history matters
the story of the historic phillips forest products
We're as proud of our history as we are of our wood products. Our story began many decades ago in a small town outside of Atoka, Oklahoma, where our founder Cecil Phillips was born into a family of seven children. From there, our story travels to the sawmills of Germany, the great Redwood forests of California, to the hometown of Hoss Cartwright, De Kalb, Tx, where it awaits patiently for it's next chapter. For the time being, we're producing kiln dried lumber, wood beams, architectural millwork, live edge wood slabs, mantels, and other high quality wood products right here in the great town of De Kalb, TX!
dipalo
(the story begins)
Before highways cut across the state and before Oklahoma was even much more than farmland and forest, sawmills were the heartbeat of its small towns. In the east, where the hills rolled with oak and pine, families set up rough-cut mills powered first by steam, then by sputtering gasoline engines. These weren’t great industrial giants—they were family outfits, the kind of places where fathers and sons worked side by side, turning logs into the lumber that built barns, fences, bridges, and homes.
Railroads pushed deeper into the state, and with them came new demand. Oak ties and bridge timbers were stacked high, cut by portable mills that seemed to chase the tracks. In the lean years of the Depression, mills kept communities alive, their lumber traded as often as it was sold. By the 1940s, the whine of the saw once again echoed through the woods as the war effort called for hardwood timbers and sturdy planks.
In places like Atoka County, men like Ernest Phillips and Monroe Allen ran their mills with grit and persistence. For families like his, the mill wasn’t just a business—it was survival, tradition, and a way of life.
1946
Germany
Cecil Phillips, a World War 2 Army veteran, worked sawmills in Germany while in the army. This was nothing new for Cecil, as his father and uncle Monroe owned sawmills in Atoka, Oklahoma, near his hometown.
After WW2, Germany's dense forests provided a crucial resource to aide the reconstruction of European states ravaged war. American military personal alongside Germans operated the sawmills to produce the much lumber products required for reconstruction.
In this photograph, Private First Class Cecil Roy Phillips can be seen inside the logging crane of which he was the operator.
In 1946, Cecil moved back to Atoka to work at his father's mill and with his uncle Monroe Allen who owned Allen Lumber in Atoka which is still in business today.
1950
tragedy
On November 11, 1950, John D Phillips died in while delivering a load of beams for his uncle Monroe Allen in Atoka, Oklahoma.
Monroe owned and operated Allen Lumber Company in Atoka, OK and was present during the accident. According to Monroe, the brakes on the truck failed causing John to T-Bone the lumber loaded truck into a ditch.
As a result, the beams crashed thru the back window killing John.
John was survived by his parents, one sister, and five brothers; one was those brothers was Cecil Roy Phillips.
Shortly after the death of his brother, Cecil Phillips moved his wife and two children from Atoka, Oklahoma to a logging community just east of Eureka, California to log the great Redwood Forest.
the great redwood forest
oklahoma to california
THE 1950's
1953
going to california
Logging was extremely important to California in the 1950s—both economically and culturally—especially in the northern part of the state where the redwood and Douglas fir forests stretched for millions of acres.
In 1953, following work, Cecil moved his wife, Velma Jean, and their two children, Dana and Reggie from Crystal, OK to a small logging community east of Eureka, CA, to log the great Redwood forests of Northern California. In California, their youngest son Chuck would be born on the way to the hospital in the back of a car on a logging road.
This image is of the mill Cecil worked at.
1954
the crane operator
Pictured is Cecil Phillips atop a pile of Redwood logs in front of the crane he operated in northern California.
Crane operators are essential to logging. They move logs onto trucks and railcars, support transport from camps and rivers, and maintain equipment. The crane shown appears to be an American Hoist & Derrick 595C Crawler or a Bucyrus-Erie Crawler Crane.
1955
Life in the logging camp
This picture, taken July 1955 featuring Velma Jean Phillips, her young son Chuck, and her sister Wanda Wall gives us a brief hint of what life was like in the California Redwood logging camps.
