Although empty now, these lumberyard stalls will soon be full of inventory as La Jara Trading Post expands into Alamosa.

Family

expands

business, jobs



By RUTH HEIDE

ALAMOSA — When Alamosa lost one of its building supply outlets this summer, family-owned La Jara Trading Post stepped up to resurrect the local business and hire back the employees who wanted to stay.

The family who own La Jara Trading Post has purchased the former Stock Building Supply property and plans to re-open it as Alamosa Building Supply the end of August or first of September. A grand opening will be planned for that time.

Stock had the lease on the building until July 31, so the new owners can take possession on Saturday. The new owners will then bring in inventory, set up computer systems and perform other tasks necessary prior to re-opening the lumberyard.

“We are just excited as a company going forward with this, expanding our operation, and we are glad that we could continue to keep the money here in the Valley,” said Hoyt Anderson, one of the owners of La Jara Trading Post. “It is not going to go out to some big corporation out of town or out of state.”

He said Alamosa Building Supply will be a replica of La Jara Trading Post with the same mottoes and business standards the family has operated under for decades.

“We want to take care of the small guys to the big guys,” Anderson said. “We pride ourselves on customer service, and that’s exactly what we are going to have at that yard. We want to have the best customer service in the Valley at the right price and the right product.”

He added, “I am confident we can compete with the Home Depots of the world and still have the personal touch of the small lumberyard.”

Anderson said the process to buy Stock occurred rapidly this summer after corporate headquarters decided to close the Stock Building Supply store in Alamosa.

“It’s been fast paced,” Anderson said. He credited teamwork to bringing the deal together.

Stock had been in the Valley since 1996 when it took over Denpack.

The Andersons have been in business much longer. Hoyt’s father bought White Hardware in 1964. Leonard Smith now owns the downtown Alamosa hardware store formerly known as White Hardware, now known as Ace Hardware.

The Anderson brothers and sister continue their father’s retail legacy.

The Anderson family bought the La Jara Trading Post property in 1985 and has been in business there ever since. With the purchase of the former Stock property, the family will expand its operations. “The same company will own both yards,” Anderson said.

Alamosa Building Supply will be located at the same Tremont Avenue site as Stock, easily accessible from Highway 285 in Alamosa.

Anderson said the family hired about 75 percent of the former Stock employees. The only ones the family did not hire were those who were moving away or taking different career paths. All those who wanted to continue to work in the business had the opportunity under the new owners, and La Jara Trading Post has kept them busy pending the re-opening of the Alamosa business. Some have been working at La Jara Trading Post for 45-60 days already. “We are still taking care of the contracts and going forward with that yard,” Anderson said.

“We have a good diversification of employees,” Anderson said, “and we have more positions we are looking for.” He said the Alamosa Building Supply yard will ultimately employ 10-15 people, depending on the season. He expected 10 would be employed full time.

“With any lumber yard, any business, you are only as good as the employees,” Anderson said. “We have a great team, and we will continue to build that team.”

Anderson said La Jara Trading Post crews make deliveries to Alamosa three to four times a day, “and we are happy to serve anyone anywhere in the Valley.”