Frontier finalizes deal to open store in Coupeville

Representatives with Frontier Building Supply confirmed Friday the business will be opening a Coupeville location.

Representatives with Frontier Building Supply confirmed Friday the business will be opening a Coupeville location.

The lumberyard signed lease paperwork Friday morning with Ken Hofkamp, who just purchased the former ProBuild and Lumbermen’s lumberyard on Terry Road.

The location, located behind Hofkamp’s Prairie Center Red Apple grocery store, has been vacant for several years.

Frontier, an Anacortes-based company, has locations through Skagit and Island counties, including Whidbey locations in Oak Harbor and Freeland.

“In coming to Coupeville and the Central Whidbey market area we hope to provide more than just a hardware store to save a trip to Oak Harbor,” said owners Mike Johnson and Terry Johnson and General Manager Chuck Posey in a prepared release.

“For us, this is an opportunity to add another facet to who we are by branching from a primarily contractor, new construction based business to a more retail environment which will include not only a strong hardware presence but a broadened more rural approach to our offerings.”

Coupeville Mayor Nancy Conard said she’s had several meetings with the principals involved in bringing Frontier to town.

“Oh, it’s just great,” said Conard. “I’m just thrilled.”

“It’s a vote of confidence when a business wants to invest in our community.”

One aspect Conard said she’s particularly impressed with is that Frontier wants to get the community involved.

“Farm supplies and the associated knowledge base required to successfully provide those offerings to the community may be a bit new to us, but with input from the community, we believe we can provide the necessary products and expertise to fill the need,” Frontier said in its release.