Is Joe Hardy Still Alive?

Joe Hardy III, an American businessman, founder of the 84 Lumber chain of building materials stores and developer of the Nemacolin resort, has died.

Hardy was born on January 7, 1923 and died on January 7, 2023. He was 100 years old.

Hardy served in World War II in the US Army Air Corps as a communications officer in the South Pacific.

He earned a degree in industrial engineering degree at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Engineering in 1948 and worked at his uncle’s downtown Pittsburgh jewelry store before striking out into the building materials supply field at the age of 31.

During the 1970s, 84 Lumber’s business grew and opened 229 stores.

In 1984, the company undertook an expansion plan to open at least 30 new stores.

Along with grand openings, stores were remodeled and renovated from no-frills lumber yards to new and improved building materials stores.

In 1987, as the improvement plan generated success, the business opened their strict policy of cash-and-carry to options of using credit.

In 1992, after 34 years of running the company, Joe Hardy handed the daily responsibility of 84 Lumber to his daughter, Maggie Hardy Magerko, (later Maggie Hardy Knox) who had served as Executive Vice President.

The company expanded under the stewardship of his daughter and opened its 400th store in 1997.

Two years later, 84 Lumbar opened its first retail store, 84 Plus.

The early 2000s proved to be successful for 84 Lumber:

• In 2002, the company hit record sales and
• In 2004, they opened 18 new stores.

In 2008, however, 84 Lumber’s profits plummeted when the housing market crashed and brought the building supplies market down with it.

The situation for the company improved some years after the crash, when the market started to bounce back.

With a restructuring of the workforce and the selling of company real estate, Hardy Magerko was able to turn the company around and increase sales 27 percent from 2012 to 2013.

Due to the guidance he gave to his daughter, Maggie, 84 Lumber is now the leading privately held building materials supplier to professional contractors and build-it-yourselfers in the United States.

Hardy is survived by his wife Jodi Santella Williams and two children: Maggie Hardy Magerko and Taylor Hardy.