The workday was long, grueling, and dangerous. Many loggers had wives and families. Therefore, entire communities were developed around these logging camps where were in the middle of nowhere deep in the forest.
To make life easier, schools, churches, hospitals, and housing to facilitate the families were built forming communities.
A moment for art
showcasing the art of wanda Wall
The woman centered in the picture above with her sister Velma Jean Phillips is no other than Wanda Wall who would grow on to became a very talented painter. Wanda took to the arts at a young age and went on to become famous in her own right. Wanda moved to De Kalb, Texas in 1980 from Bakersfield, California, twenty years after her sister and Cecil.
She built a home and an art studio and continued to create amazingly beautiful works of art. She brought a beautiful point of view to our area and influence many people who still today carry on her appreciate for the arts and the beauty of this place.
Wanda moved on in 2007. She is now an Otter
back to the logging camp
video of the logging camp in the 1950's
This video gives us small insight into the lives of those who survived the logging camps of the 1950's in the California forests. Videos like this a true treasure to the human condition, they give insight to how those before us today lived with so much less and yet, still found time to be gracious and happy.
1957-the bears in california
hunting old three toes
Bears were a very real part of life in California’s logging camps, especially in the Redwood and Douglas Fir country of the north coast during the 1940s and 1950s. Camps were deep in the woods, far from towns, and the combination of fresh-cut timber, cookhouse food, and human waste naturally attracted wildlife.
The article below from the Atoka Citizen=Democrat dated July 25, 1957 tells the first hand account of the hunting of Old Three Toes by Cecil Phillips and his friend and fellow Oklahoman Roy Mead.
Cecil Phillips and Roy Mead, former Atoka County boys and ‘coon hunters’ decided to get bigger game. They knew where this old big bear was running for the past 4 years. So they got all the hounds they could find which was 14 and went out after the big beast.
They jumped him on Friday night and run all night until Sunday morning before he would take a tree because he had been chased for at least the past 9 years and some of the best hunters had tried their luck. Some don’t think anyone could run him that long and fail. We chased him about 40 hours and about 110 miles all over Northern Calif, at least. We had several fights out of him and lost 4 dogs. Sometimes we even got ahead of the fast walkers and the other pot lickers. But once the bear decided to run the opposite direction and run both of us down a very steep mountain. We were about to give up when the bear stopped at the river and the dogs caught up.
We had to go back about 3 miles to get our rifles, by the time we got back there were only 3 dogs left and the rest were scattered all over the mountain side, some torn to pieces and some dead. But the three left had him up a tree finally. When we shot him he fell like a ton of bricks about 40 feet and that was his last roar. We were so far back in the hills Cecil had to get a pack horse so they could bring the hide in. Both of us had some pretty close calls during this chase. Old Three Toes had been in traps and chased by the best hunters but not by any BOGGY BOTTOM BOYS. I’d say he weighed about 630 lb. he got almost to the ground before the last shell stopped him, but both of us had our knives opened for action.
People came from all over the county just to see his hide and the ones who caught him.
But during the chase we saw tracks that made Old Three Toes look like a cub, so we may have a better story next time if we can find enough hounds that can stay with us. We hope theis next one heads for Oklahoma and goes up a tree at the mouth of August Creek.
B.R., if this story isn’t as good as some of the coon hunters there you can add some to make it a little more exciting. For proof we’re sending our picture with the beast.
Roy and Cecil.
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the logging camp
a first hand account
Listen to a first hand account by (name) who's family lived with the Phillips' family in near Orick, California.
the lone star state
california to texas
The 1950's
1958
de kalb texas
In 1958, at his uncle Monroe Allen’s request, Cecil Phillips moved his young family to De Kalb, Texas, one of the state’s oldest towns. First settled before the Texas Revolution, De Kalb gained its name in 1836 when Davy Crockett, passing through on his way to the Alamo, suggested honoring Revolutionary War general Baron de Kalb.
