Looking Back at the Woodlawn Lumber Company
Did you ever wonder where the materials for building your home came from? Most of us will never know for certain, but this may give you a clue. A local home center, the Woodlawn Lumber Company, was the source for lumber, building materials, and hardware for many of the homes built in our area. This building stood at 925 Fredericksburg Road, and once the home center went out of business, housed a local hobby store as recently as 20 years ago. The article below introduced the new home store to the community in 1925. This building was eventually remodeled from the English style to a Mid-Century style as seen in a photo from 2007. The lumber sheds are also visible in this view. By 2013, the building had been demolished, and a few years later Stripes built a convenience store on the site.
925 Fredericksburg Road in 1925.
925 Fredericksburg Road in 2007 just before demolition
This story ran in the SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS: SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 15, 1925
Something new in the line of lumber offices has been instituted by the Woodlawn Lumber Company in their place of business on the Fredericksburg Road between Craig and Woodlawn avenues.
The company, which was incorporated October 1, with C. E. Odell as president and manager, styles itself “The Home Builders’ Department Store,” and the office building, erected on the front of the 175 x 225-foot [lot] which also houses their lumber business, bears out the slogan in every point.
The interior of the attractive English-style stucco building combines all the features of a modern up-to-date office with that of an equally modern hardware and builders’ supplies store, without doing discredit to either.
On one side of the 40 x 40-foot room, a handsome oak counter, running the entire length of the room, enclosed the office, while the other side from floor to ceiling is equipped with the latest type wall cabinets for the display and storage if all sorts of builders’ tools and small hardware. The cabinets are of the interchangeable unit system type, with glass display panels in the front and storage space within the drawers of varying sizes. Further modern display space is arranged for paints, garden tools, building supplies, and various items of home equipment, which the company will feature in its efforts to truly serve the immediate section of the city in which it is located.
The interior finish of the office building is especially fine, oak being light-colored enamel and delicate tinting of woodwork and walls, and this, with the indirect system of lighting used, is most effective in enhancing the beauty of the interior.
Three show windows, two in front and one on the side of the building, are hung with valances bearing the name and monogram of the company and give place for the display of goods handled by the firm.
At the rear of the lot has been erected the first unit of the company’s lumber sheds, double-deck and opening from either side. A second unit will be built in the near future. Fine graveled drives have been put in about the buildings, and an up-to-date motor equipment is used for delivery.
The Woodlawn Lumber Company finances the building of homes and in connection with this has a plan service for the convenience of its patrons.
