Malibu community celebrates the family-owned and operated business
Friends, neighbors, family, and local community members gathered at Anawalt Lumber on Saturday for a celebration of 100 years in business. Although the Malibu location of Anawalt only opened 12 years ago, the family-owned and operated lumber, hardware, and gardening supply store wanted to thank the Malibu community for its continuing support with special giveaways at its centennial celebration party.
Festivities Saturday included dollar tacos, drinks, free popcorn, and raffle items that included plants and all the accoutrement to keep them growing and thriving just as Anawalt Lumber has been during this past century.
“We’re celebrating our 100-year anniversary. We opened up in 1923 on Pico and Sepulveda,” said Rieff Anawalt, general manager at the Malibu location on Cross Creek Road. “We’ve had five celebrations, this being the fifth; two at our Pico yard, one at our Highland yard (in Hollywood), one at our Palisades yard and we’re ending the parties at our Malibu yard. My dad and I are both members of this community so we thought it was fitting to finish in Malibu.
“Rieff went to Malibu High and I’ve lived here most of my life,” said David Anawalt, the company’s chairman of the board and grandson of the company’s founder, Harmon Fred Anawalt Jr. “We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished over 100 years.”
“We’ve had support here in the community. Our growth doubled in the first five years or so and we still increased in the past four years,” Rieff added. “We’ve had exponential growth. Right before the Woolsey Fire we were really going, and then post Woolsey Fire we’ve had some huge growth with so much building in the community. The main thing is we are here to serve the community. That’s our main goal, to be a service-oriented store. What sets us apart from the big box stores is greeting customers, going the extra mile helping them, being friendly, and stuff you might not receive in the big box stores.”
Some of the products you may not find at the so-called big box stores are products Anawalt Lumber carries from locally owned businesses such as Malibu Compost. Randy Richie from Malibu Compost was on hand for the celebration.
“Anawalt has been selling Malibu Compost for over 10 years now. We’re here to celebrate with them,” Richie said. “The Anawalt family has been amazing to us. We’re here to show our real organic, real farm-made, biodynamic compost that is unique to the whole landscaping world. Farmers and gardeners don’t get this kind of compost unless they have a farm. That’s what makes us different.
“Malibu Compost gets good feedback from customers. Our fan base, once people use Malibu Compost they don’t use anything else. Once they see you can use just a little bit because it’s loaded with nutrients they always come back to it. Our seed starter is the best by far and our potting soil is very different than what you get in normal potting soil. Our customer base expects the highest quality from us and we deliver.”
“We’re huge supporters of Malibu Compost. It’s the best soil on the market, extremely nutrient dense,” according to Rieff Anawalt. “What we really try with our associates is also what he does (Richie), is being enthusiastic, reading customers, having great product knowledge, and trying to set ourselves apart from someone who doesn’t really care so much.”
Anawalt Lumber President Rolando Robles said, “We’re here celebrating the 100th anniversary of a family-owned business that you don’t really see much anymore. To celebrate 100 years is a great milestone. Vendors, customers, $1 tacos, to thank the community for supporting us, especially here for the last 12 years, but in general 100 years for the company. There’s a family culture we try to create here so that everybody is like family. You can sense it with all the employees. That’s what we distill to the managers that we want to keep in this business.”
Rieff pointed out all the family connections Saturday and noted, “Our store manager brought one of his sons today and we definitely try to be family and community based.”
“We’re proud to be out in the community this way. We’re a community serving business. We’ve had tremendous support from this community and we employ a lot of locals,” remarked David Anawalt.
David then proudly said of his son, “Rieff is the fourth generation Anawalt to be involved in Anawalt Lumber. We look forward to being here for years to come.”
