Houston Starr

What Houston Starr does

Houston-Starr Company (operating as Houston Starr) is a privately held, family-owned building materials supplier headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with additional offices in Altoona, PA and Sterling, VA. Founded in 1872 by the Houston Brothers and acquired by A.Q. Starr in the early 1900s, the company has operated continuously for over 150 years and serves as Pittsburgh's oldest building materials supplier. Its product portfolio spans three categories: (1) commercial doors, frames, and architectural hardware — including hollow metal, wood, specialty (bullet/blast-resistant, stainless steel, fiberglass), and a full hardware line from ASSA ABLOY, Schlage, Von Duprin, Hager, LCN, and others; (2) wholesale household appliances from brands including Whirlpool, GE, KitchenAid, Maytag, Frigidaire, Electrolux, Amana, Speed Queen, and Haier; and (3) kitchen cabinets and architectural millwork from Fieldstone, Wolf, Schrock, Shiloh, and Mantra.

The company operates an on-site custom door fabrication shop capable of frame welding, fire-rating label application (20-minute to 3-hour UL/ASTM ratings), specialty lock preparation, hardware pre-installation, and custom modifications. Supporting services include an in-house Architectural Hardware Consultant (AHC), locksmith services offering custom and master keying, and a 15,000 sq. ft. Pittsburgh warehouse. Distribution is handled through a company-owned truck fleet that completes 95% of deliveries internally across Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Houston Starr generates revenue via B2B wholesale distribution under quote-based pricing, selling to contractors, builders, property managers, and appliance dealers. The go-to-market is primarily direct — phone, email, and website-driven quote requests — targeting four customer segments: contractors/remodelers, property managers, kitchen/appliance dealers, and architects/builders. The company has remained under family control through multiple generations, with Jim Starr as President (since 1987) and J.W. Starr as Senior Vice President (since 2013). No external investors, funding rounds, or ownership changes are evidenced.

Name

Houston Starr

Legal name

Houston-Starr Company

Website

https://houstonstarr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Houston Starr is a privately held, family-owned Pittsburgh-based building materials supplier distributing commercial doors, frames, hardware, wholesale appliances, and kitchen cabinets to contractors, builders, property managers, and dealers across Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Materials Distribution

NAICS

Roofing, Siding, and Insulation Material Merchant Wholesalers (42333)

SIC

Wholesale-Lumber & Other Construction Materials (5030), Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211)

akta.pro primary industry

Windows, Doors & Millwork Distribution (CRAOAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom Window & Door Fabrication & Replacement (HSAPAJAI), Doors, Windows & Millwork Hardware Retail (Locks, Hinges, Handles) (CRAIADAJ)

Keywords

• Building materials distribution
• Commercial door supply
• Wholesale appliances
• Kitchen cabinetry
• Architectural hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Houston-Starr Company is a wholesale building materials distributor supplying commercial doors (hollow metal, wood, and specialty), architectural hardware, kitchen cabinets and architectural millwork, and major household appliances to contractors, builders, property managers, and dealers in the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley regions. The company operates a custom door fabrication shop, a 15,000 sq. ft. Pittsburgh warehouse, and an in-house architectural hardware consultant and locksmith for tailored commercial door solutions.

Product overview

Houston Starr is a building materials supplier offering a portfolio of three core product categories: (1) Commercial Doors and Hardware, encompassing hollow metal doors and frames, wood doors (flush, stile and rail, molded panel, plastic laminate, applied molding), specialty doors (bullet/blast-resistant, stainless steel, fiberglass, cellar, access panels), and architectural hardware (hinges, locks, exit devices, door closers, weatherstripping); (2) Wholesale Appliances, distributing major household appliances (refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges, microwaves, washers, dryers) from major brands to contractors and property managers; and (3) Kitchen Cabinets and Architectural Millwork, providing custom cabinet solutions with expert design consultation for residential, commercial, and property management projects. The company operates a custom door shop for modifications, a 15,000 sq. ft. Pittsburgh warehouse, and in-house services including fire-label application, hardware pre-installation, and custom keying.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hollow Metal Doors & Frames

