By Steffen Klenk
For well over a century, Shoemaker Lumber has been part of the fabric of Ocean City. Located on the corner of 12th Street and West Avenue, the local family owned-and-operated business has been serving homeowners and contractors with the best products, elite customer service and expertise. With a sprawling lumber yard, hardware store, and showroom, it is a one-stop shop for home remodeling close to home.
The company was founded in July 1902 by Charles H. Shoemaker, who took what was once the R.B. Stites Lumber Yard. It was one of five lumber yards that serviced Ocean City, with delivery of products being made by rail lines which ran along the property and behind the building on Haven Avenue. Local deliveries were frequently made by horse-drawn carts, and advertisements around town touted its supplies of coal and plaster.
In 1964, the business was purchased by brothers Fred and Donald Tarves and Albert Neill. A year later, the company added a second building across the street from its lumber yard which serves as a hardware store. Several additions were added later, including a kitchen and bath department. Dick Young, and Fred’s son, Jim Tarves, were hired in the early 1970s. Working in the yard as laborers, all material was unloaded by hand, which became inefficient as business picked up. As both Tarves and Young stepped into management positions, they became instrumental in changing how the lumber yard operated, bringing the first forklifts to Shoemaker, along with larger trucks and, eventually, a boom truck.
Today, the business is co-owned by sisters-in-law Janet Young and Lynne Tarves. A former English teacher at Mainland Regional High School, Young began working at Shoemaker in 1980, in a time when most women did not work in hardware. “When I came here, this was a man’s world.”
It was a call from her late husband, Dick Young, that led her to the company and she ended up never leaving. “I came in to fill a need; I like working here.”
In 2020, Shoemaker welcomed Jim Argerakis as President and CEO of the century-old business. With the assistance of Glenn Fallon, Director of Business Planning and Operations, and Ian Wallace, Manager of Procurement and Assortment, department staff, managers and drivers, Young stresses the amazing work of the employees that keep day-to-day operations moving.
Over the years, the lumber industry has seen a plethora of changes. Supplies today are transported into town and delivered by way of trucks, and many adaptations have been made to serve a wider array of clientele. While the business continues to service customers with quality lumber and construction needs, hardware supplies, doors, windows, and a kitchen showroom, Shoemaker continues to be a one-stop shop for all home improvement needs.
They have also expanded their product line to include Weber Grills, carpet cleaning products, beach chairs and accessories. “While we don’t want to forget our bread and butter and the thing that makes us Shoemaker Lumber Company, we want to expand offerings that we can supply to the community”, Young says.
One of the things that sets Shoemaker apart from the competition is its customer service. According to Young, their knowledgeable staff can assist with the needs of customers, whether it is a huge project or a small one. “If you have a lock issue and you don’t know how to solve it, then you need to talk to somebody that can solve it for you and present you with the options so you can make a good choice.”
Throughout its 121-year history, Shoemaker Lumber has overcome a slew of challenges, from two World Wars to the Great Depression, various recessions, hurricanes, floods, and a pandemic. Young describes the sense of community that was brought together in the days following Hurricane Sandy. “People needed things; everybody was in shock, and I was amazed and grateful that we were able to at least have a store that people could walk into. We wanted to service the community because we knew they were hurting too.”
In a time when many family run businesses have left the island, Shoemaker Lumber continues to provide much-needed service for area residents and visitors alike. Today, the company is celebrating another season of serving longtime customers. Their lumber was recently provided for the now-complete Wildwood boardwalk renovation project.
In the coming years, customers will soon see some exciting changes, as the entire hardware store and showroom will move directly across the street to a new building next to its connecting lumber yard on the north side of 12th Street. Young says the new store will enable the expansion of services and jobs to the community. “All this opportunity gives Ocean City the chance to be a special place to live and grow.”
Shoemaker Lumber is currently located at 1200 West Avenue. They are open Monday-Friday from 7:30am-5pm, Saturdays 8am-3pm, and Sundays 9am-2pm. You can call them at (609) 399-0150 or visit their website at www.ShoemakerLumber.com for updated hours of operation and additional information.
