Lester Group acquires Williamsburg building supply company

The Lester Group, a Martinsville-based company with a diverse portfolio including lumber products and real estate development, acquired Williamsburg-based Custom Builder Supply on June 3, the company announced earlier in June.

Lester Group CEO Jay Dickens declined to release financial terms of the deal.

Randy Cooper founded Custom Builder Supply in 1988 and worked there as president and manager for 33 years, according to his 2021 obituary. The company was formerly owned by a group of local investors, according to its website.

The Lester Group owns five other building supply companies across Virginia. Custom Builder Supply won’t change names with the deal, and its 23 employees are being retained, according to a press release issued by the Southern Virginia company.

“We’re not just adding a business; we’re welcoming a brand that shares our values and commitment to quality and service into our family,” George W. Lester II, co-chair of The Lester Group, said in the release.

In addition to real estate management and development, the Lester Group owns Fredericksburg-based Fortress Door Co. and Martinsville-based Fortress Wood, a wood preserving company with North Carolina production facilities in High Point, Henderson, and Elizabeth City. The company also owns more than 21,000 acres of forestland in Virginia in Franklin, Halifax, Henry and Pittsylvania counties, as well as Rockingham County in North Carolina.