Moyer Lumber & Hardware, Inc.
By Nancy Moffett
Moyer Lumber & Hardware’s motto is “We serve you better!” and they have been doing just that at their Easton Avenue facility in Bethlehem for 30 years. Perhaps best known as a source for Trex® wood-alternative composite decking, Moyer also sells porch materials, doors, windows, closet systems, ceiling planks and tiles and, of course, lumber.
The Moyer story actually began in Gilbertsville, Pa. in 1939 when Amandus D. Moyer bought a wooden roller coaster called the Alpine Dips from the Sanatoga Amusement Park near Pottstown. He dismantled it and took it to his home in Gilbertsville where he sold off the lumber. Next, he repeated the process with an old coal cracker. In 1940, he began selling new lumber and other building materials. He named his company A.D. Moyer Lumber. In the 1950s, his sons, Francis and Donald, joined him, growing the business until it became one of the leading lumber/building material suppliers in the Gilbertsville/Pottstown area.
In the early 1980s, Francis and his son Gary bought the New Penn Trucking Company at their present Bethlehem location. They refurbished the existing terminal into a warehouse and built an 8,000 square-foot retail store in front of it. The facility opened in 1984 and was named Moyer Lumber. This business was separate from A.D. Moyer Lumber, although both companies were run by descendents of Amandus Moyer. By 1986 Moyer Lumber had grown so quickly that more room was needed. The Moyers bought two acres behind the property on which they expanded the lumber yard and built a 9,300 square-foot warehouse. Today the large warehouse holds building materials and plywood inventory.
“Moyer Lumber is a strong family business with family values.”
“Moyer Lumber is a strong family business with family values,” says a company manager, Steve Marino. Indeed, five members of the family’s fourth generation are working their way up through the company today. Although the Bethlehem location is still independently run, the families recently joined Moyer Lumber with A.D. Moyer under one umbrella for the benefit of both businesses, thus consolidating what Amandus Moyer began 75 years ago.
Francis died in 1997. Son Gary has been at the Bethlehem store since then, along with a full-time sales staff who each have more than 25 years’ experience in construction and materials. “We are all knowledgeable in products and building,” Marino explains, “and concentrate on serving home improvement and remodeling contractors, home builders, do-it-yourselfers and retail customers.” There are currently a total of 16 employees.
Moyer carries extensive lines of doors and windows from manufacturers such as Andersen, Therma-Tru, Ledco, Jen-Weld and Marvin. Skylights and roof windows from Velux and Solatube tubular skylights are also represented. In addition to Trex®, they offer decking from Timbertech and AZEK, along with a deck design service at only $30.00 per design, which is 100 percent refundable towards the purchase of a decking materials package. To finish off that deck, they carry vinyl railing systems, Dekorators balusters and Maine Ornamental post caps. And, to keep construction vehicles running better for longer, they carry AMSOIL synthetic lubricants.
“We specialize in hard-to-get items and special orders,” Marino points out, “and still offer free delivery in the area, on most items even for small loads.” Another service Moyer offers is in-house engineered beam design.
Their comprehensive website offers not only product links and descriptions but also a contractor directory with listings of local installation professionals under Handyman Services, Home Remodeling and Home Builders. These companies are all Moyer Lumber customers in good standing. However, the listings are not endorsements. Customers, as always, need to check credentials and reputation before hiring a contractor.
What’s on the horizon in home building and remodeling? According to Marino, energy efficiency and recycled materials are already high on the list. “We will be expanding our offerings in insulation and supplying more products made from recycled materials,” he says. For instance, one of the line of deck boards Trex® now manufactures is made from 95 percent recycled material (trash bags and sawdust) clad in an unyielding three-side shell outer layer. This new product continues the trend toward low maintenance while reusing what used to be waste material.
Of course, things have changed in the lumber business over the years. Big-box stores have made it harder for companies like Moyer Lumber to compete. Marino points to their good business ethics, keeping up with new technology and products and what’s called the “Moyer Advantage.” This includes knowledgeable staff, competitive pricing, free delivery on most items, a large inventory, personalized service and the peace of mind buyers have in knowing they are getting top-of-the-line products for their dollar.
Marino advises readers to look for advertisements from Moyer Lumber during the upcoming building season. And, since 2014 is their 30th anniversary year, there may be events later in the year to mark
this milestone.
It’s a long story of growth from Amandus D. Moyer dismantling a roller coaster to the modern Moyer Lumber & Hardware that supplies top-quality products and services to Lehigh Valley customers… a story the Moyer family has every right to be proud of.
