EVERETT — Martin Lumber & Hardware on Broadway in Everett permanently closed at the end of the business day Saturday after 75 years in business .

The owners decided they can no longer make a profit, and it’s time to retire.

“The need for lumber has deteriorated over the years,” said Dan Coleman, who operated the business with his wife Jeanie for more than 30 years. “A lot of construction uses concrete or steel studs.”

Dan Coleman said builders who do use lumber, such as large home developers, go directly to lumber suppliers, bypassing his business.

“They don’t deal with the little guy like me,” he said.

Dan Coleman said the smaller home builders are mostly gone.

“It’s nothing like it was years ago,” he said.

Another factor, he said, is an uncertain economy, causing individuals t

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