Diagonal Building Supply

These histories are obtained from and used with permission of the authors of Diagonal, Iowa -- Centennial History, 1888-1988

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Diagonal Building Supply

            When Dalbey Lumber decided to leave Diagonal, they helped Ken Morrow get a lumber business started. Ken purchased the lower buildings from Dalbey’s, but was set up in the big building while he remodeled them.



            Since Ken was a rural mail carrier, the business was open in the afternoons only.



            In 1980, after retiring from the rural route, Ken sold the lumber business to Frank Gunsolley.

Diagonal Building Products

            Diagonal Building Products started business in May 1980. Frank and Joan Gunsolley purchased the land and buildings from Kenny and Beva Morrow. Shortly after opening the new business, Frank and Joan bought the major part of the inventory of Kokesh Farm Supply. Kokesh Farm Supply was operated at that time by Pearl Kokesh. The inventory and several display cases were moved from “Auntie Pearl’s” building up to the Diagonal Building Products building.

            Diagonal Building Products is a retail lumber and hardware business but carries many farm-related hardware items, which Kokesh Farm Supply had made available to area farmers for many years.

            Frank, who has a degree in Architecture from Iowa State University, provides area residents the benefit of a professional approach to their new construction or remodeling plans. This is a service few lumberyards anywhere are capable of providing to their customers.