OXFORD VILLAGE ? A local businessman is eager to breathe new life into a 3.5-acre piece of property that’s sat vacant and unused since late 2006.
Steve Stoll, owner of the Lake Orion-based Hi-Hill Lawn Service, has a purchase agreement for the former James Lumber property at the corner of E. Burdick and Mill streets.
If he can obtain the necessary approvals from the village, the 38-year-old Brandon resident wants to sell, repair and rent a wide variety of outdoor power equipment from inside the 19,469-square-foot building.
‘I’ve been in the landscape business since I was 12,? said Stoll, a 1989 Lake Orion High School graduate. ‘I know what sells and I know what doesn’t. I know what works.?
Stoll indicated his retail operation, which he hopes to open next spring, would cater to both commercial customers, such as landscape contractors like himself, and homeowners.
He plans to sell riding lawn mowers, tractors, line trimmers, backpack blowers, chainsaws, snow plows, snowblowers, salt spreaders and a wide variety of parts.
‘I’ve got a really tight business plan here,? Stoll said. ‘We know what the market is looking for in this area and that’s what we want to sell.?
Knowing he can’t compete with the big box stores on many of the lower-priced items they sell, Stoll’s going to focus on selling higher-end products and providing excellent service.
‘Trying to sell push mowers is tough because Home Depot will just crush you,? he said. ‘I’m going to go in with some specialty items that Home Depot doesn’t have.?
As far as product lines, Stoll’s already got Stihl, a line well-known for their quality chainsaws, locked up.
‘Everything that Stihl makes, we’ll sell,? he said. ‘Their display rack’s going to be like 22 feet long.?
Scag, a line of commercial mowers, is also on board.
Stoll’s already been approved to do sales, parts and service for small engines made by Honda, Kawasaki, Kohler, Briggs & Stratton, and Tecumseh.
Power Equipment Distributors, Inc. indicated that should Stoll get all the village approvals necessary to make his retail store a go, he’ll be able to sell the RedMax line of equipment and possibly eXmark products as well.
Stoll is also waiting to hear from Cub Cadet if he can sell their tractors.
‘We’re going to try to build around the commercial customers to start with,? said John Bradshaw, who’s going to manage Stoll’s retail operation.
Bradshaw has 27 years experience working for Power Equipment Distributors.
‘On a busy day, you can sell 10 or 15 pieces of equipment,? he said.
Behind the store, in what used to be the lumber yard, Stoll is planning to sell landscape material such as mulch, brick pavers, gravel and top soil.
All the materials will be stored inside two outdoor structures that used to house lumber. Doors would be added to each storage building to keep things enclosed.
Stoll intends to have modest quantities of each material, just enough to sell for retail purposes. He made it clear he won’t be running a wholesale operation in the yard.
Although the economy is very slow right now, Stoll believes once things pick up, the need for outdoor power equipment and landscaping materials is ‘going to explode.?
‘Once Waterstone turns around and people start spending money again, there is so much work out there,? he said.
Stoll intends to store his lawn service’s 11 trucks inside the back portion of the building. He wishes to run his landscaping business from this site as well.
But in order to park his trucks on-site, he’ll need a special use permit from the village.
Stoll said his business plan ‘hinges? on him being able to operate all three businesses ? the power equipment store, landscape yard and lawn service ? from the one location. ‘All three have to be approved,? he said.
Those looking for jobs will be happy to know that Stoll plans to hire between 12 and 15 full and part-time employees to run his retail store including three mechanics to start, a service writer, a parts guy, receptionist and people to assemble equipment.
He’ll also need four or five additional employees to work outside with the landscape materials, plus another three employees for his lawn service in the spring.
His landscape business currently employs 17 full-time workers. ‘Since 2004, I’ve doubled in size,? Stoll said. ‘Everything’s going really good.?
Stoll intends to renovate the outside of the former James Lumber building in order to make it more attractive and blend in better with its surroundings, which are mostly residential.
‘I don’t want any problems with neighbors. I just want to be able to do my business there,? he said.
Stoll plans to give the building a whole new facade that has a ‘downtown? appearance in order to ‘make it look like part of the community.?
‘Since I’m a landscape contractor, I can tell you the front’s going to be beautiful because it’s what I do,? he said. ‘When people come in here I want them to go ‘Wow!??
He also wants to replace the chain-link fence surrounding the former lumber yard with something ‘more aesthetically-pleasing? such as a mix of wooden fence and masonry wall. The gates through which the yard is accessed would be replaced with wrought iron gates.
Stoll’s plans for the property are expected to go before the village planning commission at either its September or October meeting.
‘I cannot close (on the purchase) until I have permission from the village to be there,? he said.
The former James Lumber property is zoned as Central Business District (C-1).
Permitted principal uses in C-1 zoning include retail, service, office, department stores, specialty shops, financial institutions, restaurants and taverns.