Moscow and Pullman Building Supply has thrived and grown on the Palouse for decades and will be celebrating its 60th anniversary this weekend.

The business started as a “tiny, Podunk store in Moscow,” in 1958, said Tyler Garrett, vice president of operations and the Pullman general manager. Garrett’s father Pat purchased the store from his step-grandfather, making Garrett a part of the third generation of the family business.

“We’re family-owned and we care about our communities. We’re not a big box store here just to make big bucks to send to big CEO’s somewhere else,” Garrett said. “You don’t usually see a company of our size that’s locally owned and contributes to the community the way we do.”

To celebrate this anniversary, the building supply will hold store-wide sales at both of their locations, as well as a complimentary barbecue to thank the community for their business and loyalty for so many years.

“We’re proud that we’ve lasted 60 years and we’re still going happy and healthy,” Garrett said. “We want the community to know that and celebrate them as well because they are a huge reason of why we’re still around.”

Jessica Hastriter, director of marketing and advertising for the company, said their customer service sets them apart from chain hardware stores and has allowed them to thrive for so long.

“Our customer service is great, everyone on the floor knows what they’re talking about,” she said. “We sell a lot of the same stuff as Walmart right up the street, but our employees are experts and can teach you what you need to know.”

Garrett said another reason the company has lasted is it’s been able to satisfy customers’ demands.

“If we see a need in the community we try to fill it, so we can bring a value that isn’t here to Pullman and Moscow,” Garrett said. “We provide a lot of services you can’t find elsewhere in the community, and many of them we started doing … because it was what the community wanted.”

During the celebration, nearly everything in the stores will be on sale including items that have never been discounted throughout the 60 years of operation, such as lumber and roofing.

The sale will take place all day Saturday at both building supply locations. The free barbecue will be available 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at both stores as well.

“The sale and barbecue is just a fun celebration for us to give back to the community,” Hastriter said. “We’re sharing our success and thanking them for their business that has helped keep us going for this long.”