By Julie Little
Orel Tollefson has had the notion of opening a lumber store ever since Hagen Lumber in Mabel closed 15 years ago. He knew that with his busy construction business (Tollefson Construction) he would always have at least one steady customer. But he wanted a partner. His sons had helped him, learning the building trade with hands-on experience throughout their early lives, but all three had chosen careers in other fields. Then, in the winter of 2015, Orel was in a tough spot. He had a guy that quit and a house to build. Fortunately, one son, Adam, a skilled mechanic who had been living and working in Harmony, was ready for a change at the same time. “I just needed a guarantee that we’d be busy through the winter, and we were,” said Adam. Orel had his partner.
Father and son make a good team. They agree and disagree, but they do work well together. Orel does the ordering for Mabel Lumber. He’s been working in the construction business since 1975 (over 40 years) and it comes easily to him. Adam does the numbers like budget and inventory. Orel’s wife, Marcia, will work in the office and showroom part time. Orel says, “Marcia’s a smart woman, and the smartest thing I ever did was marry her.” Adam’s wife, Sheena, is also a big part of the business. Not only does she do the books, she is a talented graphic designer. Sheena worked with LetterWerks to create the logo and is building the website for Mabel Lumber. Adam and Sheena relocated to Mabel in June, moving their growing family to a two-story home just a couple blocks away from the store.
One thing about a family business that both father and son enjoy is not having to report to anyone else. If they want to take a day off or work a flexible schedule, they can. However, Adam and Orel tend to start work far earlier and keep working far later in the day than they would for any employer. They love what they do.
Good business, for the Tollefsons, means service. “We may not have the volume pricing that a Menard’s could offer, but our customers will want to come back for our expertise and our service,” says Orel. “Our customers are people we know – our friends and neighbors.” Another big benefit is delivery. While more distant lumberyards charge for delivery, Mabel Lumber delivers locally for free.
Good business is also about community. “I’m going to make my stand in Mabel,” Orel says. He feels very strongly that a small community’s survival depends on everybody working together. “One person can’t do it alone, but one person can do his part. We help Mabel and Mabel helps us.” Just the other day, Orel was at Village Farm and Home talking with the owner’s son. Shortly after, he got a call from the store. A customer there was looking for some lattice. Orel was working on a house in Hesper but said, “Meet me at Mabel Lumber in ten minutes and I’ll get you what you need.” When they can’t fill a request, Orel and Adam will try to find someone else in town who can. According to Orel, “Nobody here is going to get rich, but if we work together, we might all make a living.”
The lumberyard is open for business right now but the building itself is far from being done. Standing amid concrete rubble, Adam and Orel talk about their plans to put in a showroom, an office and a large heated shop. They’ll do all the work themselves even while they continue to run both Tollefson Construction and Mabel Lumber. Work gets done as time allows. Look for an Open House celebration in spring… or sooner if all goes well.
Orel and Adam want to grow the business. “You always dream big,” says Adam, “more lumber, more building crews, more equipment… but whatever happens, happens.” They’ll grow their business as it makes sense: slowly, wisely, and sustainably. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot to offer even now. And, once completed, Mabel Lumber’s showroom will have a nice selection of cabinets, flooring, siding, doors, windows, shingles, steel, and more to choose from. There won’t be a large inventory in stock but because of a close relationship with Badger Corrugating, a wholesaler out of La Crosse, orders from Mabel Lumber will be delivered in one day. “You can get anything you need to do remodeling projects, build a residential home, or construct an outbuilding,” Adam says, “We do anything and everything above ground.” In addition, shoppers at Mabel Lumber will have the option to order supplies and do projects themselves, hire their own crew, or hire the Tollefson Construction crew. “Mabel Lumber and Tollefson Construction are two separate companies, but if you need materials, we’ll get them. And if you need a building crew, we’ll have one ready to go,” Orel promises.
Mabel Lumber is located at 110 Alpine Ave. in Mabel. The shop phone is (507) 493-5499. While the shop itself is under construction, you can leave a message and one of the owners will get back to you between 12 and 1 p.m. or after 5 p.m. If you need next day materials or have an immediate question, Adam can best be reached at (507) 459-5040 and Orel at (507) 450-4483.
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