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By Haley Reed
Communities Unlimited

In the Black Belt region, lumber mills and the timber industry have long been a cornerstone of the local economy, shaping the area’s development over generations. One such mill has stood just off the banks where the Tombigbee and Black Warrior Rivers meet since the late 1800s.

In 1908, two businessmen from Manchester, England, drawn by reports that the widest hickory trees grew along the Tombigbee River, moved to Demopolis. They purchased a former pine shunt mill and established the Demopolis Hickory Mill. 

Hickory stands apart from other lumber types due to its strength and versatility. It’s especially durable — ideal for tool handles, furniture, flooring, and sporting goods. Its shock-absorbing quality makes it a top choice for striking tools. Hickory also imparts a distinctive sweet, smoky flavor to food, enhancing the experience of cooking over wood.

A New Owner for an Old Mill

In 1988, Dan Lawrence, a former dairy farmer, mechanic, and sawmill manager saw a new opportunity when the Demopolis Hickory Mill went up for sale. He purchased the business and has been operating it ever since — producing hickory blanks, turnings, and tool handles.

Now 71, Dan works side-by-side with his son, Daniel, who turns 40 this year.

“He’s here with me, and that’s what I love about it,” Dan said. “It’s something that he’s going to take over. It’s just a lot of fun.”

Unprecedented Problems

Mills like Demopolis are becoming increasingly rare — only seven in the U.S. still manufacture handles for striking tools.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 dealt a heavy blow to the business.

“We’ve made a decent living out of it until the pandemic hit,” Dan said. “Then the country shut down and they never did start back buying the handles like they were doing. So, that hurt us.”

Before the pandemic, over half of their sales were exports. That market all but disappeared, leaving a serious gap in revenue.

“When I bought this place, everything you cut every day was sold – you didn’t have to have sales,” Dan reflected. “Then, all of a sudden after the pandemic, somebody has to start selling this stuff and that’s just not my character. I don’t do a good job of selling things.”

Turning the Corner

When Angie Miller of the Marengo County Economic Development Authority learned of the mill’s financial struggles, she paid a visit to see how she could help. Dan expressed interest in both financial and technical assistance, so she connected him with Communities Unlimited (CU).

Through CU’s Entrepreneurship Team, Area Director Marnell Love worked with Dan to streamline operations, reduce costs, find new markets, and build sales strategies. Additionally, CU Economic Development Loan Officer Chris Tillman from the Lending Team helped Dan secure a working capital loan.

“It went just really easy,” Dan shared. “I gave them all the information they wanted and within a few days they did what they said they were going to do.”

A Promising Future

Recently, the business invested in equipment to convert unusable wood into hickory woodchips for cooking, and local restaurants have taken interest.

“They’re really excited that we can provide 100% hickory – most people will mix hickory and oak, and that’s the way they sell it,” Dan said. “They can’t do 100% pure hickory, but we can, and we can certify it if we need to. We’re really excited about branching out into this new thing.”

Now, the Demopolis Hickory Mill is back on track. With CU’s support, the mill is no longer struggling to survive — it’s preparing to thrive for generations to come.

“My son’s got a boy who is nine years old, he’s got a mechanical mind like he and I got,” Dan said. “I feel like for sure he’ll be right out here with us when he graduates from high school. So, you know it’ll be something that stays in the family for years.”

 

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