It was the "Roaring Twenties" when Simms Lumber had its beginning in the West town of Mineral Wells. In 1968 following a devastating fire, Simms built an all new 9,000 sq. ft. lumber and hardware store in Mineral Wells. Business went so well that in 1973 Simms added a second store in Weatherford, Texas by purchasing Kennedy Lumber Company...and business prospered. When the hardware and do-it-yourself business increased in the early eighties, Simms joined H.W.I. (now Do-It-Best Corp.) and computerized. Additional hardware and do-it-yourself items were added, departments were expanded and re-merchandized. The Mineral Wells store became the first Do-It-Express in Texas. The Weatherford store would be demol- ished and a new 17,500-sq. ft. Do-It-Center would be built. New departments and expanded store size would mean an increase from 7,000 in stock items to more than 20,000.

Simms needed a computer system capable of dealing with all those new items, they also needed scanning at their checkout counters, electronic purchas- ing with H.W.I., payroll with 401(k) capability, suggested order quantities and so many features that their existing computer system didn't offer. In 1993 after carefully looking over 4 different computer system sup- pliers Simms chose the Advantage Computer System. In 1995 Simms Lumber Company had grand openings for their Do-It-Express in Mineral Wells and Do-It-Center in Weatherford. Simms' General Manager Keith Kirk reports that this year is "on track to become a record sales and profit year thanks to great partners like Advantage-they have always been there when we needed them"...and business prospers.