INDEPENDENT PROFILE
Sparr Building & Farm Supply is off and running Florida dealer opening its fourth location in horse country.
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parr Building & Farm Supply is branching out to its fourth location this summer. Based in Sparr, Fla., the dealer completed the purchase of the former Nichols Lumber Company in Dunnellon, Fla. in March. Sparr is renovating the site and plans to open a 5,000 square-foot retail space. The new Sparr location will include a six-acre lumberyard including a drive-thru lumber barn and feed warehouse. The company also operates locations in Sparr, Williston, and Wildwood, Fla. The dealer serves contractors, residential builders and DIYers with about 50% of its business catering to agricultural needs, including feed and fencing. “We are not your typical lumber yard and we are not your typical farm store, either,” Sparr President Sam Howard told HBSDealer. The latest expansion marks the fourth Florida county that Sparr will operate within. Sparr’s last expansion move was the opening of its Wildwood location in 2008 as the Great Recession hit. “That’s when we got our doctorate in retailing,” Howard says. The Wildwood store remains the company’s largest and features 30,000 square feet of retail space in addition to
“We are not your typical lumber yard and we are not your typical farm store, either.” —Sam Howard, President
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The flagship Sparr Building and Farm Supply location in Sparr, Fla.
a yard on 14.5 acres. Sparr’s locations surround Ocala, Fla., which has more horses per square mile than anywhere else in the world, according to Howard. “That same piece of lumber can be used on a ranch or residential construction,” Howard explains. “The one side leads to sales on the other side because we have the products in stock.” Building products the dealer carries include lumber, treated lumber, metal roofing, and drywall, among others. Due to the needs of each community it serves, including farm and ranch requests, each Sparr location carries its own mix of products. Sparr was founded in 1947 on three acres north of Ocala, Fla. Elbert Griggs opened Sparr Building and Farm Supply with a vision to provide a quality product and willingness to treat each customer like family. The original store had gas pumps and groceries along with general hardware and lumber merchandise. In 1981, the Howard family purchased the business from their aunt and uncle – the Griggs.
SEPTEMBER 2020 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER
Locally, when residents say, “I’m going down to Sparr,” most are referring to the store instead of the town where it resides. Today, brothers Sam and Paul Howard actively own and operate the business. Sales have been more than solid for Sparr in 2020, despite the COVID-19 crisis. “Things are booming, we are off to our best year ever,” Howard said. Part of that success has been driven by DIYers who decided to invest in projects while spending more time at home during the crisis. “That’s where it came in handy that we cater to homeowners too,” Howard notes. During the pandemic, Sparr has taken every step it could to ensure the safety of its 130 employees, including protective equipment, social distancing, cleaning precautions, and plexiglass barriers. When HBSDealer spoke with Sparr earlier this summer, not a single employee was hit by COVID-19. Looking ahead to 2021, Sam said that Sparr will focus on having a new online sales presence “up and running.”
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