Oregon Tool & Supply was founded by Milo Anderson in 1983, it has grown to become the largest tool store in the state of Oregon.
Recognizing a need for a tool store in the Roseburg area, I decided to fill this need by borrowing $5,000.00 from my mother, renting a 288 square foot building in Winston and opened Oregon Tool and Supply on October 1st, 1983. With only nine months in business, Oregon Tool and Supply expanded so quickly we had to move to a larger facility in Roseburg. Oregon Tool and Supply was now located on Diamond Lake Boulevard.
After nine years of serving the community and gaining new customers, it was time to move to our current location on SE Stephens Street giving us more than 16,000 square feet to carry more than 25,000 high quality tools from over 240 different manufacturers.
We are now a factory authorized service center for many of the companies represented at Oregon Tool and Supply. Performing authorized warranty work locally in our store gets the tool back to our customers much quicker than having to send them back to the manufacturer.
Great service to our customers is a must at Oregon Tool and Supply. You can count on superior service from my staff. We take pride in the fact that in the event we do not carry a certain tool, we can find it in almost all cases and find it fast. We respect the need to get the tools to the working force as quickly and professionally possible. At Oregon Tool and Supply, we are here to help, regardless of where you may have bought your tool. Consultations are always free and friendly at Oregon Tool and Supply.
In supporting our customers, we recognized many projects require a one-time or rare use of a tool. Rather than our customers having to purchase a tool that will rarely be used, Oregon Tool and Supply now offers tool rentals on many of our tools.
There is no mistaking the great reputation of Oregon Tool and Supply within our community. In addition to the service we provide to our customers, Oregon Tool and Supply helps to support many charities, wholesome programs and organizations in our area. I am a strong believer of supporting the community that supports Oregon Tool and Supply. Although this is only one factor, it is an important factor in making us Oregon’s largest locally owned tool supplier. An achievement we are very proud of.
After receiving numerous requests over the years from the people in Coos Bay to open a store in their city, I realized they needed a tool supply store. I received a call in April 1999 informing me that a lease sign was posted in the window of the old Western Auto building. Two days later, I met with the property owner and signed two consecutive five-year leases.
On May 1, we pressure washed the building and I painted it the next day, inside and out. For the next three weeks, my crew and I loaded the truck and trailer with inventory, supplies, and building materials from Roseburg for the new Coos Bay store.
Our reception in the Coos Bay area was well received. The building is 7000 square feet and it is full to the brim with quality merchandise. I am privileged to have outstanding crews in Roseburg and Coos Bay. Many of the Coos Bay crew has been with us for many years.
On December 31 2003, the area flooded. We had 1½ feet of water in the store. It was a lot of work but we lifted all the displays up on blocks and we finally got the building dried out. We are ready for the next time, but I sure hope that does not happen again.
Milo
