HOWLAND TRUSS LLC
LIVE OAK, FLORIDA

The W.B. Howland Company, also called "Howland's Store" was founded by John Phillip Howland at the intersection of State Road 51 & Newburn Road in Live Oak, Florida. John Howland sold the store to his brother William Beverly Howland, also fondly known by family and customers as "PA" in 1938. W.B. and his wife, Ruth, also known as "Big Ma" could be seen in the store for almost 5 decades. In 1955 Hal Fletcher joined his Father-in-law in the business. Two years later W.B.'s son, Billy C. Howland, joined the business. The business began by providing groceries and dry goods to local farmers and Live Oak citizens. Over the years fence wire, posts, hardware and paints were added. Pa always said "Boys, if we don't have it, we can't sell it." Therefore, the stock of the store was always dictated by the requests of customers. Credit was available to anyone with a good attitude. The above artist rendition of the original The W.B. Howland Company as it existed in 1926. Pictured below Bill Howland and Lyn Fletcher Vice President and President of the W. B. Howland Company. Bill and Lyn are third generation owners of the company having followed in the footsteps of their fathers, Hal Fletcher and Billy Howland, and grandfather, W.B. Howland. Howland�s has long been a Suwannee County landmark remembered for its crushed ice, soda pop and peanuts. Today, Fletcher and Howland oversee a complex business encompassing a full-line hardware store, convenience store and lumber yard.