Founded by Joseph A. Torrisi, the company started at a small site on Jackson Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1946. Joe recognized the building materials supply business opportunity created by the post-World War II building boom. Named Jackson Lumber for the street where it was located, the company quickly outgrew the initial location and moved to Market Street, where they could spread out over an entire city block. Innovative for that time, the property included a drive-through lumber yard and a rail spur to facilitate lumber delivery by rail.
Throughout the ups and downs of the national, regional, and local economy, Jackson Lumber & Millwork enjoyed steady growth under the Torrisi family leadership. Today, the company has a millwork manufacturing facility in Raymond, New Hampshire, lumber yards and retail stores in Amesbury, Massachusetts, Woburn, Massachusetts, and Lawrence, Massachusetts, as well as a state-of-the-art kitchen design showroom in North Andover, Massachusetts. Joe’s son, Al Torrisi, was at the company helm for 30 years before he passed control of Jackson Lumber & Millwork to the third generation of family leadership in 2012.
Current Jackson president, Mark Torrisi, is committed to continuing the company mission to “provide customers with quality products, services & solutions on-time and in-full every day.” The Torrisi family management team is known for incorporating innovative business practices to produce better outcomes for their customers. One of the premier building materials and supply firms in New England, Jackson Lumber was recognized in 2014 as the National ProSales Dealer of the Year, becoming the first New England dealer to be so recognized.
After 75 years in business, Jackson Lumber & Millwork and the Torrisi family continue their commitment to stay close to their customers and help them with their project needs, to give back to their communities, and to actively participate in lumber industry associations.
Photo Caption:
The third generation of Torrisi family leadership of Jackson Lumber & Millwork at the Lawrence headquarters. L-R: Joe Torrisi, Executive Vice President; Jay Torrisi, CEO and Treasurer; Mark Torrisi, President.
