Springfield Mill & Lumber closing after 141 years

Springfield Mill & Lumber, a local staple since 1868, is shutting its doors at the end of March.

The lumber and building supplies company has sold part of its inventory and transferred half of its 20-member staff to Southern Supply Co. at 3216 E. Division St., according to Springfield Mill & Lumber owner M. Lloyd Wright. The remaining inventory is on sale for 50 percent to 70 percent off at its 216 W. Central St. store.

The closure, first reported this morning by Springfield News-Leader, will bring an end to 141 years of service to the residential and commercial construction industry.

"We'd been anticipating it because of the lackluster business we've had in the building materials industry for the last year or so," Wright said, noting that sales have been down between 50 percent and 60 percent. "The volume of business that you need to keep the doors open and the lights on and get excited is not there right now."

But the story is not a "doom-and-gloom disaster" tale, says Wright, who turned 65 earlier this month and had been eyeing retirement. Southern Supply Co. is expanding out of the deal by adding a retail division to its wholesale business.

"The timing worked out to be pretty good," Wright said. "All the pieces kind of came together."

Springfield Mill & Lumber opened in 1868 as Chicago Lumber Co. and sold to the Wright family in 1958.