Once planned as Bowie County’s educational hub, the town instead became known for its colorful figures, including folk legend Leadbelly, domino champion John Flanery, and actor Dan Blocker of Bonanza. Cecil’s new mill sat just north of town in a boggy stretch—far from an ideal sawmill site, but the beginning of a lasting family legacy and a story in Texas history.
if these walls could talk
cecil's office in oak grove
The original office for the sawmill still stands and is being used for storage. The dimensions are roughly 8'x14' with rough sawn White Oak board and batten wood siding. God only knows at this point all the crazy moments that happened in this office. We have heard many stories, one being:
On Fridays, the loggers would roll in with their logs and the whiskey would pour, dice rolled, and cards dealt. Cecil and the loggers would cut cards for the load, if Cecil drew the high card he got the load for free, if the logger drew the high card he would be paid double for the load.
The original office for the sawmill still stands and is being used for storage. The dimensions are roughly 8'x14' with rough sawn White Oak board and batten wood siding.
1960's
sawdust and cigarettes
Cecil operated the mill north of De Kalb throughout the early 1960's. The main products produced by the mill were timbers and planking for the county bridges which were all wood at the time as well as pipe skidding material for the oil and gas industry.
While the oil and gas industry replaced timber as the top economic driver in Texas at this time, the growth created steady, practical demand for hardwood timbers, particularly oak:
In East Texas, oak lumber played a vital role in supporting infrastructure and the oil industry. Counties relied on white oak and post oak for bridge timbers, guardrail posts, and road planking, while oilfields used hardwood beams for derrick platforms, scaffolding, and cribbing due to oak’s strength and resistance to splitting. At the same time, the transportation of oil by rail and truck sustained steady demand for oak railroad ties and trailer flooring.
The mill, built of wood burned down from a cigarette tossed in sawdust.
Through the good times and bad times they were able to save enough, roughly $40,000 to move the mill from the soggy bottoms to a clay hill west of De Kalb in the small community of Oak Grove which according to Cecil was "The ideal site for a lumber mill."
1967
a historic mill
After the fire burned the mill north of De Kalb, Cecil moved his operation to Oak Grove, Texas just outside De Kalb and upon a clay hill built a new mill out of solid American Steel.
This image features Cecil on the left watching the erection of the mill. This very mill is still in operation today and is recognized as one of the oldest continuously running sawmills in the state. This very is responsible for our unique circle saw pattern available exclusively from Phillips Forest Products.
The hardwood mill Cecil started over sixty years ago is today recognized as a Texas Historic Business and the undisputed oldest family owned sawmill in the state of Texas.
Note the red specks of paint on the photograph, that's what happens when you leave a can of spray paint on a wood stove: it explodes and it gets in a fancy lady's blonde hair.
a bad moon rising
The early 1970's were good to the Phillips Family and sawmill. The children got married and had children, by 1975 Cecil and Velma Jean had four grand children with more on the way. Everything seemed to be rolling...until
The 1970's
This article from a local paper 1977 claims the Phillips Sawmill produces 2,000,000 BDFT of lumber per year and boast international shipping to two foreign countries: Iran and Lybia. What no one saw coming is the political and cultural climate in Iran would very soon slow the Phillips Sawmill to a grinding halt.
1978
The oil embargo
The 1978 oil crisis, triggered by political unrest and strikes during the Iranian Revolution, slashed Iranian oil exports and sent shockwaves through global markets. Although not a formal embargo like in 1973, the sudden loss of one of the world’s largest producers drove up oil prices, caused gasoline shortages in the United States, and fueled inflation that slowed economic growth.
In East Texas, sawmills specializing in oak timbers felt the strain as diesel and gasoline costs soared, making logging and hauling more expensive, while higher energy prices raised the cost of sawing and kiln-drying. At the same time, the housing slowdown and stalled public works reduced demand for heavy oak timbers, leaving many counties and builders to delay projects or choose cheaper alternatives. Small family-run mills in Bowie County and beyond faced a difficult squeeze of rising costs and falling orders, forcing them to cut shifts, stockpile lumber, and seek niche markets just to survive.
a moment for art
painted sawblades
Found in Chuck's Oak Grove office in 2025 hidden atop a cabinet. This was painted in 1982 by Deloris. We don't know who Deloris is, but good for her, good for you Deloris.
