News

Groveland lumber company shuts its doors today

By Jim Patten
Staff writer
Published: October 30, 2009

GROVELAND — It began as a sawmill operation 92 years ago and later expanded into a full-service lumberyard, supplying area contractors and homeowners with building materials.

But unable to overcome the difficult economy, the Ralph A. Esty and Sons Lumber Co., a landmark local business at 441 Main St., will close its doors as of 4 p.m. today. The company's five employees will be laid off.

"Basically, this comes down to an economic situation," said Steven Esty, 55, manager of the firm owned by his father and uncle Roy and Howard Esty, as he stood behind the counter yesterday morning.

He said the firm faces a tough winter in an already slow housing and renovation market with significant overhead costs to keep the company open.

"A decision had to be made," Steven Esty said.

He said with the deterioration of the housing market and slowdown of housing starts, the company had retooled itself toward the sawmill and rough-sawn products, but there was not enough business there to support the entire operation.

"Everything is coming to a standstill," Steven Esty said. "(Builders) may be taking a breather to see what happens. This all happened rather quickly."

Roy and Howard Esty made the decision to close up shop Wednesday night, Steven Esty said.

"It was a very gut-wrenching decision these guys had to make," Steven Esty said. "The decision did not come easily. They've spent their entire lives here."

He said no decision had been made on a sale of the inventory and remaining stock.

He said the firm began phasing out of the housing market and concentrating on the mill operations about two years ago.

It is possible someone may pick up the mill operations on a much smaller scale. Steven Esty said it was possible the company could reopen if someone were to come in with an offer and take it over.

Started by Ralph A. Esty in 1917 as a sawmill and cutting operation, the business underwent significant expansion in the 1960s and 1970s with a booming housing market, Steven Esty said.

"We got into building materials and hardware," Esty said. "I think it was a natural extension of the business."

He said the core of the business has always been the sawmill.

He said contractors represented about 30 percent of the business, and retail represented 70 percent.

He said he didn't see the emergence of The Home Depot and Lowe's stores as a factor in the demise of the firm.

"We always had higher-quality products and better service," he said.

The closure leaves area contractors with one fewer source of supplies for their jobs.

West Newbury carpenter Keith Colby, 57, said he started going to Esty's with his father when he was 10 years old and kept his association with the firm when he went into business for himself in 1982.

"I've been buying stock here since I was 20 years old, and when I went into business for myself, I based my business out of this place," Colby said. "I could always get everything I needed right here. I didn't have to go anywhere else."

Colby said most of his business was within a five-mile radius of Esty Lumber.

"Part of my history is gone," Colby said. "I will have to travel a lot farther to get what I need."

Stephen Corthell, 52, of Haverhill has been with Esty Lumber for 23 years, back in the day when the firm employed 60 people.

"I started off as a truck driver and worked my way up to yard foreman, which I was for about 10 years," Corthell said. "When things slowed down, I became a jack-of-all-trades."

Corthell said he had not gone out and applied for a job anywhere, but that he would likely sign up for unemployment benefits.

"I haven't been out of a job since 1976," Corthell said. "It's been 33 years since I had to think about looking for a job."