There was a time when Libby Fritsche would say, “I wish I was selling pizzas.”
Something with fewer parts and limited selections so it was easier to understand all that was available. Now, what the CEO of Tart Lumber enjoys most is helping clients with their selections, and that, Fritsche acknowledges, requires a comprehensive knowledge of products, suppliers and emerging trends.In the showroom at Tart Lumber — located in the affluent community of Sterling, Va., little more than a stone’s throw from D.C. and its surrounding powerhouse neighborhoods — contractors, consumers and consulting designers find everything from lumber and mouldings to windows, doors, cabinetry, hardware and more. Whether it’s new construction, remodels or additions, if you can dream it, they’ve got what you need to build it.
But the most critical thing they offer customers isn’t really for sale: It’s the 75-plus years of intellectual property and family legacy that dates to 1951 when Lynwood Tart opened his lumber store in Arlington. A home center followed in the early 70s, located in Sterling, and within a few years he consolidated all of the operations in Loudon County.