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of deliveries made using own trucks ensuring reliable service
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WhirlpoolcoreTechnology or IntegrationWholesale distributor of Whirlpool appliances including refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges, and other major household appliances.
• GE AppliancescoreTechnology or IntegrationWholesale distributor of GE brand appliances for residential and commercial applications.
• KitchenAidcoreTechnology or IntegrationWholesale distributor of KitchenAid major appliances including ranges, refrigerators, and dishwashers.
• MaytagcoreTechnology or IntegrationWholesale distributor of Maytag appliances including commercial-grade ranges and laundry equipment.
• FrigidairecoreTechnology or IntegrationWholesale distributor of Frigidaire appliances including ranges, refrigerators, and laundry units.
• ElectroluxcoreTechnology or IntegrationWholesale distributor of Electrolux appliances for residential and commercial use.
• AmanacoreTechnology or IntegrationWholesale distributor of Amana brand major appliances including ranges and refrigerators.
• Fieldstone CabinetrycoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of custom kitchen cabinets carried by Houston Starr for residential and commercial projects.
• Wolf Home ProductscoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of kitchen cabinets and building products distributed by Houston Starr.
• SchrockcoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of kitchen cabinetry products available through Houston Starr.
• ASSA ABLOY (Emtek)coreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of architectural hardware including high-security locks, dead bolts, and entry hardware for commercial doors.
• SchlagecoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of commercial door hardware including cylindrical locks, mortise locksets, and keying systems.
• Von DuprincoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of exit devices (panic bars) and emergency egress hardware for commercial door applications.
• HagercoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of commercial door hinges and architectural builder's hardware.
• LCNcoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of door closers for commercial door applications.
• Sargent (ASSA ABLOY)coreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of commercial locksets and exit devices for commercial door hardware.
• Republic Doors and FramescoreTechnology or IntegrationManufacturer of hollow metal doors and frames matched to project design and budget requirements.
• CurriescoreTechnology or IntegrationManufacturer of commercial hollow metal doors and frames for commercial construction projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• US LBM Holdings: Large-scale lumber and specialty building materials distributor operating a federation of regional brands. Shares the multi-branch B2B contractor distribution model but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Allied Building Products: Now part of ABC Supply, Allied was a major distributor of roofing, siding, windows, doors, and interior products to contractors. Comparable multi-category specialty distribution serving professional builders in regional markets.
• ABC Supply Co. Largest wholesale distributor of roofing, siding, windows, and exterior building products in North America with hundreds of branches. Competes with Houston Starr in serving professional contractors across the same regional footprint.
• Stock Building Supply: Former standalone regional building materials distributor (now under US LBM), historically serving contractors with lumber, trusses, and specialty building products. Comparable B2B contractor-distribution model with regional branch operations.
• Ferguson Enterprises: Large distributor of plumbing, HVAC, and building products with significant appliance and specialty product exposure. While broader in scope, Ferguson overlaps with Houston Starr on B2B distribution, contractor relationships, and category breadth.
• Weyerhaeuser Distribution: Building products distribution arm of Weyerhaeuser, distributing engineered wood, lumber, and related building materials to dealers and contractors. Adjacent in serving the B2B building materials supply chain.

Direct peers

• 84 Lumber: Pennsylvania-based building materials dealer serving contractors with lumber, doors, windows, cabinets, and appliances through company-owned branches and delivery. Closely matches Houston Starr's regional B2B distribution model and customer base.
• Lansing Building Products: Specialty distributor of exterior building products (windows, doors, siding, trim) with regional branch networks across the U.S. Like Houston Starr, Lansing combines stock-and-pull distribution with fabrication services and serves professional contractors and builders.
• BMC Stock Holdings: Major regional distributor of building materials including structural components, windows, doors, and millwork to professional builders. Comparable multi-category B2B distribution model with custom door fabrication and millwork capabilities.
• Foundation Building Materials: Specialty distributor of building products including insulation, framing, and complementary categories to professional contractors. Overlapping model as a category-focused building products distributor serving tradespeople.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Houston Starr