Northridge Lumber has Announced an Impending Sale to Ganahl

Northridge Lumber Company has agreed to sell its family-owned lumber yard to Ganahl Lumber Company, with the transaction expected to close within 30 days.

The Northridge Lumber Company location, located in the heart of the San Fernando Valley and close to all of the area’s major freeways, will allow Ganahl to ship millions of feet of lumber to customers throughout the San Fernando Valley and the greater Los Angeles area.

Patrick and Timothy Hawthorne, co-owners of Northridge Lumber Company, had some fundamental principles in mind when looking for a buyer for the lumber yard. “I’ve known the Ganahl family for 45 years, and I know they share our business philosophy,” said Northridge President Patrick Hawthorne.

“Our family has owned the yard since our father, Dick, bought it from the original owners. We understand the value of a legacy, and the Ganahls do as well. This includes some basic requirements, such as retaining our employees, who are in some ways like family to us.”

In the end, the decision to sell the lumber yard came down to some intangible but very real factors. “We really appreciated how the Ganahl folks interacted with everyone when they came to visit the yard,” Northridge Lumber Vice President Timothy Hawthorne said.

“Call it a simple matter of respect — they treated all of our employees with respect on every visit, which really resonated with us.” We are confident that our current employees and customers will be in good hands.”

Northridge Lumber Company was founded in 1938 by Ernie Merritt and Leon Gillaspie on land leased from the Southern Pacific Railroad. Harold Hawthorne was the company’s accountant at the time, and his son Dick assisted him with the books.

Dick Hawthorne returned to the yard in 1952 after serving in the Korean War. Dick began the process of purchasing the company from the heirs of one of the original owners, Leon Gillaspie, in the 1970s.

Dick also negotiated the railroad company’s purchase of the yard’s land. Dick’s sons Pat and Tim joined the family business in the 1970s and spent the next three decades learning every aspect of it. Pat and Tim took over the company after Dick passed away in 2005.

The lumber yard has weathered two major earthquakes over the years: the 6.5 magnitude Sylmar quake in 1971 and the 6.7 magnitude Northridge quake in 1994. In fact, the epicenter of the 1994 earthquake was on nearby Reseda Blvd, just blocks from the yard. After a few weeks of intensive cleanup and repair in both cases, business was back to normal.

According to the company, the yard is now one of the premier lumber yards in the greater Los Angeles area, with loyal customers including professional contractors and homeowners who value Northridge Lumber Company’s commitment to providing the highest quality lumber, outstanding service, and a well-stocked inventory.