50 year Mt. Carmel lumber business has new owners

MT. CARMEL, Ill. (WFIE) - Officials with R.P. Lumber Co., Inc. say they have acquired Kieffer Lumber in Mount Carmel, Illinois.

R.P. Lumber officials say they are a family-owned hardware and building materials retailer, and this makes their 59th Illinois location and 85th location overall.

“For 50 years, Kieffer Lumber has served the citizens of Wabash County and the greater Illinois/Indiana bi-state area, and we are thrilled to have their team join the R.P. Lumber family,” said Robert Plummer, President & CEO of R.P. Lumber. “Recently, we have added locations in other states, but our roots are in Illinois, and we are excited to grow our footprint in the Land of Lincoln.”

“My family has been in the hardware, lumber, and construction businesses for many years,” said Duane Kieffer, who presently manages Kieffer Lumber, which was opened by his parents, Marge and Al Kieffer, in 1972. “We’ve been blessed with a good business and good customers, and now we’ve decided to hand the reigns to a peer of the highest caliber as our family made decisions regarding the next steps for our business,” Kieffer added.

The Kieffers say they will continue working with the business.

Officials say the transaction will close on Friday, and the store will begin operating as R.P. Lumber on Saturday.

They say the Kieffer Lumber team will remain on board. Plus, the company will look to hire additional staff.