ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The former St. Clair Lumber Company is carrying on a century-long tradition of serving the area’s lumber and hardware needs.
Now open under new ownership and with a new name, St. Clair Building Center will have its official grand opening from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 6-7.
Dominic and Crystal Pietranton, owners of Dominic Pietranton Construction, purchased the company from longtime friends Bobby and Bonnie Pickenpaugh. Crystal Pietranton said the business has served the St. Clairsville community for decades and will continue to do so under new ownership. She noted that St. Clair Lumber originally belonged to Caroll “Bunk” Loy of Loy’s Building Center, who was well-known around the city.
“He did repair work for every single person in the town,” Pietranton said. “A lot of the houses in St. Clairsville were built through St. Clair Lumber and the material came through St. Clair Lumber.”
She added that the business was started in 1922 in a prior location that burned down in 1967. In 2022, the business marked its 100th year.
“There is a lot of history here, and it’s something that the town needs,” she said. “Everyone’s just so happy for it to be back open.”
St. Clair Building Center’s name was chosen to incorporate Loy’s Building Center and St. Clair Lumber Company in one. Crystal Pietranton said she and her husband have great respect for both companies and their families. She added that Dominic Pietranton is a lifelong friend of the Pickenpaughs. And the couple regularly shopped at St. Clair Lumber since opening their construction business in 2001.
“He was a longtime friend and supporter of the previous owner and basically had shopped there for the longest time, supporting local business and doing what we can,” she said. “We always used to joke with him that when he was ready to retire, he wanted to buy St. Clair Lumber and run it.
“Bobby was slowing down and not carrying as much stuff. He just saw the need for it more and more,” Crystal Pietranton said.
When Pickenpaugh decided to retire, he made the offer.
“The city needed it, the contractors needed it, and people needed to just be able to come down and get some quick stuff and grab what they needed and try to support local business, maybe avoid running to a more congested, busier mall area,” she said.
She said they plan to move their construction company to the lower level of the building. Upstairs, hardware and building product needs for the community, do-it-yourselfers, and contractors are again available.
“When you come in and see inside of it, we’re trying to pay homage to both of them,” she said of the former businesses.
The Pietrantons said they have a “vision” to continue to serve the city of St. Clairsville and the surrounding area just as the two previous families did. Crystal said customers can expect the same level of care and attention.
“The thing Mr. Pickenpaugh’s store and St. Clair Lumber was known for was the very helpful service. When you walked in the door you were greeted by a person,” Crystal Pietranton said, adding customers can still expect advice and one-on-one discussion with a “hometown” feel.
“This is our town, and we look forward to serving the community,” said Dominic Pietranton in a news release.
“We completely remodeled the entire building. We revitalized because it has been there since the 1950s,” Crystal Pietranton said. “I encourage people to come and see it, because I don’t think they’ll believe the transformation that there has been, and we just want to be here to serve anyone. … If there’s something that we don’t have, we can order anything.”
More additions are planned for the future.
“We’re going to focus on hardware store needs, contractor needs,” she said, adding her husband has a history of working with many area contractors. “There’s a lot of stuff people have to run to Wheeling or different areas that are not as centrally located for travelers.”
She said they will also focus on farming needs. Since Kirke Porterfield closed Porterfield’s Drive-Thru Farm in March, he provided some insight and advice.
The business will also eventually be a propane filling station through Pivotal Propane, something that has never been offered at the location.
The business is located at 159 S. Sugar St. A grand opening celebration will take place 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 6, with a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. The celebration will continue at 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 7. Door prizes, vendor displays, vendor promotions and store specials will be available. Door prizes will be drawn on Jan 7.