Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Howard.
Hi Leah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always been in a family business and hope that continues to be my legacy. For 14 years I worked with our family marketing firm, John Manlove Marketing & Communications, and during my time I was a part of fantastic growth in the building industry. Many of our clients are the biggest developers in the city and provided great opportunities for me to see behind the curtain a bit as it relates to vision casting master-planned communities. Last year, after much reflection I took a leap of faith and made a huge change in my career and feel blessed that I was able to stay in a family business. My cousin, Jason Manlove, started Old World Lumber Company about six years ago and has seen significant growth over the last few years. It’s been nothing short of an exciting adventure. Last year I came on board to help take the company to new heights and new markets. The culture of a family business is truly where my heart thrives. I may be one of the only women in the reclaimed lumber industry but I love seeing customers bring history home. Reclaimed Lumber is more popular than ever and no one knows or has reclaimed lumber better than Old World Lumber Company. We carry material that is 100’s of years old and from all over the U.S. and even beautiful artifacts from overseas. Everything has a story and it’s our job to preserve that for the next generation.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The switch going from corporate agency life to the lumber business was a big culture change. What I have found interesting however is that it fits my personality better than I could have ever imagined. I like to say I’m a leather and lace kind of girl, meaning I often wear my heart on my sleeve and can be very delicate; however, I am tougher than I appear and I often have thicker skin than some people realize. What I’ve learned over the years is, to be honest with yourself and listen to good counsel. My husband, sister, and closest friends were crucial in my decisions making process and continue to be.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The owners met ten years ago while working on a project for which sourcing quality reclaimed material was nearly impossible. Sharing a passion for the elegant, yet rustic look of reclaimed wood with centuries of history, they realized an opportunity to bring the beauty of reclaimed wood to a greater audience. The company primarily sells to custom builders, architects, and designers for residential and commercial projects but we welcome homeowners that desire a DIY project too. The flagship retail showroom and warehouse based in Houston is open five days a week and Saturdays (10 am-2 pm) for commercial customers and homeowners looking for design ideas or to hand-select the perfect reclaimed material for their project. OWL also has a variety of milling and finishing equipment and can finish, coat, and stain material on a customized basis. During the last six years, the team has traveled the backroads of the Midwest farmlands to bring the best of American barnwood to Houston. We have purchased entire barns, homes, and structures built in the mountains of Austria during the Austro Hungarian Empire, the Czech Republic, Germany and Belgium, wood from a famous Kentucky bourbon distillery, and ancient wine presses from France and Austria. Each beam, piece of threshing, wall plank, and floor are all hand-picked to ensure our unique quality. We are one of the largest reclaimed lumber companies in the southern United States that offer this amount of high-quality inventory and variety of hand hewn, hand sawn, and rough sawn barn wood that dates back to the 1800’s and earlier. It’s a fascinating business.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
In this business, it’s important to be adventurous and creative when it comes to product development. Adaptability is important as trends and designs change. I feel fortunate that our team here has great foresight.
Contact Info:
- Email: leah@oldworldlumber.com
- Website: www.oldworldlumber.com
- Instagram: @OldWorldLumber
- Facebook: @OldWorldLumberCo
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFnfFk9YNWlQyNIvHO4Vuvw
Image Credits:
L&B Limited
Taratori Photography
Superica’s La Lucha
