General Info

- Our History Houston-Starr Company is Pittsburgh's oldest building material supplier. Three brothers founded the building supply company in 1872 and named it Houston Brothers. Houston Brothers was originally located in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh. In 1886 we were one of the original founding members of the Pittsburgh Builder's Exchange. The Houston Brothers sold basic building products such as lime, plaster, and lath. A.Q. Starr, a relative of the Houston's, left the family farm and began working for them around 1900. He learned the construction supply business, and later bought Houston Brothers and changed the name to Houston-Starr Company. Shortly after World War II, A.Q. Starr's son's, A.B. Starr and A.J. Starr, left the military and began working Houston-Starr Company. A.B. Starr managed the construction material business in the late sixties and started the commercial door department. A.J. Starr was in charge of the wholesale appliance and kitchen cabinet business. A.J. Starr acquired all the shares of the company. In 1980, A.J. Starr's son, Jim Starr, came into the business and worked in the door department. In 1983, we opened our architectural door and hardware branch in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Later, in 1987, Jim Starr became president and still manages the day to day operations. Why have we survived world wars, economic downturns and changing markets over successive generations?