About Us

history

In 1933, the Conway Supply Co., Inc., was created; major stockholders being Albert O. Huckins of Ossipee, NH, and Arthur O. Lucy of North Conway, NH. For some years now, the two had operated a timber operation together, Huckins supplying the money and Lucy doing the actual logging and milling. 

At this time, a defunct hardwood mill and property known as the Goulding Company became available through the Rochester Trust Co., a bank in Rochester, NH. The demise of Goulding was commonplaces happenstance of this period, it being the bottom of the Great Depression. Arthur began to reactivate the mills and drying operations, producing hardwood square stock used in furniture, wood heels and woodturnings. 

With his customary exuberance and unlimited work ethic, Arthur set up a permanent sawmill and planer mill at the Conway site, initiating what became a main focus to the building trade. At first it was a wholesale operation, shipping by rail and truck to various distributors. However, soon residents began to request lumber for their own uses, and the Conway Supply Co. became both wholesale and retail, there being no other retail source nearer than North Conway or Silver Lake.  

During this time, Arthur also operated timber lots with portable sawmills. Soon he set up a permanent sawmill and planing mill powered by steam on the Conway site. It was strictly a wholesale operation. The nearest retail yards were in North Conway and Sliver Lake. It was only natural that the citizenry would request lumber sooner or later. This prompted Arthur to open a small hardware and paint store in the front part of a line of drying sheds. It was this set of buildings that caught fire and burned in May 1938. This was the second of five major fires on the property, located on 15 acres at the corner of West Main and Mill Street in Conway Village. 

history

About this time, it was evident that the northern end of the Valley had great potential, so in 1967, Bun Lucy was installed as manager in a branch in Glen in the old Grant grocery store. Two years later, it was moved to the Glen Shopaide built by Ervin Grant. Bun had earlier worked in the sawmill, after selling his grain store across West Main Street. 

history

Upon Ken's Retirement, Chester became President and CEO of the company. 

In 1982, it became apparent that Wolfeboro, NH, could use another hardware store, and Nat Lucy - another son of Chester's -, became manager and moved to Wolfeboro. This store- Wolfeboro True Value Hardware - was closed in 1003 and Nat went to Glen subsequently as manager, after a stint at the Conway main location. 

Around 1989, A.O. and Nat proposed to Chester that a company name change might be in order. It was thought that Conway Supply Co. didn't really say what it supplied. The valley had seen a gradual influx of new residents and the name of a retailer should say what it sells and who sold it. After considerable mind searching, the name "Lucy Lumber and Hardware" was settled on.

In 1995, Nat took over the Glen Location. The Glen store was 5,000 square feet and Nat knew he had outgrown that space. He wanted to be able to carry more product, increase the rental fleet and have a full-service garden center available. So, construction began in November of 2003 for our current 18,000 square foot facility. It was completed in June of 2004 and opened on June 28th, 2004. 

Here we are 16 years later, Nat is always expanding and growing! Our Garden Center continually grows, more equipment is added to our rental fleet, new brands of power tools come in, and we are currently working on making our Home Goods Department the place to come in the Valley for all of your kitchen, decorating and gift needs! 

history