Our History!

Chester A. Niece founded our company in 1920. At the time the operation was focused on lumber, coal and feed.

Niece had state of the art equipment at that time to help mill and bag grain, a 10,000 gallon molasses tank was part of the operation. Niece’s coal operation was complete with a trestle and hopper bin system, with conveyor’s to load coal onto the coal trucks. Feed and grain operations phased out in the 1950’s and 1970’s respectively, due to co-op operations.

1994 was an eventful year that brought many changes and challenges to the company.

May 25th after a heavy lightning storm, 25,000 square feet of valuable warehouse space was engulfed in flames. Inventory and structure loss totaled over two million dollars. Luckily Chief Ron Tillet Jr. and his Columbia Fire Company we’re on a nearby corner when the blaze shot through the roof. Although the fire burned into the early morning hours, the quick response of the local fire departments saved our neighbors homes. There were 27 fire departments and over 300 men and women dispatched to control the blaze, many of these firemen were company personnel. And believe it or not, we were open the next day!

In 2015, current owners Bruce Currie and Jeanne Blair welcomed Bruce’s son, Marc to the ownership team. Marc joined the sales team in 2004 out of college and became General Manager in 2013.

Niece Lumber presently employs 36 dedicated employees. We are and always will be committed to serving our customers with high quality materials, first rate services, and an industry leading sales and management team.

This history is dedicated to the late Harry Blair Jr. Harry was our father, grandfather, boss and most importantly a friend who would do anything for you.

In addition to Harry Blair Jr., this history is dedicated in the memory of Tim Blair, Harry’s son and former co-owner, who passed away in January 2012.