Herrman Lumber hosts customer appreciation night

More than 700 of the building material supplier's customers plan to attend an invite-only customer appreciation party at 5 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel, complete with “barbeque and bluegrass,” said Herrman manager Kent Phillips.

“We've had a great year,” he said. “The market's good and continues to be good. This is a kind of thank-you evening.”

At the center of Herrman's reasons for celebration is the company's plan to build a new Springfield facility. Delivery, sales and company offices will relocate to MM Highway, between James River and I-44, from its Herrman's current location at 332 S. Glenstone.

The land has been purchased, Phillips said, but the building is still in its planning stages. He expects the move to be complete in the third or fourth quarter.

Tonight's party guests will have the chance to peek at a $200,000 Orange County Choppers motorcycle, custom-built just for the event and commissioned by BlueLinx Co., a major Herrman client. Between 10 and 12 other motorcycles and cars will be on display, Phillips said.

Herrman Lumber was founded in 1917 and has 10 stores in southwest Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma.