Furnishing Success

Owner of Miller Lumber Strives To Be a Cut Above Competitors

Writer / Matt Keating
Photography Provided

Paul Miller, owner of Miller Lumber in LaGrange, says his knowledge of lumber goes all the way back to his childhood. 

“I grew up in a furniture shop,” Miller says. “My dad ran one and I learned a lot about the business. It was very educational and beneficial for me.”

Miller’s lumber education included learning the small details that make a difference in the wood industry. 

“I was able to find out what people were looking for, and what type of furniture and wood were the absolute best for them,” he says. “At dad’s business, people were looking for wood and furniture that were just a little bit different – something that would stand out and be unique. I learned how to find furniture that was more specifically designed to what they wanted.”

Miller has taken what he learned when he was younger and applied it to his own business. 

“Our customers are looking for high-quality lumber, good service, and a fair price,” Miller says. “We offer high-quality, above-average lumber that is not just food enough but is ideal for high-end kitchen and furniture shops.”

Miller says locals do a lot of outstanding work with lumber, and he gives them many choices. 

“There are 55 to 60 mills that we purchase from,” Miller says. “We help people narrow down their choices to what really works best for them. We purchase certain woods from certain regions for better color choices.”

Miller notes that Miller Lumber also offers a quick delivery service to customers. 

“We have two delivery trucks on the road to get lumber to our customers faster, thanks to Nick and Jake,” he says. “We offer next-day delivery service, and same-day delivery service if we can. Service, quality, fair price, and having product available on the floor is always extremely important to us.” 

Miller’s dedication to his business has paid off. “Miller enjoys seeing businesses succeed and all the jobs they bring to the community, diversification is great!”

“We have had many of the same loyal customers on the wholesale side,” he says. “They have really been great. They also tell their family and friends about us, and about the quality lumber we have. They also like being able to find the lumber for their work. I would say we sell about 50% of the lumber for furniture, 30% for RV, and 20% for the kitchen cabinet industry.” 

Miller notes that most of their business is through orders from customers. 

“People call it in and we drop it off,” he says. “We have no delivery charge, which a lot of people appreciate.”

Miller also makes customers happy by listening very carefully to what specific lumber products they want.

“That’s another advantage of growing up in the lumber industry,” he says. “We also try to do something every day that saves time for the next day, this helps in getting the least amount of labor in our lumber so we can offer a more competitive price to our customers.” 

Miller credits his hard-working staff for their dedication to their customers. 

“We have six full-time employees and three part-time people,” he says. “They always give their best.” 

Miller is also proud of his community.

“The people in LaGrange make it a great place to love,” Miller says. “We are all working to make a difference. Our relationships with people in the area mean a lot. We are a tight-knit community.” 

Miller adds that he and his staff also promote products that are good for people.

“We promote wood products that are good for the environment, and good for a person’s health,” he says. “Children in a classroom, for instance, are able to relax more with wood in their classroom. Wood really relaxes people. Wood cabinets are very popular. Wood is Mother Nature, and Mother Nature relaxes people.”

Miller notes that many of his customers use wood for living-room furniture, as well as kitchen cabinets and other items. 

“One of the great things about being in this area is that there are so many houses, RVs, and things being built or remodeled,” he says. “We also have a very wide selection of wood to choose from. We have oak, cherry, maple, pine, etcetera. We have 125 items with different thicknesses of wood. We have a very wide variety to choose from.” 

For your next project or to find out more about Miller Lumber, located at 3030 West 100 North in LaGrange, call 260-463-3461.