Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Burckhardt.
Eric, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I moved up to Cook 20 years ago with my wife Stephanie to take over my father’s lumber yard and be able to raise our children in the great north woods. When I moved here, we operated like we always had, selling lumber and core building materials. When the housing crash hit in 2008 it definitely took a toll on our business, as it did many others. I believe 400 retail lumber yards closed in MN and surrounding states in the next few years. We have always been like a family here so we did everything we could to reduce spending and were able to keep running without laying anyone off. The next goal was how we were going to come out of the recession stronger and better able to serve our customers. We decided that in order to grow and maximize how we help our customers that we would offer everything that we possibly could that is needed to complete a home. Now we are the supplier for not only lumber, trusses, windows and doors, we sell flooring, tile, showers, design and sell kitchens and even sell fireplaces. Basically, if our customers need it or want it we will find it for them. I have ordered siding from Texas and even sourced carpet from Scotland! The internal sales modo we live by is if your customer wants a truck load of rubber underwear you better find it for them. We are striving to do business with what you would call “old fashioned” customer service. Currently there is a crew of 10 of us that keep this place moving forward and I believe in offering more than just a job to my employees, we do what we can to offer a career. We offer benefits to our employees that include health insurance, disability, paid cell phones, paid time off, and a 401K with a match. When you have a small business in a small community, I think it is very important to offer a job that someone can spend their entire career doing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Besides the crash in 2008 the biggest struggle is that a small business doesn’t come with a playbook. There are constantly challenges both internally and externally that you have no control over, you just have to keep the faith and keep pushing forward. I have found over the years that asking your customers and employees for opinions and ideas leads to places you may have never thought of.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Cook Building Center?
We strive to provide the best service possible and be with our customers on the entire journey of their construction process. Sometimes it is hard to talk about what makes your business click, I think the best way is to hear it from customers themselves. Here are a few testimonials from past clients that really sums up what the Cook Building Center is all about
“I want to give a huge thank you to the staff at Cook Building Center. I was quite nervous about building a new home on Lake Vermillion while living eight hours away. Working with CBC made this process seamless. The staff is knowledgeable, supportive and informative. The distance I was so concerned about wasn’t an issue thanks to the regular communication and open relationship we developed with the staff. They answered all my questions and addressed all my concerns, no matter how big or small. It would be an oversight to not mention the showroom at CBC. It is absolutely beautiful and filled with quality products that made our job of picking out everything from roofing to flooring enjoyable. The showroom gave us so many great ideas that we were able to springboard off some of the products to create a full upscale cabin look. I can wholeheartedly recommend the Cook Building Center for any housing project you are looking to complete!”
Dan and Tami Kroc and Jason DeWilde
“Debby and I built a cabin on Lake Vermilion with assistance and direction from the team at Cook Building Center. We were novices when it came to building a home and needed professional advice. The CBC team guided us about material selection, cost alternatives, design options, and timing requirements. Our journey to become cabin owners started and ended with information provided by the team at CBC.
After a year of working together, we feel the team at CBC became much more than a supplier. They were our partners and have a great customer service business model. Our experience could not have been better. We will fondly recall the decision-making process and the quality guidance we received as our requirements evolved from design through fabrication.”
Dave & Debby Becker
“We have worked with the Cook Building Center for the past decade. While we always seem to have some sort of project happening at the cabin, in 2018 we embarked upon a multi-phase project that began with a garage and boat house, moved into a renovation and addition to our main cabin, and finished off with a sauna in 2021. From the design phase to the finishing touches, CBC and our builder, Sandberg Construction, were there at every step to guide us through the project with ease. Throughout our three year project, the world was faced with prices changes, the pandemic, and supply chain issues. CBC guided us through choosing materials that would make our dreams for the cabin a reality and insured quality products that met our budget and were delivered on time at every step of the process. We could not be happier with the service and quality that CBC provides our local community. They have an excellent understanding of the materials needed for the northern climate, have a vast array of suppliers, and have a staff that is amazing to work with.
Thank you CBC for your expert guidance, service, and communication throughout the entire process!”
Marnie and Jeff Bigler
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cookbuildingcenter.com/
