Tetrus opens Carson City store, keeps eye on Boise

Even as Reno's Tetrus Building Materials opens a location in Carson City, the company's management is laying the groundwork to take a big step into the Boise market.

Tetrus, a supplier of landscaping materials and natural stone, moved into a 7,200-square-foot facility formerly leased by Western Nevada Supply on a 2.5-acre property at 2443 S. Curry St. in Carson City.

Its sister company, Tahoe Lighting, shares space in the new location. The company's staff of four is overseen by manager CW Wiggins.

Pat Conners, president of Tetrus, says the Carson City location, the company's second outpost, is but one part of a multi-faceted expansion strategy.

The company also is working hard to establish a beachhead in the Boise market and views its experience with the Carson City location as a model for further branch operations.

Use of pavers and other hardscape materials remains relatively uncommon in Boise, says Eric Thompson, a vice president of Tetrus.

"We're going to create a market for pavers," he says.

At the same time, the company has widened its reach in the Reno-Sparks market by increasing its reliance on retail sales directly to consumers.

Its 20,000-square-foot facility at 3025 Mill St. has been steadily remodeled from a sales operation that targeted contractors into a showroom designed to appeal to consumers.

Growth of the retail business has given the company some breathing room as the homebuilders that have been among the largest customers for the six-year-old company's products scaled back as the residential market softened.

The company generates a new stream of revenue, meanwhile, from its entry into the trucking business known as T2 Transport.

Seeking better control of delivery times and costs from its California suppliers, Tetrus bought an eight-truck fleet. Rather than face empty backhauls to California, Conners and Thompson hustled up business from northern Nevada manufacturers who needed flat-bed truck service to markets in the Golden State.

The trucking operation also positions Tetrus for expansion to Boise and other markets as freight costs are a big expense in the hardscape and pavers markets.