Ricci Lumber was founded in 1956 by general contractor and real estate developer, Erminio Ricci. Born in Italy in 1903, Ermino became enchanted with Portsmouth, NH from stories that his railroad worker father told him during his visits to America. "Papa Ricci", as Erminio was affectionately called by friends and family alike, immigrated in 1919, and quickly settled in Portsmouth. He and his wife, Anna, were determined to succeed in America. They opened Ricci Lumber when they could not find a reliable lumber and masonry supplier for their construction company. He started the company primarily as a masonry supply store, selling bricks, blocks and cements. Several years later, with the urging of our customer base, he added lumber and building materials to complement the masonry store. Originally called Ricci Supply, our meager offerings were initially masonry supplies and a small selection of concrete forming lumber. It was quickly realized that our customers demanded a wider variety of building materials and hardware. We expanded our selection of lumber, building materials, and hardware, opening up a full service lumberyard in 1957, including a 1000 sqft hardware store.
In 1959, Don Hayes, Mr. Ricci's son in law, joined the company and began working his way through the organization, from yard person, to driver and eventually General Manager. During the 1960's the business continued to expand, adding a small hardware store and larger offices to the operation. In 1971, Ricci Homes was founded as a subsidiary to take customers from foundation to finish, handling all aspects of the house's constructions. A year later, Area Millwork was established on Albany St. in Portsmouth to sell windows, doors and cabinets at cash and carry prices. Early in 1979, we expanded the main store from less than 2,000 sqft to 10,000 sqft for retail and contractor sales.
1981 was a transitional year as possession of the company moved from Mr. Ricci to Don and Chickie Hayes, keeping ownership within the same family We were saddened in 1982 when our founder and President Mr. Ricci passed away suddenly. Throughout the 80's we continued to improve the operation, adding buildings, land and equipment to better serve our customers. In 1988 we added Area Kitchen Centre to the front building on Bartlett St to take advantage of the changing trends in the remodeling/new home market. Since that time we have consistently grown, adding the newest cutting edge materials to our product lines. May 3rd of 1991 was a change of course for our company, as our complete facility burned to the ground in less than 2 hours. Though devastated, the next morning the staff meeting in a temporary office and encouraged ownership to rebuild. In less than four months, the complete operation was rebuilt and the doors were open. Now, with over 11,000 sqft of showroom space and 6 acres of lumber and building materials, Ricci Lumber is the recognized leader in building supplies for the Seacoast area. Today Ricci Lumber is owned and operated by Papa Ricci's Grandson Ed Hayes, together with members of the family; the company continues to carry on its founder's commitment to the highest quality products, competitive prices and world-class service.
Our goal is simple, be the best supplier of building materials in the Seacoast Area!
