South Texas Lumber Company At 209 Pasadena Blvd.

[LarryDallas]

Yes, this place is not in Metro Houston but this topic will get many more views here so I ask the moderators to keep it here.

I work in Pasadena and needed some lumber today so rather than go to a big box I decided to go by South Texas Lumber because it is closer and just walking back in time when you are on the property. I walked in and the showroom is almost empty and a closed sign is on the door.

So then I got the bad news of the closure. You can read all about it at the link below. They were supposed to close last month but they stayed open a bit longer to be rid of the inventory. Even if you do not need to buy anything I would suggest you stop by and check out the builing and grounds. Everything is pretty much dating back to 1946 and it feels like you are on a movie set there. The most impressive thing is the design of the outdoor lumber yard shelter and how the timbers of the structure are the ones installed back in the 40s. Also be sure to check out the shed area where plywood was once stored. EVERYTHING is so well built and crafted....my jaw dropped.

I am very sad to see this place go. A few of the employees I spoke with said that the business directly behind them bought the property so I would assume it will be demolished completely and we lose another historic building.

It's almost a holy place IMHO.....Since July 5, 1947 think of all of the workmen and builders than passed through those doors, all of the trucks that drove into that lumber yard out back, and the wood that passed through those gates to end up building huge areas of Pasadena over the decades.

You have to check out the safe.....apparently some kids broke into the place in the 1970s so they got it secondhand as a model built in the 1920s. I hope someone takes that thing home and it is not recycled for the metal. Just everything about the place is before the time of "made in taiwan or made in china".

The staff is very friendly and will speak with you to answer questions and mention trivia. Oh, but do stop by sometime this week coming up because they are almost ready to close forever. If anyone from STLC is reading this I wish you the best of luck in whatever you do next and I hate that your business is going away. Best Wishes though.

http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/06/25/pasadena_citizen/news/061310_lumber_company.txt

This place is located in Pasadena just south of 225 on Pasadena Blvd.

I will probably go by again with a camera and take tons of photos so look for them soon.

[NenaE]

I've seen that name so many times, in relation to residential & commercial bldg. in Pasadena, when digging through old archives.

I traveled through old and new Pasadena many times as a kid, with my dad, and can't recall this bldg. Please, pictures...we love pictures.

And thanks for sharing the news.

[LarryDallas]

Here are some photos I took on the final day of business (Aug 31, 2010). If you drive by as of today the building is still there and you might see people inside moving things and vacating what is left over if you go on a weekday. I talked to one of the yard workers on the last day and this was aparently the last of 14 Houston area stores. The owner is pretty much filthy rich and has a 200 acer ranch in SE Texas which is where all of the unsold stuff will be transfered to.

They had firesale prices on that final day....I bought (3) 2x14s 16 footers for $3 each and 20 cents a foot for treated 1x4s 12 footers.

Pretty much everything you see in the photos has been there since 1946. All of the lumber for the shelter has been there since day 1 and survived the heat/humidity/hurricanes of SE Texas for over 60 years.

[editor]

Thanks so much for sharing those pictures. It's a lot smaller than I thought it would be. Those timber shelters are pretty amazing, though. Imagine how many hurricanes they have survived. The look like it, too. So much history.

[NenaE]

Hey, I know that bldg. I've driven by there so many times. It's close to the old part of Pasadena, right off Hwy 225. What a nice design. One of my favorite time periods. Hopefully it will be used respectfully, in the future.

Thnx for sharing the story & photos with us. What a history.

[dbigtex56]

A shame that this building is being demolished. It needs to be a coffee shop, or restaurant, or retail - anything but a vacant lot.

I hope at least some of its materials are saved. Gotta love those florescent light fixtures.

[LarryDallas]

I am 99% sure it will be demolished and the company that sits right behind it will expand their existing building or just have a lot.

I wanted to purchase one of those lights because they have been there since day one but were left dormant sometime in the 1970s when they added other lighting. Anyway, they said the building was sold and they did not want to breach the terms of the sale by parting things out. So I got the number of the new owner but he never returned my call so I was unable to buy. Sadly, they will probably all end up at a dump somewhere.

The building is still there as of today so swing by if you want to at least see if from the street. The wrecking ball will probably swing before X-mas I'm sure.

[Subdude]

It's always sad to see small locally owned businesses go. Nice building too.

[Specwriter]

It's always sad to see small locally owned businesses go. Nice building too.

It is a very nice building. I'm sure the details like the stone crest and glass block clerestory windows were indicative of the owner's pride in his enterprise. I'll bet that was reflected in the service he gave his customers too. Contrast that with the big concrete boxes and their bland entry canopies we are practically forced to patronize today. Thanks for sharing the images, Larry. It is bittersweet.