Strait Lumber Company has been family owned and operated since 1936 and boasts the title of Aurora's oldest operating business.

     Seth O. Strait moved his family of five from Aberdeen, South Dakota to the small mountain town of Copper Spur, Colorado in the late 1920's where he and his three sons were introduced to the operation of a small logging and saw mill. In 1932, they invested in a saw mill of their own in Deckers, Colorado where they milled timbers for the railroad and mining industry. What wood could not be used for the mines and railroad was hauled to a small parcel of land just west of what is now the Fitzsimmons campus in Aurora to be stored. Community interest grew about the lumber being stored on the property and in 1936, Seth traded a few loads of lumber in order to purchase the property and build a small store. He named it Straits Mill and Lumber Company. By 1938, the business had grown so much that he moved his family from Deckers to Aurora to manage the store full time.

     When WWII ended in 1945, Seth's sons, Clint, Russell, and M.L. returned home from the Service and purchased the store from their father. In 1947, the store was moved west to its current location at 11150 E Colfax Ave. By 1960, the store had become one of the area's largest lumber, paint, and hardware suppliers. As the Denver metro area continued its rapid growth, the business dynamic began to shift. Strait Lumber found the need to evolve to compete with the bigger nationwide retail chains that were beginning to make their appearance in the metro area. Gone were the days of surviving solely as a "main street" hardware store.

     Upon the retirement of Clint and Russ, M.L.'s son Mark returned to the business in 1978 and became the family's third generation owner/operator. As he realized the need for the diversification of products and the opportunity for growth in the Colorado lumber market, much of his attention became geared toward custom and commercial builders. Although catering to the needs of these types of customers has become the primary focus, they still operate a small hardware store in order to retain a diverse product selection.

     The success of Strait lumber for almost 90 years can be attributed to their belief that customer service, quality products and value pricing are always a top priority. The staff offers professional, personal service to customers and takes pride in their ability to access a wide variety of building materials. They have decades of knowledge and experience in the industry and can help with a wide array of building projects.

     Stock inventory includes over two acres of engineered wood products, dimensional lumber, sheet goods, pressure treated material, fire rated material, siding and composite decking. Strait Lumber was also one of  the first lumber yards in Denver to become FSC certified which enabled them to supply "green builders" with lumber for their LEED certified projects.

     Keeping with the tradition of the past, Strait Lumber Company continues to operate as an independent, family owned operation with the realization that future success is dependent on the strong partnerships forged with its customers. Custom, semi-custom, remodelers and commercial contractors remain the heart of their business.