Shivji Lalji Patel & Co.

The New Timber Market is always a noisy place to be. We are over at 102A and you can usually hear the saws going from pretty far off in the morning. Shivji Lalji Patel & Co. has been a name around here for a long time. My grandfather started with just a small stack of wood and now we have piles of timber reaching up toward the ceiling. The smell of fresh sawdust is the first thing you notice when you walk in. It’s a scent that never really leaves your skin even after you go home. We spend our mornings checking the wood that comes in on the trucks. Some pieces are better than others and you have to have a good eye to see the difference. Our yard is crowded and sometimes it feels like we’re running out of space to put everything. We deal with all kinds of wood and customers come in asking for things we have to dig out from the bottom of a pile. It’s hard work on the back, moving those heavy beams around all day. We don't bother with fancy signs or advertisements. People in the market know who we are and where to find us. The tea guy comes around twice a day and that’s when we actually take a break. Otherwise, it’s just measuring, cutting, and stacking. The timber business isn't for everyone because it's messy and loud, but it’s what we know how to do.