In 1848, Samuel Nesbitt Maze, an enterprising Irish immigrant, decided to try his hand at the lumber business. He located his modest yard in the small town of Peru on the banks of the Illinois River. In that same year, the new Illinois-Michigan Canal connected Peru with the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to Lake Michigan. Capitalizing on this new waterway, Maze built a barge, The Elk, and hauled local grain to Chicago via the new waterway. On the return trip home, Maze would load The Elk with lumber from Wisconsin, which he sold back in Peru to contractors and farmers, and started the legacy of a multi-generational family business. Today, Maze Lumber is headed up by Pete Loveland, Samuel’s great-great grandson.

“Maze Lumber is Illinois’ oldest lumber yard, established in 1848 by my great-great grandfather,” said Pete proudly. “It’s been in existence for 177 years now. We’re into the sixth generation with my nephews who are here (as employees of Maze Lumber).

“I would think that the fact that Samuel Nesbit Maze established the lumber yard here had a crucial and vital role in the beginning and continuation of Peru as a growing, thriving community,” said Pete. “Have we helped to build this part of Central Illinois? Absolutely!”

Pete is currently the General Manager of Maze Lumber, where he has been an employee for more than four decades. Maze Lumber was not Pete’s first job out of college, even though he had worked at the family business in the 1970s in high school and college. Pete spent seven years in the lumber industry elsewhere before destiny and Maze called him back home.

“There was an opening here, and I chose to take it,” recalled Pete with a smile. “I think they welcomed me back with open arms. And here I am.” He said after all these years in the family business, he still finds his work highly rewarding.

“I’ve been here for 42 years this year. I have evolved and matured here at the lumber yard in many ways that I could never have predicted as a younger man.

“My customers come in, and we all get a sense of satisfaction when we can solve a problem or when we can deliver a product earlier than it was needed,” said Pete. “That’s what makes it fun. I see contractors who’ve come in with their little kids years ago, and now those kids are the contractors.”

Embracing change

What launched in the mid 1800’s as a traditional lumber yard has evolved into a one-stop shop for homeowners and builders.

“In addition to lumber, which was our meat and potatoes back in 1848, we’ve also diversified,” Pete commented. “We’ve had to diversify in order to stay alive.”

Today, Maze Lumber offers everything from kitchen and bath fixtures to hearth products such as fireplaces and wood stoves. It also continues to supply classic lumber to its customers as well as modern engineered alternatives.

“I can safely say we sell almost every product a person would need for a new home or a remodel,” Pete added.

That commitment is summed up in the store’s motto according to Pete, ‘Whatever it takes.’ That means more than just stocking shelves. Pete believes success is strongly rooted in expertise, reliability, and going the extra mile.

“We have to provide for people what they need,” Pete remarked. “We have to put forth our best effort to provide the knowledge, the materials, in a timely manner. We want to make ourselves known as those who will get the job done for you.”

Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all solutions. The employees at Maze say they understand that the majority of projects, big or small, are unique jobs that have very specific requirements.

“Back in the old days, you might have a window order, and that window would be 24 inches by 36 inches which was a standard that fit many homes,” observed Pete. “Nowadays, you have a variety of different window styles, sizes, shapes, colors, manufacturers. Everything we sell these days is pretty much custom.

“One of our strongest suits is attention to detail,” added Pete. “Everything matters when it comes to custom orders. It’s very important to the customer and it’s important that we get it right the first time and experience has trained us to ask the right questions the first time.”

A family legacy in business and community

The staying power of Maze Lumber is an amazing accomplishment in the eyes of this family, but not a surprise.

“I’ve often wondered what ingredients allow us to perpetuate this business,” said Pete with a loving smile. “I guess I would immediately thank my parents for the insights they provided. But I think probably our tight-knit family structure is what it takes for this company to endure.

“We have a very good work ethic in this community,” Pete continued. “At Maze Lumber, we’ve been blessed with hardworking, beautiful, great employees.

“It’s interesting that we’re still known as Maze Lumber. It’s an antiquated name because we sell way more than lumber, but we could never come up with another name for our lumber yard,” smiled Pete. “We’re not a home center and we’re not a big box store. We’re unique. People recognize Maze Lumber for what we are, which is a lumber yard, plus lots more.”

In an era of corporate giants, Maze Lumber stands out by prioritizing relationships over transactions.

Early in his career, Pete worked at a wholesale lumber yard where a sign read, “Customer is King.” At the time, he said he shrugged off the deeper meaning of the sign, but not anymore.

“Now I understand that you’re taking care of people,” reflected Pete. “You have to listen. Sometimes you do things that may not be comfortable or easy. The customer is king.”

That dedication to customer service seems to resonate with customers at this Illinois Valley institution.

“There’s certainly a sense of accomplishment,” Pete said with a smile. “I’ll see jobs we participated in 40 years ago, or someone will stop me at a restaurant and say, ‘Hey, that really worked out well. Thanks for the help.’ That happens all the time. It’s a small community.

“Sometimes people will ask me, ‘Why would someone want to come to Maze instead of going to a big box store?’ I tell them, typically, we know we can’t be all things to all people, but we do know where our strengths are,” said Pete confidently. “We have an educated, knowledgeable sales force that can probably answer almost any question you have. If they can’t answer it, they’ll get the answer quickly.”

At the age of 70, Pete acknowledged that retirement is on the horizon. But he said he is also confident in the future of Maze Lumber.

“Almost all of my friends and colleagues outside of this lumber industry are retired. I will enjoy retirement when I get out of the business,” said Pete. “I know that we have people working here, nephews, and others outside the family, people fully capable of taking over if I were to go away tomorrow or if I were to retire in a year.”

Doing it right

In an era with a strong pull from big-box stores and online shopping, Pete had a message for people in Illinois about retail.

“Small retailers are up against it in many ways, but they appreciate and understand concerned customers,” said Pete. “For the most part, they’ll do what you need to have done and they’ll get it done correctly the first time.”

For Pete, running a local business represents a sacred bond with a community founded on trust, hard work, and community.

“We all have families. We want to feed them and take care of them,” added Pete. “We’ll give you a fair price and a fair, honest day’s work.”

Pete then began to tell us about a particular sales philosophy that he’s modified over the years.

“Kind of reminds me, back in the day, we used to always joke when there were a lot more lumber yards around, ‘Take quality, service, and price and pick two, because that’s what you’re going to get.’ Well, I can’t accept that,” explained Pete. “We’re going to take all three, quality, service and price and make it work.

“I really love the interactions with customers. I love the challenge, and the constant learning,” reflected Pete. “Every day, there’s something new.”

“I’m proud of myself for the job I’ve done here, but more so, I’m proud of my family and the employees who’ve made this all possible,” said Pete said with emotion in his voice. “I’m surrounded by capable, competent people who make me feel good about myself. I’m the oldest guy at Maze Lumber now that I think about it. So yes, I feel very good about it and I feel like I’m leaving a ship that’s on a true course.

“Sometimes I wonder what my forefathers think, if they could look down and see the yard as it is today,” wondered Pete. “I think that they would be very proud of me and of our whole business at Maze Lumber.”