Spahn & Rose battles one-two punch in Iowa
An estimated 14 million acres of crops were damaged, along with silos and buildings, from the 100-mile per hour winds that hit on Aug. 10. The storm also left more than 400,000 Iowans without power.
Towns that bore the brunt of the storm include Charlotte, DeWitt, Knoxville, Marshalltown, Monticello, Newton and Tipton.
But Spahn & Rose, the Dubuque, Iowa-based pro dealer and home center retailer, has locations in those communities and is working to ensure that residents and business will have ready access to the materials they need to repair and rebuild.
“The storms were a one-two punch,” Spahn & Rose CEO Dave Davis said in a statement issued by the dealer. “With COVID-19, as a company, we changed how we do business to keep our customers and employees safe. Now, with the storms, we have another challenge to rise to.”
With 24 locations, along with a general office and distribution center spanning three states, including Illinois and Wisconsin, Davis said that Spahn & Rose has the ability to constantly monitor and adapt to the needs of the communities it serves. This includes changing COVID-19 requirements.
The company said it measured its success in dealing with COVID-19 by employee health. During the height of the crisis, Spahn & Rose complied with CDC regulations and closed two showrooms to customers while providing curbside pickup and no-touch delivery.
Out of the company’s 325 associates, only two tested positive during the past six months.
In the meantime, the dealer remains vigilant about cleaning, social distancing, and have employees wear masks.
"Procedures such as no-touch delivery and curbside pickup generate more work for employees, but they adapted well and were able to keep themselves and customers safe," Davis said.
Spahn & Rose also kept suppliers out of the lumberyards and rigorously managed who entered and left company facilities throughout the crisis.