Meet Your Merchant: Del’s provides building needs for south Douglas County

CRAIG REED/The News-Review Jeff Johnson has been the owner of Del's Building Supply in Myrtle Creek since 2001. He was named the 2008 Young Retailer of the Year for age 35 and younger by the North American Hardware Association.

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CRAIG REED/The News-Review Customer Brad Doss, center, gets advice on a plumbing problem from employee Jason Stevenson, left, and Del's Building Supply owner Jeff Johnson last week in the Myrtle Creek store. Johnson has owned the business since 2001.

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CRAIG REED/The News-Review Travis DeWitt, an employee at Del's Building Supply, straightens up boards in the lumber yard at the Myrtle Creek business last week. Del's Building was started by Del Blanchard in the early 1950s and is now owned by Jeff and Kelli Johnson.

MYRTLE CREEK — When he wasn’t on the playing field at South Umpqua High School, Jeff Johnson could be found in the lumber yard at Del’s Building Supply. The teenager, as a part-time worker for three years, made a good impression on Dick and Shirley Petterson, the owners of the supply business. The teen also house sat for the Pettersons when they were out of town. Then several years later, when the Pettersons were looking to retire, they mentioned the possibility of selling the business to Johnson. “I came by to visit, and Dick said, ‘Why don’t you buy this …