Taylor Brothers reopens under new owner

By: Bryan Gentry | New Era Progress
Published: January 25, 2010

Taylor Brothers Lumber Company reopened in Lynchburg on Monday, hiring most of the employees who worked there before it closed in December.

The Lester Group, a building supply firm based in Martinsville, bought the business from Roper Brothers Lumber Company, which filed for bankruptcy Dec. 16. The purchase was approved in bankruptcy court in Richmond on Friday, said Dillard Jones, president of the Lester Group.

George Lester, chief executive officer of the Lester Group, said about 25 former employees had been brought back, including Randy Hall, general manager. About 32 people worked there before the store closed, said former Taylor Brothers president Rob Taylor.The store at 905 Graves Mill Road will keep the name Taylor Brothers. The company’s new leaders hope to capitalize on the relationship that Taylor Brothers employees have had with local builders and contractors for years.

“Our goal is to take care (of) and get all the customers back,” Lester said. “We think that relationship can be supported.”

The Lester Group has eyed Taylor Brothers for some time. "We tried to buy it in 2006," when Roper successfully bought the business, said Brandt Mitchell, executive vice president of the Lester Group.

Taylor said that the Lester Group showed interest in 2006 but did not actually make an offer.

“We’ve wanted to be in this market for a long time,” Mitchell said.

Lester said his company has operations in Martinsville and in Fredericksburg. “We pass through Lynchburg on the way up there, and have always liked the Lynchburg market,” he said.

Taylor Brothers operated under Roper Brothers from 2006 until December, when Roper filed for bankruptcy.

Taylor then started calling other companies to find someone who could buy and operate Taylor Brothers. “We knew we had a viable business, and we wanted to get our employees back, and their benefits back,” he said.

He also wanted to get the business running again before too many of its customers found other suppliers.

After the store closed, many Taylor Brothers employees volunteered their time to help customers who needed to receive orders they had placed or who had billing questions.

Taylor has a temporary position to help with the transition. His father, Bobby Taylor, opened Taylor Brothers in 1952.