Tuttle Lumber Addresses Property Re-Zoning Rumors At Friday Press Conference

By, Jenna Hawkins

Reporter

Every city has roots that support its community and help the city thrive. San Marcos will soon say goodbye to one of its historical roots. Tuttle Lumber will be temporarily closing its San Marcos location February 2 in preparation for their Grand Retirement Store Closing Sale starting Thursday, Feb 5. Everything from power tools and paint to the store’s rental equipment will be up for sale. The sale will last up to March 15 when Tuttle Lumber will be closing its San Marcos doors permanently.

The closing of Tuttle Lumber will mark the end of an era in San Marcos. Since 1950 when
James Tuttle started the business, Tuttle Lumber has been a local retail landmark.  Today the store is owned by Don Gilbreath, whose father bought the store from the Tuttle family in 1979. From sweeping floors and driving forklifts at the age of 9, to assuming full ownership, Gilbreath has seen Tuttle Lumber grow from a family run business to an extended family that simply ran a business together.

The youngest of three children, Gilbreath has spent most of his life working at Tuttle Lumber. Starting at age 9, he worked with his dad through high school until he took a break from Tuttle Lumber to attend Southwest Texas State University. After graduating college Gilbreath returned to Tuttle Lumber to work with his father full time until 1999 when he assumed full ownership.

Though Gilbreath had spent a majority of his life with Tuttle Lumber, he still had to adjust to the burden that comes with ownership.

“Everything goes back to the top and who’s at the top is 100 percent responsible for everything and everyone,” he said. “When my dad and I were working together, I felt like we were sharing that burden. I had a safety net then, he was my rock, always had been. But it all fell on my shoulders after I became the owner.”

Gilbreath has said his age, energy, and stamina helped him take on that burden.

“I welcomed it,” he said. “I was very ambitious and I had aggressive growth plans for the business. I wanted to take it where dad left off and beyond. I began to formulate a vision for the business as far as to how I wanted to develop it out and we were very blessed over the 2000’s and then … actually up to 2009. So we had almost a 10 year run of just great business.”

In 2006, Tuttle Lumber had what Gilbreath called a “Star Spangled Banner Year.” He says they are likely to never see another like it. In 2007 their annual sales began to drop, and by 2008 they were back down to their 7 to 10 year average. Halfway through 2009, the bottom fell out of the lumber and the building material industry nationwide.

“Nobody was expecting it,” Gilbreath said. “It caught the entire industry off guard. Some markets fell harder than others.”

It took Gilbreath 2 years to right size the store and the store flat-lined from there.

“The Recession brought me to my knees,” he said. “It wasn’t until then that I realized that I couldn’t go any farther on my own, and that I had to have the support and the encouragement of Christ. That’s when my transformation began, and from that point forward, my faith has grown every day since.”

Coming out of the recession, Gilbreath has said he was no longer obsessed with profit. Instead, he has become obsessed with serving people.

“The recession was the absolute worst, most traumatic thing that has ever happened to me professionally,” he said. “However, it has turned out to be the greatest thing that ever happened to me personally. It changed me.”

After struggling for 2 years Gilbreath came to a realization.

“My heart was no longer in the business. I’ve lost my passion,” he said. “I could no longer ask my employees to keep their heart in something mine was not.”

Gilbreath’s love for his employees is clear. When he was nearing his decision to close the store he called his friend, Brain McCoy. McCoy, who is the CEO of McCoy’s Building Supply, offered to interview all of Gilbreath’s 22 part-time and full-time employees.

“We have appreciated the opportunity to work with Don through this transition of his San Marcos location and wish him ongoing success as he continues to serve customers from his Lockhart location,” McCoy said.

“McCoy’s and their team are great and have been such a blessing during this turmoil,” Gilbreath said. “They have always been like a partner to us and both companies send business back and forth.”

On January 30, a news conference was held where Mr. Gilbreath answered questions surrounding the store’s closing.  A rumor that the property would be replaced by multi-family housing was addressed.

“There is absolutely no current contract on this property,” said Melissa Jewett, Media Coordinator for Don Gilbreath and Tuttle Lumber.

Tuttle Lumber has hired ETR Development Consulting to facilitate zoning change on the property. The property Tuttle Lumber resides on is currently divided between a Light Industrial zoning district and a T5 (Urban Center) zoning district. ETR Development Consulting has requested to have the Light Industrial zoning district, in which automotive shops, heavy equipment sales and service, lumberyards and warehouses can be built, changed to a T4 (General Urban) zoning district, which can include restaurants, city offices and retail shops. A T4 zoning district would be more compatible with the existing T5 zoning district, which can include sidewalk cafes, courtyards and apartments.

The first reading of the ordinance by City Council for the zoning change will be on February 17, and the second reading will be on March 3.

If you have any further questions or would like to set up an interview Don Gilbreath or his employees, Tuttle Lumber has requested that you contact Melissa Jewett, owner of Corridor Media Group, at Melissa@SMCorridorNews.com or (512)-920-2850.