Kanab’s Lumber Plus formally transitions cooperative partner from True Value to Do it Best; begins store expansion

“We figured if things are going to be messy for a little while, we might as well double down and have it all done at once,” said Debbie Buck of Kanab’s Lumber Plus hardware store. Lumber Plus has been preparing for a major transition process since the buyout of their current co-op partner and primary inventory provider, True Value. True Value has been undergoing bankruptcy proceedings and a subsequent buyout by hardware competitor Do it Best, meaning a shift in inventory and branding for partners like Lumber Plus.

Photos by Ty Gant.

“Since we’re already making a transition,” Buck stated, “we figured now would be a good time to put in the store expansion we were planning anyway … we’ve needed more space for a while and now’s a good time.” The expansion to which Buck refers includes extra square footage in the back of the store - currently occupied by offices and storage - a new contractor’s office and a significant increase in space via building into the adjacent structure which housed the Cliffview Chapel Baptist Church until last year.

Lumber Plus currently sits at about 7,000 square feet, and after the expansion the location will be about 10,000. According to Lumber Plus management, the new space will be used partially for new stock, but mostly to make the store more accommodating. Said Buck, “We’re going to be able to take the top level off of most of our shelves so our customers can reach those items, and where we’ve been finding niches a few feet at a time to fit new stock, this gives us a chance to reorganize and make sure everything has a proper place; when we’re done, the store will be much more accessible, flow a lot better and be much more intuitive, it will be much easier to find things in their proper place. We won’t be so crowded!”

Lumber Plus leadership does not anticipate a significant change in service during the transition; per Buck, “Some things will be a little different, some things we’ll have to change brands on, but 99 percent of our inventory will stay the same … our spring season will be a little messy as we settle where things are and whether or not we have certain items. We just ask people to be patient and ask when they have questions.”

According to Buck, management expects the construction to be done by July 2025, and the inventory restock to be complete by August; she reassured her clientele that, outside of some simple rebranding, Lumber Plus’ daily operations are generally unaffected by the Do it Best Buyout. “Some people seemed to think we were going out of business or something,” Buck said, “but I want those people to know we’re absolutely still in business!”