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About Dahlgren's Building Supply
Our History
In 1954, Sven Dahlgren relocated his family to St. Helens and acquired an old building materials company along the Columbia River. Although he didn't clarify to his young son, Eric, the reason behind their choice of building materials, Eric eventually discovered that his family had deep roots in Columbia County dating back to 1914.
History Continued...
In 1960, a devastating fire ravaged the city pier, which housed Sven's business alongside Waters Concrete, resulting in a total loss. Subsequently, Sven relocated the business to a property along the highway, where it operated until 1974 when Eric acquired the current location. "We’ve been here ever since,” Eric remarked. “We’ve transitioned through three stores—the one by the river, the earlier establishment on the highway, and the one we constructed and moved into in 1978."
During that era, Columbia County boasted nine lumber yards; however, only two remain today, with Dahlgren’s Do It Best proudly standing as one of them.
Our Values
“At Dahlgren’s, we take pride in our ability to solve problems,” Eric stated. In 2000, following the closure of a competing business, Dahlgren’s partnered with Do It Best to enhance its service offerings and provide customers with a broader selection of supplies in a continually evolving market. As Eric noted, this collaboration granted Dahlgren’s “access to the world.” Although the company has undergone various changes over the years, its fundamental commitment endures: to adapt and address challenges while remaining rooted in the family values that have always defined the business.
Dahlgrens Present Day
In 2022, following Eric's passing, ownership of Dahlgren's was entrusted to Scotty White, who had become akin to family over the years. Eric and Scotty developed a close bond shortly after Scotty joined the team, fostering a relationship grounded in mutual respect and trust. Notably, Eric had sold Scotty a stake in the business before ultimately bequeathing the company to him. Today, under Scotty's leadership, the legacy of the Dahlgren family endures, and we cherish our strong connection with Christine Dahlgren, valuing that relationship immensely.
Our store and yard team serves as the foundation of our business, comprised of diligent and committed individuals who remain with us for the long term. We take pride in fostering a family-oriented environment where our employees feel comfortable, supported, and valued both professionally and personally. It is our priority to be a reliable resource for our staff—one they can trust and confide in. At Dahlgren’s, we extend our familial values to our team, just as we do to our customers.
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