Painted sawblades turn tools of industry into canvases of folk art. Beginning in the mid-20th century, loggers and millworkers repurposed worn blades with hand-painted scenes of wildlife, barns, forests, and rural life. Once common at fairs and roadside shops, these one-of-a-kind pieces now stand as collectible Americana—where the steel teeth of the mill meet the brushstrokes of memory.
"There is no security on this earth, there is only opportunity"
general douglas macarthur
The 80's & 90's
The 80's proved difficult and rewarding for sawmill and the Phillips family. The oil embargo had all but bankrupted the mill, Cecil, headed into his golden years was more interested in fishing than solving the problems that had arisen over the past few years. The future of Phillips sawmill was now in the hands of Cecil's son Chuck, a United States Marine with three small children.
1988
Thirty Years
The 1980s were a pivotal decade for the Phillips Sawmill. The oil crisis of 1978–79 brought the American oil industry to a halt, eliminating the need for timbers and ties once used in pipe skidding and other industrial applications. At nearly the same time, counties across Texas began replacing wooden bridges with culverts, ending the long-standing demand for bridge timbers—a cornerstone of the mill’s production. Together, these changes delivered a heavy blow to the business, leaving the sawmill in a period of deep decline.
Faced with the collapse of its traditional markets, Cecil Phillips’ son, Chuck, a United States Marine veteran, recognized that survival depended on finding new directions. In the early 1980s, he shifted the mill’s focus to grading and kiln-drying lumber for cabinet and furniture stock. This decision proved decisive. The move stabilized operations and laid the foundation for the high-quality kiln-dried lumber that became a hallmark of the Phillips name.
A 1988 newspaper feature chronicled this chapter, noting the resilience and adaptability that allowed the family business to endure. It stands as a clear example of how innovation and determination shaped the survival of the Phillips Sawmill during a time of profound economic change.
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Kiln dried lumber
the art of good wood
In Texas, BBQ isn’t just food—it’s an art. It’s about patience, steady heat, the right cut of meat, and secrets only the pit master knows.
Drying wood follows that same rhythm. It starts deep in the forest and finishes with you. The logging has to be done just right, the cut has to be true, the air-drying must be timed with care, and the kiln must hold the perfect balance of heat and moisture. When every step is honored, the reward is a beautiful piece of wood, ready to be shaped into something we’ll use and treasure every day. From Texas natives to domestic staples and exotic finds, our racks are stocked with kiln-dried lumber waiting for its next story.
1990's
moving forward
In the early 90's, Chuck bought an Italian made molder at an auction for around $5,000, paving the way for the Phillips Forest Products molding, flooring, and siding division. The first wood floor we milled, can be found right here in De Kalb, Tx, at the oldest family owned cafe in the county, the Front Street Junction. We continue to make flooring, molding, and paneling; continuously improving, adding species and profiles.
Today, we utilize the most advanced molding machines available to provide the highest quality flooring, molding and T&G siding available. With over 1,000 molding profiles available, and our ability to design and create custom patterns, we're sure we can provide you with any flooring, molding, or siding profile for any design project.
Wernerfield Architects 'Casa Campo' utilizing Phillips Forest Products Texas Post Oak T/g Wood Paneling
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1998
the end of an era
In March 1998, after a prolonged battle with lung cancer, Cecil Phillips moved on to the next life from the comfort of his own bedroom. He spent his last moments surrounded by wife, children, and grandchildren.
In his final moments, he lay surrounded by the faces of the family he had kept at a distance flickering only in memory. Years of missed dinners, unspoken words, and absent embraces pressed down heavier than the weight of age or illness. He had chased work, pride, and distractions, telling himself there would always be more time. Now, with no time left, regret was all that remained—a hollow echo of the love he had refused to give and would never receive again.
