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Longtime Vale family new owners of Olsen’s

By John L. Braese

The Enterprise

VALE – Olsen’s Lumber has a new owner and a name familiar in the local area.

The Dentinger family, owner of Dentinger Feed and Seed Co. in Vale, signed the final documents on Monday to take possession of the long-time Vale hardware store.

“We have wanted to expand for some time and this gives us the chance,” said Rick Dentinger. “Now that my two sons are back home and can help, it was time to go ahead.”

Dentinger declined to disclose terms of the sale but said his family is receiving some business assistance from another family long involved in the hardware business.

“Mike Olsen along with Sue Keller are helping us out, which provides us with years of experience,” Dentinger said.

Olsen started the business in 1968 and sold to Toby Cummings in 2011.

Even with new owners, the store will retain a few things but there will be changes, said Dentinger.

“We are staying with True Value,” he said. “They are treating us as a new store and coming in to take a look what is needed and stocking us. We are moving the retail portion of Dentinger’s over to the hardware store to allow more room for us to grow that portion of the business.”

Dentinger said True Value representatives told him it would take approximately four weeks to inventory the stock and resupply the shelves.

Cummings will retain the pallet building business.

“Toby has been fantastic to work with in offering advice and his concern for the community,” said Dentinger. “Vale needs a hardware store and both parties realized this was the chance for that to happen.”

Dentinger said the new owners will have a grand opening in the spring.

Have a news tip? Contact reporter John L. Braese at 541-473-3377 or [email protected]