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Vidalia Naval Stores

Vidalia Naval Stores Company was established in 1947 as a business that distilled gum from pine trees into turpentine and rosin products. For many years the company was a leader in this industry. The Company began selling building materials in 1961, opening the first store In Vidalia, Georgia. For several years the gum facility and building material store both operated under the Vidalia Naval Stores name. In 1965, the Company opened its second building material store in East Dublin, Georgia, on land purchased from the Wrightsville and Tennille Railroads. The Company adopted the trade name of “Choo Choo Supply” with a slogan of “Carload Buyers, Selling at Carload Prices.” The Company later closed the gum turpentine processing business due to a declining market and intense international competition.

The Company expanded its building material stores.  Choo Choo Supply Stores were built and opened in Waycross in 1969, Milledgeville in 1976, Kingsland in 1981, Hinesville in 1987, Lake Oconee in 1989, Rincon in 1996 and Jefferson in 2005; all in Georgia.  The Waycross store was closed in 1989 due to a declining market.  A second store was opened in Dublin by acquisition in 1987 when we purchased one of our competitors.  The two Dublin stores were combined and relocated into one in 2000.  A Window and Door Showroom was opened in Brunswick, Ga. in 2000.  An Installed Sales facility was added in Lake Oconee in 2000.  The Hinesville store was expanded and relocated in 2004, moving it closer to a larger and emerging market near Richmond Hill, Ga.  In 2005 the Warner Robins store was opened as a distribution facility supporting the Dublin store and was quickly expanded to carry a full line of contractor products.

  Choo Choo Build-It Mart

In 1995, the Company adopted “Choo Choo Build-It Mart” for its stores and began focusing on the professional building Contractor. Today there are ten Choo Choo stores located in Georgia, including nine building material stores, two window and door centers and one installed sales store.

Bestline Sash & Door

Bestline Sash & Door was established in 1967 as a manufacturer of window and door units.  Bestline discontinued window manufacturing in 1994 to expand its production of door units, which now includes residential interior and exterior units of all types and sizes, light commercial exterior units and fire rated exterior units.  Bestline was originally located in the back of the Vidalia Choo Choo Supply Store, but has since expanded to their present location in Ailey, Georgia, where they now occupy a 80,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility capable of producing up to 25,000 door units a month.  Bestline Sash & Door is one of the largest door manufacturers in the Southeast and distributes its products through the Choo Choo Build-It Mart Stores and directly to multi-family customers.

Wholesale Building Products

Wholesale Building Products (WBP) was opened in 1982, focusing on multi-family and commercial markets in Georgia and the Southeast.  Originally, WBP focused heavily on FHA and HUD apartment projects but later diversified its business in new multi-family construction to include apartment, condominium and hotel construction.  Unlike many in the industry who sell a limited product line, WBP sales a broad line of products including framing and finish lumber, plywood / OSB, roofing, gypsum, siding, window and door units, construction hardware, truss and engineered lumber, moulding and door hardware.  Products can be shipped in mixed orders on company trucks or “direct shipped” from the manufacturer.  WBP now ships into every state contiguous to Georgia and has built their reputation on providing contractors with a full line of quality products with the absolute best customer service.

TrussMart Building Components, LLC

In 2005, the Company acquired an existing truss plant in Glennville, Georgia, from DeLoach Building Components.  The name was changed to TrussMart Building Components, LLC, a subsidiary of VNS.  TrussMart is a custom manufacturer of roof and floor trusses for the building industry, serving single and multi-family customers.  Trusses are engineered for specific job conditions and local building codes, and shipped directly to the jobsite.

Charlie's Discount Building Materials

The company opened a discount building materials store in East Dublin in 2003.  Charlie's is a cash and carry store located on the original site of our first Choo Choo store.  It specializes in surplus and shop grade building products and also carries many premium grade products when available.

Charlie's product lines include lumber, pressure treated lumber, plywood, exterior and interior door units, windows, moulding, wood, laminate and ceramic flooring, kitchen and bath cabinets and much more.

ProCon Construction Services, LLC

The company moved into the installed sales business in the early nineties when Wholesale Building Products began installing door units, moulding and interior trim products for multi-family customers.  In 2005 the installed sales business was expanded to the single family market and now includes installation of framing lumber and panel packages (dry In), window and door units, and interior trim packages.  Through the Lake Oconee Installed Sales operation, the company also sells and installs closet shelving, door and window hardware, shower doors, mirrors, bath hardware, and garage doors. In 2008 the company changed the Installed Sales name to ProCon.

VNS Corporation

In 2000, Vidalia Naval Stores Company changed the corporate name to VNS Corporation, parent company to the Choo Choo Build-It Mart stores, Wholesale Building Products, ProCon Construction Services, LLC, Bestline Sash & Door, and Charlie’s; and TrussMart Building Components, LLC.  Throughout its history VNS has continued to develop its capacity to serve the professional building contractor and is now a major force in the building products and construction industry.

 
VNS Corporate Headquarters