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Cook County Home Center, Grand Marais, Mn., has acquired the assets of local competitor Sawtooth Lumber.
Sawtooth Lumber will become the Westside branch of Cook County Home Center, which is located just east of Grand Marais. The new Westside location will serve as the receiving location for all building supplies. The Eastside location will remain the Ace Hardware Store and self-service lumberyard with most of its current building supply inventory.
“We were outgrowing our Eastside location,” said Cook County president Nate Sheils. “This acquisition gives us more space, consolidates the buying power of the two lumberyards, and allows us to manage a larger inventory. That is a real benefit for our contractor customers and vendors.”
Customer deliveries from the lumberyard will originate at the Westside location, allowing for maximum consolidation of jobsite deliveries, improving delivery efficiency and timeliness.
Tom Junker, Sawtooth’s former owner, will continue to operate his family’s other lumberyards, Voyageur Lumber in Ely, Junker’s Lumber in Littlefork, and Porky’s Building Supply in Eveleth.
Cook County Home Center is owned by Sheils and Jeff Buetow, who acquired the business—formerly Superior Lumber—in 2015.
“This acquisition allows us to continue the growth of our business,” Buetow said. “And we plan to continue providing our hardware store and lumberyard customers with all the best products and service.”