This was a common way during Cecil's time, fathers were different back in the day, they weren't as present as they could have been. It's hard learned lesson too late and we should all seek to learn as much from our elder's final moments as we do from the entirety of our relationships with them. Regret is hard, family first.
2000's
Phillip's forest products
In 2000, Chuck purchased a property just outside De Kalb, TX, built a storage building and a new kiln with twice the capacity as the kiln at the Oak Grove sawmill and changed the name from Cecil Phillips Sawmill to Phillips Forest Products to encompass the growing field of architectural products produced by the company.
The installation of the new kiln, and the added storage capacity allowed Phillips Forest Products to become the production facility it is today, known for the highest quality molding, flooring, kiln dried lumber, and siding.
2002
New decade, new office
Around 2003 Chuck built a new office at the De Kalb location to better serve customers. This office would take over the majority of sales for Phillips Forest Products and facilitate the sale of flooring, T/G, and molding.
2003
The Alamo Film
This photograph was taken on set of The Alamo film directed by John Lee Hancock starring Billy Bob Thorton. While studying History at the University of Texas Austin, Allen Phillips, Cecil's grandson , bottom right, was cast to play the role of a New Orlean's Grey, the only military regiment at the Alamo.
"This experience of getting to be on a $100,000,000 film set was amazing, but the personal experience of it was the incredible part. Here I am, going thru hair, makeup, and wardrobe every day to be part of the story of the place I'm from. Davy Crockett was there, James Bowie was there, and so many more. Incredible, I watched Santa Anna attack the Alamo on the day and time while firing a live blackpowder cannon at them."
2005
the dallas morning news
This article from the Dallas Morning News, June 5, 2005 depicts Chuck Phillips walking a pile of Yellow Bald Cypress Logs followed closely by his beloved dog Suzie #2. Suzie #2 was a Schnauzer who liked to ride on the back of Chuck's truck EVERYWHERE.
The cypress industry in East Texas flourished in the late 1800s, when Bald Cypress lined the region’s rivers and swamps. Called “wood eternal” for its resistance to decay, it was prized for shingles, siding, and timbers. Cypress shingles became especially valued across the South for their durability in humid climates.Logging was difficult, as trees grew in deep swamps. Crews used oxen, mules, or floated rafts of logs down the Sabine, Neches, and Trinity Rivers to sawmills and Gulf Coast markets. By the mid-20th century, most virgin stands were gone, and the industry declined. Unlike Southern Yellow Pine, Yellow Bald Cypress was not widely replanted. Today, it survives in specialty markets, with salvaged “sinker” logs and pecky cypress crafted into paneling, mantels, and furniture—reminders of the wood’s enduring legacy in East Texas.
Arround the mill
check out a few images from our mill
the fourth generation
new ideas take root
The Phillips family story in wood began with Cecil Phillips, who built a sawmill from scratch in the late 1950s and raised his family beside it in Oak Grove, Texas. He learned the trade from his father and carried it forward with grit, determination, and the steady rhythm of saws that shaped both lumber and livelihood. For decades, the mill adapted to the times—cutting bridge timbers, kiln-drying oak, and later adding design divisions, furniture, and live-edge slabs—always evolving while staying rooted in tradition. Each generation left its mark: Cecil’s hard-won beginnings, Chuck’s focus on architectural millwork, and new ventures that opened doors to customers near and far. Now, Cole and Allen Phillips take the reins as the fourth generation, carrying forward a legacy while bringing fresh ideas and energy that push the business in bold new directions. From the first log cut to the products that now fill homes and kitchens, the Phillips family has kept one promise alive: to turn the raw beauty of wood into something lasting, useful, and loved.
2010
into high design
After studying architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design, Allen Phillips returned to De Kalb, TX with a vision that helped reshape the family business. RISD, known worldwide for blending art, design, and industry, instilled in him a respect for craftsmanship and an eye for innovation.
