Colman business to move, add merchandise

Colman Building Center is expanding and relocating to a new building on Highway 34, with plans to be open by early January.
The home center and lumber business will move into a building under construction to the east of Landis Ag. Colman Building Center built a warehouse for material storage on the property about three years ago, and this second building is to the east of that. The two buildings are about four times larger than the downtown center.
“We just didn’t have enough space downtown,” said Dean Gulbranson, who owns the business with his wife, Peg. “It’s just going to make it a lot easier. Right now, we run back and forth.”

The business move will start in late November and be completed by Jan. 1, he said. During the process, the downtown Colman store will remain open. Once everything is moved, he has a yet unnamed buyer for the downtown property that he purchased about a decade ago.
“There will be another business coming into Colman,” he said.
The business move and expansion will add more office space, additional showroom space with a better layout and more warm storage for items such as paint and caulk. He also will add some “general store” items, including cleaning supplies and paper products.
The Highway 34 access also will give the store better visibility, he said. “It’s going to increase our traffic.”
The business works with contractors and has seen business increase as Colman has added new homes, and the customer base has grown farther outside of town, too.
“That business in Colman, it’s really done well for us,” Gulbranson said. “We’re supplying a lot of materials and going further and further with it.”
Colman Building Center sells Do-It Best hardware lines. Gulbranson has seven employees and is looking at hiring more, he said.
The Gulbransons also own Homestead Building Supplies based in Brookings, with locations in Howard, Highmore, Mobridge and Leola.