Carhart Lumber started in Wayne, Nebraska, in 1921 by brothers Charles E. Carhart and Arthur Benjamin Carhart. The company is still family -owned and operated by Scott and Brenda Carhart, fourth-generation owners. This year, Carhart Lumber is celebrating 100 years of business with each of its nine locations across Nebraska — Norfolk, Wayne, Hartington, Bloomfield, Tilden, Neligh, Burwell, O’Neill and North Platte and subdivisions Carhart Kitchen & Bath in Pierce, Carhart Interior Designs and Carhart Insulation.

   In 1995, the Carhart family expanded their services to the Norfolk area. Scott Carhart hired Tod Johnson as an outside salesman. Shortly thereafter, they decided it was time to make a footprint in the community and established a permanent office. 1806 Square Turn Blvd. was opened as the first Carhart Lumber location in Norfolk. Kevin Marshall came on board as a draftsman, and Shawn Kai was hired as an additional salesman. Joel Oltmans transferred from the Carhart Lumber store in Randolph, Nebraska, to manage the Norfolk office in 1999.

   It became apparent that Carhart Lumber could not meet the needs of customers and contractors from its small office, so in 2004, Carhart Lumber purchased property at 2100 Riverside Blvd. from Paul Abler. The 6-acre property was the home of an enormous brick structure that had once been the Nash-Finch warehouse. The more than 100-year-old building had crumbled into a state of disrepair and needed to be demolished. It was 3 stories high and went about 8 feet underground with the original foundation. As demolition of the old warehouse commenced, plans for the new Carhart facility evolved to accommodate the need for a large showroom, product warehouse and loading dock.

   Construction on the new facility began in April 2012 and opened in May 2013. “The purpose was to be a design destination where the customer could come in and see what was available for their home or remodel project,” said Brenda Carhart, vice president of the company. The new store would provide a large showroom for materials and ample warehouse space to store products.

   After the sudden and unexpected passing of Joel Oltmans in 2012, Tod Johnson respectfully stepped in as the store manager. “Joel’s larger than life personality, along with strong personal relationships with customers and a commitment to excellent customer service, set the tone for growth and success at the Norfolk location,” said Tod Johnson. Personal relationships and exceptional customer service continue to be part of the business model for Carhart’s success today.

   There were a number of valuable employees who started at Carhart in Norfolk and later advanced throughout the company. Kevin Marshall was the original draftsman at Norfolk in 1997 and is the lead draftsman today at Carhart in North Platte, Nebraska. Rob Lenzen was hired in 2004 as an outside salesman and is now the assistant manager at Carhart in Hartington, Nebraska. Kevin Burns started working in the yard in 2009 while attending college at Northeast and is now the store manager of Carhart in Bloomfield, Nebraska.

   Mark Benge, Mike Herbolsheimer, Blaine McDonald, Kim McDaniel, Haylie Babl and Adam Halsey are a few employees who are no longer with the company, but all played important roles in customer service and growth of Carhart Lumber in Norfolk in past years.

Today’s staff includes: Tod Johnson- Manager, Curt Wemhoff- Assistant Manager, Kyle Thompson- Sales, Jessica Borgelt- 3D Drafting & Design, Alan Ternus- Yard Foreman, Dan Anderson- Yard Associate, Greg Timmerman- Yard Associate, Kenny Kramer- Yard Associate and Brandi Lanman- Marketing Director.

   The abundant space at the newly built Carhart Lumber in Norfolk made room to add offices and displays for subdivisions; Carhart Kitchen & Bath and Carhart Interior Designs. Today’s staff includes: Mandy Humphrey- Kitchen & Bath Sales and Design, Lisa Sterns- Receptionist and Tammy Schweers- Professional Interior Designer. “All of the Carhart locations have experts in our industry,” said Brenda Carhart, vice president. “From building products to kitchen cabinetry, we have staff with years of experience working with these materials. You can’t put a price on the knowledge that they hold, and it’s just another service that we can promise to our customers.

   ”We really pride ourselves on our 3D drafting capabilities today,” said Tod Johnson, manager. “Jessica Borgelt, our 3D drafter, offers a great service in showing our customers a virtual footprint of their home before it’s even built.”

   Carhart Lumber in Norfolk is a package-deal for any homeowner. From windows, doors, shingles, decking and siding to Hunter Douglas window shades, cabinetry, countertops, Onyx showers and hardware, it’s a complete home design center. Anyone looking to build, remodel or update a home or business can find quality materials and expert advice at Carhart Lumber in Norfolk.