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At Downes & Reader we pride ourselves on our “Team effort.” Everyone, from Rod & Ed to all sales, office, yard, mill staff, and drivers, work together, doing whatever is needed to get the job done! Since 1973 we have grown considerably, but we will never lose sight of where we have been.

At Downes & Reader we work for you, our customer!

In January of 1973 on Bradston Street in Boston, Massachusetts, Rod Reader and Ed Downes started the Downes & Reader Hardwood Company. With a total inventory of 500 board feet of 4/4 Yellow Birch, 500 board feet of 4/4 Red Oak and a 1960 Ford F-6 they were “in business.” In May of 1975 they bought the property at 60 Evans Drive, and built the first building on the site where they are still located today.

4/4” White Birch

Select & Better

4/4” Butternut

Select & Better

16/4” Hard Maple

Select & Better

5/4 x 9”+ Soft Maple

FAS

2 x 8 Western Red Cedar

Clear Vertical Grain

5/4” Meranti

FAS

Stock available in 500 BF units while supplies last

We are now stocking lumber for the barn building industry. Mostly available as a 2 x 6 tongue and groove, we have six durable and long lasting species to choose from. Check out our barn & stall product page for more information.

For businesses needing a high quality stacking stick for their lumber, our Iron Stick product is one of the best in the market today. We stock multiple sizes fluted and flat shape. Check out our product page for more information.

We can mill your order to a thickness of your choosing and either rip 1 straight edge or rip to a dimension. For more information on pricing and limitations of our equipment, check out our milling page in the service section of our website.

Purchases made within our wholesale and retail are bound to these terms and conditions. If you receive an emailed invoice or would like to know what your general terms and conditions of sale are, click on the link below.

We can deliver lumber from 250 BF to an entire truckload. We can send truckload deliveries across the United States and we have two distribution yards to handle deliveries in the Northeast. For more information on deliveries, check out our Services section for more information.

Downes & Reader now accepts payments on your account online! Simply have the company name stated on your statement, a Visa, American Express, Discover, or Mastercard credit card, and the invoice number you wish to pay off.