This wide shot on 9/21/21 shows the Fairhaven Lumber iconic camel on the door of the garage, the Fairhaven Lumber sign still standing, and the Koopman Lumber truck, which is the new owner of the iconic Fairhaven business. Photo by Beth David.
By Beth David, Editor
A staple of the Fairhaven commercial landscape has been sold. Fairhaven Lumber, which has been at its Alden Road location for decades, is now Koopman Lumber, which has seven other locations in Massachusetts. The sale went through on Friday, 9/17/21.
Jimmy Kalife, owner of Fairhaven Lumber, told the Neighb News that he felt confident that Koopman would be a good steward of his father’s legacy. John Kalife started the company in 1951 on Spring Street in Fairhaven. The company moved to its Alden Road location in 1963. Since then it has expanded to include all the services contractors and homeowners expect from a top-notch company. Jimmy’s son Johnny also works at the company.
In a nod to the Lebanese heritage of the Kalifes, the company used a camel as part of their logo for decades, with the tag line “We bust our hump for you.”
No matter that Lebanon has no camels or desert. It’s still in the Middle East, so…close enough. The new logo uses a Cedar of Lebanon.
This old truck has the Spring Street address on it in a photo from the Fairhaven Lumber website.
Mr. Kalife said he will stay on for a time as a consultant to help customers with the transition. Johnny will also most likely stay.
“It’s time,” said Mr. Kalife. “They’re a modern company. They’re going to keep all the people. We’ll still have a high class place.”
Mr. Kalife said that the company has been “very good” to him.
He said he had multiple possibilities for selling the company but chose Koopman because of the “family culture” and all signs pointing to everyone wanting to keep his present employees on staff.
“It’s going to be a great place,” said Mr. Kalife, noting that Koopman will modernize both equipment and products.
L-R: John Kalife and his son Jimmy pose in front of the Fairhaven Lumber building with their race car in this photo from the company’s website.
They will also be making some improvements to the site.
“It’s going to be a great place to shop,” he said.
“It’s been 46 years,” said Mr. Kalife, who is 67. “It’s time to maybe look at another chapter.”
According to its website, Koopman Lumber is operated by the third generation of the Koopman Family who are “very actively engaged in the business on a daily basis.”
The company was started by Peter T. Koopman in 1939.
“Who we are isn’t a simple question for Koopman Lumber,” reads the website. “When you service and sell everything from engineered lumber to horse feed, it’s tough to narrow it down to one thing.”
To learn more about the company, visit www.koopmanlumber.com
The Koopman Lumber truck sits next to the Fairhaven Lumber sign, which had not been removed as of 9/21/21. Koopman bought Fairhaven Lumber on 9/17/21, making Fairhaven its eighth location in Massachusetts. Photo by Beth David.
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