 4 in northern Illinois and 2 locations (including Dunn Lumber) in Wisconsin. The company also operates a lumber re-load center in Independence, Iowa to service its locations.
“One of our company’s strategic growth initiatives is to add profitable companies that share our culture and core values.” — Dave Davis, CEO of Spahn & Rose
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The dealer’s primary customers remain home builders, contractors and remodelers, accounting for about 80% of total sales with the remaining 20% of sales to homeowners and DIYers. All of Spahn & Rose’s locations have a complete assortment of millwork, cabinets and countertops to go along with a competitive selection of hand tools, power tools, fasteners, builder’s hardware and home security. The dealer’s flagship Dubuque location is its largest store, featuring a broader selection of nearly every product line it carries. “One of our company’s strategic growth initiatives is to add profitable companies that share our culture and core values,” said Dave Davis, CEO of Spahn & Rose. “I’ve known Dunn Lumber and their reputation in the industry for quite some time, so initiating a conversation with them was an easy call to make. Dunn Lumber does business much like we do, and closely aligns with our culture.” Dunn Lumber was founded in 1894 by Edward F. Dunn, and the store had been owned by the same family since it opened. Current owners — brothers Mike and Terry Dunn — are retiring after the sale to Spahn & Rose. Dunn serves builders, remodelers and homeowners
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throughout Walworth County, southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, consisting of lumber and building materials, hardware and rental divisions. “The culture at Dunn Lumber is very similar to Spahn & Rose, so it is a natural fit. We have no plans to change Dunn Lumber’s name, marketing focus or local management,” Davis says. Spahn & Rose has overcome numerous business disruptions over the course of its long history. In 1911, the main yard and corporate office in Dubuque were ravaged by a devastating fire. A new yard was soon built and remained in place before moving in 2015. During that same span the company survived multiple economic disasters, including the Great Depression and Great Recession. Most recently, like many in the industry, Spahn & Rose faced wide swings in lumber and commodity pricing in 2018. That wasn’t the only challenge last year. “Construction spending was down
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