Bringing that perspective to East Texas, Allen helped transform Phillips Forest Products from a traditional sawmill into a design-focused workshop. The same oak and walnut once milled for bridges and timbers became the foundation for finely crafted furniture, cabinetry, and architectural elements—pieces that honor the company’s heritage while embracing the possibilities of high design. Archfern was founded in 2010 as a multifaceted design firm focused on film, furniture, and architecture.
This photograph taken in Archfern Studios circa 2014 is a testament to the amount of projects being produced between Archfern and Phillips Forest Products during this time period. The roof in the bottom center of the photo is a charity project for CASA (Court Appointed Special advocacy).
C.A.S.A
court appointed special advocacy = CASA
“Together with state and local member programs, we support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy so every child who has experienced abuse or neglect can be safe, have a permanent home, and the opportunity to thrive.” CASA Mission Statement
Phillips Forest Products is a proud sponsor of CASA Texarkana and of the work they do in our area. The playhouse in the image above was design by Archfern and built by Phillips Forest Products in collaboration with Ledwell. The playhouse, along with others was auctioned off at CASA's annual 'Parade of Playhouses' Note: this actually happened in 2015 but fits here well.
A moment for art
showcasing the art of deborah paris
Deborah Paris is an American landscape painter, author of Painting the Woods (Texas A&M University Press, 2020), and founder of The Landscape Atelier. Rooted in close observation and imagination, her work has focused on East Texas landscapes and, more recently, the interplay between her garden and the wild.
"The landscape, especially the southern woods of my childhood and the Pineywoods of East Texas, is where I can feel the energy and hum of nature. It’s where time seems to collapse into a single moment. The layered glimpses of leaf and sky, foliage and trunk, litter and deadfall, reflections and stream bottoms, all collide and break apart like a kaleidoscopic image." Deborah Paris
2011
a plant in a pot
Allen and Cole Phillips stand at a burled Redwood crosscut table while being interviewed for a East Texas Magazine. This photograph is telling. In the background, you can see wood fireplace mantels displayed vertically on the wall while willow rocking chair wait to be purchased. This photo was taken in the production warehouse of Phillips Forest Products: Retail meets Manufacturing. The growth of retail furniture products was becoming clear at this point and the current situation would have to change.
2013
arhitectural millwork
Around 2013, Chuck’s son Cole assumed responsibility for the architectural millwork operations, marking another generational shift in the Phillips family story. Recognizing the changing needs of builders and designers, he executed a new plan that placed greater emphasis on the production of wood moldings and surface tongue-and-groove material. These items, once a smaller part of the company’s output, became central under Cole’s leadership, reflecting both market demand and his own commitment to precision and finish.
The transition highlighted how each generation of the Phillips family left its mark on the business—where Cecil had secured the mill’s survival through bridge timbers, Chuck built the kilns, Allen introduced high design and Cole focused on expanding architectural millwork with consistency and scale.
Cole is seen here examining bundles of Red River Pecan fresh from the dry kiln, continuing the family’s tradition of hands-on quality control. His focus on detail, paired with a clear vision for product development, helped establish Phillips Forest Products as a trusted source for finely crafted moldings and paneling, carrying the company’s heritage forward into a new era.
wood molding
thousands of profiles
Our moulding story began with a 1950s Italian cast iron molder that Chuck Phillips bought at auction for $5,000. Heavy, stubborn, and precise, it taught us the craft the hard way—cut by cut, profile by profile. From that machine grew a family tradition of shaping wood into something lasting.
Today, we mill mouldings with the same pride, using kiln-dried hardwoods chosen for strength and beauty. Our catalogue ranges from sleek, modern lines to timeless classical designs, and it keeps growing. For custom work, we cut our own knives—send us a drawing and we’ll craft your profile. Working on a restoration? Ship us a piece, and we’ll replicate it exactly, preserving history one board at a time. From a cast iron relic to the best wood working machines available, our moldings carry the same values we started with: tradition, craftsmanship, and family—cut into every piece we make. Our molding can be found throughout historical projects across the united states, from Washington DC to small courthouses in Texas.
