Builders finding new bargains

A Builders Bargains, Inc. grand opening celebration is being held today at its new Valley location on the Parks Highway. This once second-hand building goods store has grown from a backyard business to a four-location bargain business serving customers all over Alaska.

"It all started with a garage sale with used building materials," said Kim Anderson, co-owner Monte Merril's assistant and a Builders Bargain manager. Merril's wife, Heather, got tired of the extra building materials left from when the couple built their home, so seven years ago she put up a couple signs advertising the used goods, Anderson said. The turnout for the sale was so good, the Merrils decided to turn the one-time garage sale into a business. Builders Bargains first started selling used military building materials, and now sells both running lines and market seconds to customers in the Valley, Fairbanks and Soldotna.

The Valley store has been on Industrial Way in Palmer, but Builders Bargains purchased the old Save-U-More building outside Wasilla in February in order to house more products. Now the Industrial Way location serves as the distribution center and administrative office, while the Parks Highway location houses the store, which opened the last week of March. Today, the company celebrates the grand opening of the new store.

"It's going to be a great opportunity to come and see how to make informed decisions on purchasing products," said marketing director Ashley Bailey.

How-to seminars, Denali Steakhouse finger foods and a fire truck for the kids are just some of the events planned for the celebration. KMBQ and KQEZ will be broadcasting live, and at 2:30 p.m. the grand door prize of $1,500 worth of cabinets will be announced. Other prizes, like $1,000 worth of windows, will also be awarded. The celebration will take place during the store's regular Sunday hours, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The store is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and is closed on Saturdays.

Bailey said anyone who's ever had to pick up a hammer, even to just put up a picture, should come to the opening.

"We hunt for good deals with good quality products and we want to pass that onto our customers," said Bailey.

Contact Jen Ransom at jen.ransom@frontiersman.com