Soo Mill

What Soo Mill does

Soo Mill Home Renovations & Project Specialists, operating under the trade name Soo Mill Buildall, is a privately held, independently owned retailer of building materials and home renovation supplies headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1915, the company has operated for over a century serving Northern Ontario's Algoma region. It runs two physical retail storefronts — a flagship at 539 Great Northern Road in Sault Ste. Marie and a second location at 4 Kilborn Way in Elliot Lake — and complements them with an e-commerce website offering product browsing, pricing transparency, quote requests for larger projects, and online payment. Its product assortment spans roughly twenty core categories including lumber (spruce, pressure treated, cedar, hardwood, composite decking), sheet goods (plywood, OSB, MDF, melamine), drywall and steel studs, roofing, insulation, siding, windows and doors, concrete and stone products, kitchens and cabinet hardware, plumbing, heating and ventilation, electrical and lighting, paint and accessories, moulding and balustrade, flooring and tile, power and hand tools, fasteners and hardware, and seasonal outdoor products.

The company's customers are split between two primary segments: individual DIY homeowners undertaking renovation and improvement projects, and professional contractors and builders requiring consistent supply of building materials for client work. Pricing is unit-based transactional retail, with individual product pricing displayed online (spruce lumber from ~$2.98-$4.26 per piece; composite decking and Trex products from $22.99-$159.00; power tools up to ~$1,285) plus select sale items and quote-based pricing for larger projects. There is no subscription model, no disclosed volume pricing structure, and no enterprise contract framework. Marketing is multi-channel and locally oriented, combining organic social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), an email newsletter, and community events such as charity BBQs, alongside the physical storefront presence and the website catalog.

The technology stack is conventional retail: an e-commerce platform integrated with inventory management and point-of-sale systems. No proprietary technology, custom platforms, APIs, software integrations, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. The company is privately held with no evidence of institutional or private equity ownership, no disclosed management team beyond general contact channels, no patents, certifications, partnerships, or M&A activity in the available data. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company does not publish financials, and there is no headcount trend data available.

Name

Soo Mill

Legal name

Soo Mill Home Renovations & Project Specialists

Website

https://soomill.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Soo Mill is a privately held Northern Ontario home renovation retailer operating two physical stores and an e-commerce website, supplying lumber, building materials, tools, and home improvement products to DIY homeowners and professional contractors in the Algoma region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Materials Retail

SIC

Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAIAEAI

Doors, Windows & Millwork Retail (Interior/Exterior Doors, Windows, Moulding)

Consumer Products & Retail/Home & Furniture Retail/Building Materials & Lumber Retail

SECONDARYIMAMAIAA

Softwood Lumber Distribution & Trading

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Paper & Forest Products/Forest Products Distribution & Trading

Keywords

• Building materials retail
• Lumber and sheet goods
• Home renovation supplies
• Hardware and tools
• Windows and doors

Headquarters

HQ city

Sault Sainte Marie

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Building Materials Sales: One-time transactional sales of building materials, lumber, hardware, tools, and home renovation supplies to walk-in customers, contractors, and online shoppers. Products range from small hardware items ($1-10) to large building materials and equipment (up to $1,000+). Revenue is generated through individual product purchases at retail pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Soo Mill is a home renovation and building materials retailer that sells lumber, sheet goods, drywall, roofing, insulation, siding, windows, doors, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, flooring, paint, tools, hardware, and seasonal outdoor products through two physical retail locations in Sault Ste. Marie and Elliot Lake, Ontario, plus an e-commerce website. Sales are primarily one-time transactions at unit retail pricing, with quote requests available for larger projects.