2015
THE FOREST STORE
Phillips’ The Forest Store is the retail arm of your family’s long-running sawmill and wood products business. It reflects the evolution from traditional sawmilling into a modern design and retail operation.
In 2015, The Forest Store opened its first retail location in Hooks, Texas. The store became a showcase for live-edge slabs, fireplace mantels, countertops, rustic furniture, butcher blocks, cutting boards, and hand-crafted wood art. Stocked with both raw slabs and finished pieces, it provided a direct connection between the family mill’s production and customers seeking heirloom-quality wood products. The concept later extended to Hochatown, Oklahoma, a growing tourism hub near Beavers Bend, where The Forest Store taps into a market of visitors looking for unique, natural, and locally crafted goods. Today, The Forest Store bridges heritage and design—offering customers not just lumber, but timeless pieces for their homes, all rooted in the Phillips family’s East Texas sawmill tradition.
A live edge Walnut wood slab with the classic walnut crotch. Browse Live Edge Wood Slabs
2018
the historic
PHILLIPS FOREST PRODUCTS
A TEXAS HISTORIC BUSINESS
Phillips Forest Products – Texas Treasure Business Award Recipient
Established in 1958, Phillips Forest Products has been recognized by the Texas Historical Commission as a Texas Historic Business through the Texas Treasure Business Award program. This designation honors businesses that have provided employment and contributed to the state’s economic growth for 50 years or more.
The State of Texas formally acknowledges Phillips Forest Products for more than six decades of service, craftsmanship, and dedication. Its history embodies the spirit of perseverance and enterprise that strengthens local communities and preserves Texas heritage.
WOOD IS WONDERFUL™
enjoying our story? be a part of it!
check out some of our best selling gear below.
The Iconic Wood is Wonderful™ Hat
The official Historic Phillips Forest Products Shirt.
Browse all shirts
2023
THE FOREST STORE hochatown
In 2023, we brought The Forest Store north from our Hooks, TX location, to open a second location in Hochatown, Oklahoma—just an hour’s drive away. Nestled at the edge of the Ouachita Mountains and near the clear waters of Broken Bow Lake, Hochatown has become one of the top vacation destinations in the region, drawing visitors from across the country and around the world. Known for its blend of outdoor adventure and rustic charm, the area offers hiking, biking, camping, fishing, and kayaking, making it a natural fit for our brand.
The Hochatown Forest Store gave us the opportunity to broaden our reach and expand our product base beyond lumber and slabs. Here, alongside our live-edge furniture and mantels, travelers can discover a wide variety of handmade home goods—cutting boards, butcher blocks, rustic décor, and unique woodcrafts that carry the same quality and craftsmanship as the millwork that built our reputation. For many, a visit to the Hochatown Forest Store becomes more than shopping—it’s a chance to take home a piece of East Texas and Oklahoma heritage, crafted from the same woods that have sustained our family business for generations.
2025
THE FOREST STORE waco
Located between Chip and Joana Gaines' Hotel 1928 and Tecovas cowboy boots on Washington avenue in downtown Waco, Texas, this location will serve as our flagship store.
Waco, Texas, has a history that stretches back to the mid-1800s, when it was founded along the Brazos River near a former Waco Indian village. The arrival of the suspension bridge in 1870, then the longest of its kind west of the Mississippi, made Waco a hub for trade and cattle drives, while the railroads soon solidified its role as a regional crossroads. The city became known for its cotton industry, higher education institutions like Baylor University, and for being the birthplace of Dr Pepper in 1885—the oldest major soft drink in the United States, created at a local pharmacy and now celebrated with the Dr Pepper Museum downtown. Waco has also endured tragedy, including the 1953 tornado that devastated downtown and the 1993 siege at Mount Carmel, but each time it rebuilt and grew. Today, Waco blends its frontier roots with cultural landmarks and economic revival, standing as both a historic Texas city and a modern destination.