Romeoville / Illinois / United States
What is now a distribution company of fine wood floors with warehouse space of over 43, 000 square feet and a staff of over 25, began in 1919 by two brothers, Wilton and Stanley Wilcox. They supplied lumber to the pattern makers of the foundry trade, but it was Wilton Wilcox III who suceeded his elders and utilized dry kiln technologies on the highly sought after white pine lumber from their home state of Wisconsin. In the 1940s, a hard-working entrepreneur in the wholesale lumber business named Fred Bahr forged a strong business relationship with Wilton Wilcox III. The two companies, White Pine Lumber Co The Bahr Co, then successfully moved ahead into the 1950s, 60s and 70s. In 1978, Wilton Wilcox III and Fred Bahr sold their companies to current President Jim Duncan and Secretary/Treasurer Jack Schroeder. White Pine Lumber Co has maintained its pattern and foundry work, but by the early 1980s, Duncan and Schroeder had found unique opportunities in the specialty wood and hardwood flooring markets they had been looking for. And in 1985, they changed the focus of Bahr Co from wholesale services to distribution. Today, Bahr Co selects products from only the best hardwood flooring manufacturers in the world. These products are then brought to consumers by way of retail flooring stores, commercial flooring contractors, independent flooring contractors, architects and designers. All products come with strong merchandising support too. We can supply product samples, brochures and in-store displays. We have also created our very own piece, The Step by Step Guide to Selecting Hardwood Flooring, to help end-users make the best wood flooring choices. The brochure is available for point-of-purchase use and its on our website.