Product overview

Soo Mill is a home renovations and project specialists retailer offering a comprehensive range of building materials and construction supplies. The product portfolio includes core categories such as Lumber (Spruce, Cedar, Pine, Hardwood, Pressure Treated, Composite Decking, Engineered Wood), Sheet Goods (Plywood, OSB, MDF, Melamine, Hardboard), Building Materials (Drywall, Roofing, Insulation, Siding, Concrete Products), Windows & Doors, Plumbing, Heating & Ventilation, Electrical & Lighting, Paint & Accessories, Moulding & Balustrade, Flooring & Tile, Tools (Power and Hand), Hardware, and Seasonal items (Fencing, Docks, Outdoor Equipment). The company operates as a single-location retail operation with e-commerce capabilities for customers in Sault Ste. Marie and Elliot Lake, Ontario, serving both DIY homeowners and professional contractors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lumber Wood lumber products including Spruce, Pressure Treated, Cedar, Pine, Hardwood, Composite Decking, Engineered Wood, and Cedar Shingles for construction and renovation projects, sold to DIY homeowners and professional contractors.
• Sheet Goods Sheet materials including Spruce Plywood, FIR G1s, OSB, Formply, Hardwood & Plywood, Specialty Plywood, Pressure Treated Plywood, Underlay, Melamine, MDF Sheets, Hardboard, Coroplast, and Shelving for construction and renovation projects.
• Drywall, Steel Studs & Ceiling Products Drywall panels, compound and tape, trims, steel studs, track and accessories, and suspended ceiling products for interior construction projects.
• Roofing Asphalt roofing, metal roofing, roofing tools, underlay products, roofing cement (tar), and corrugated panels for residential and contractor roofing projects.
• Insulation Batt insulation, blown-in insulation, fiberglass rolls, polyethylene film vapor barrier, rafter vents, sheathing tape, sheet insulation, and sil plate gaskets for thermal enclosure.
• Siding Vinyl siding, aluminum soffit and fascia, aluminum flatstock, smart panels, wood siding, and housewraps for exterior building envelope applications.
• Windows & Doors Interior doors (moulded panel, prehung, bifold, slab), exterior doors (steel entrance, aluminum storm, patio, garage), windows (DF sliders, DF single, Gentek), and related accessories.
• Concrete & Stone Products Cement bag products, cement repair, sand and gravel, cement block, steel accessories, waterproofing, concrete forms (insulated concrete wall forms, sonotube), patio and driveway pavers, retaining wall systems, and brick and stone veneer.
• Kitchens & Cabinet Hardware Stock kitchen cabinets, countertops, kitchen and cabinet accessories, and cabinet hardware including hinges, pulls, knobs, drawer slides, shelf supports, catches, bumpers, and locks.
• Plumbing Tubs, showers and shower doors, vanities, medicine cabinets and mirrors, vanity tops, toilets, bathroom sinks, faucets (bar, bathroom, kitchen, laundry, tub and shower), kitchen sinks, water heaters, pipe and fittings (ABS, CPVC, copper, PEX), and related accessories.
• Heating & Ventilation Furnace ductwork, furnace filters, gas fireplaces, warm air registers, wood burning products, air exchangers, ventilation systems, louvers, vents, ridge vents, dryer venting, and kitchen and bathroom venting.
• Electrical & Lighting Interior and exterior lighting, LED bulbs, incandescent bulbs, fluorescent tubes, ceiling fans, kitchen range hoods, smoke alarms, fans and air conditioners, bathroom fans, central vacuum systems, rough-in electrical components, extension cords, and heating products.
• Paint & Paint Accessories Interior and exterior paint, spray and specialty paints, stains, clearcoats, primers, and paint sundries including abrasives, adhesives, caulking, brushes, rollers, and finishing products.
• Moulding & Balustrade Mouldings (architrave, baseboard, casing, crown, chair rail, etc.), balustrade systems (colonial oak, maple, knotty pine), metal balusters, aluminum columns, and dowels.
• Flooring & Tile Laminate flooring, vinyl flooring, ceramic tile, mosaic tile, peel and stick tile, hardwood flooring, carpet, and flooring accessories including adhesives, mouldings, underlays, and wax and cleaners.
• Power Tools Corded tools, cordless tools, air tools and compressors (e.g., Metabo wheelbarrow air compressor), and power tool accessories including saw blades, drill bits, hole saws, sanding discs, router bits, and screwdriver bits.
• Hand Tools Hand tools including axes and wedges, brick and cement tools, clamps, drywall tools, hammers, handles, files and rasps, knives and blades, saws and blades, screwdrivers, squares and levels, tape measures, chisels and planes, and wrenches and pliers.
• Hardware Fasteners (construction nails, screws, bolts, nuts, washers, anchors), general hardware (jack posts, casters, shelving units), builders hardware, and contract hardware (door and window hardware, panic devices, locks).
• Seasonal Products Fencing and railing (chainlink, vinyl, aluminum), docks, outdoor power equipment, wheelbarrows, garden tools, lawn hose and accessories, landscaping fabric, pest control, garden furniture, BBQ and smokers, snow removal, and ice salt.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Lowe's Canada: Canadian operations of Lowe's, operating Rona, Lowe's, and Reno-Depot banners. Broad incumbent in the same building-materials retail category as Soo Mill with substantially greater scale, broader assortment, and stronger supplier negotiating leverage.
• Home Depot Canada: Canadian arm of the world's largest home improvement retailer, operating big-box stores across Canada. Overlaps with Soo Mill's full assortment (lumber, tools, hardware, renovation) but at vastly larger scale and with a fundamentally different operating model.

Direct peers

• Rona: Canada's largest network of building materials and home improvement retailers, operating both corporately owned and affiliated dealer stores. Directly comparable to Soo Mill in product assortment (lumber, hardware, renovation supplies) and DIY-plus-contractor customer base, though at vastly greater scale.
• Castle Building Centres: Canadian buying group and affiliated independent building materials retailers serving small-town and rural markets. Directly comparable to Soo Mill's regional independent-retailer positioning with full building-materials assortments.
• Patrick Morin: Quebec- and Ontario-based independent building materials and hardware retailer with multiple store locations. Closely comparable to Soo Mill as a regional independent retailer serving both DIY homeowners and professional contractors with full building-materials assortments.
• Home Hardware: Canadian dealer-owned cooperative of independent building materials and hardware retailers. Closely comparable business model to Soo Mill as an independent regional retailer affiliated with a buying group, serving both DIY and contractor customers in smaller markets.
• BMR Group: Quebec-based cooperative of independent building materials retailers with stores across Canada. Comparable to Soo Mill in product mix (lumber, hardware, renovation), independent-dealer model, and focus on serving trade contractors and homeowners outside major metropolitan areas.
• Tim-Br Mart: Canadian buying group of independent lumber and building materials dealers. Comparable to Soo Mill as an affiliated independent retailer focused on lumber, hardware, and renovation supplies for DIY and trade customers in regional Canadian markets.

Regional players

• Canac: Quebec-based hardware and building materials retailer serving primarily Quebec homeowners and contractors. Comparable assortment to Soo Mill (lumber, hardware, renovation), but geographically concentrated in Quebec rather than Northern Ontario.
• Kent Building Supplies: Atlantic Canada-based building materials and hardware retailer (part of J.D. Irving). Comparable product mix to Soo Mill — lumber, hardware, renovation — but focused on the Maritime provinces rather than Northern Ontario, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Soo_Mill
• Facebookfacebook.com/SooMillandLumber
• Instagraminstagram.com/soomillbuildall

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Soo Mill