Thunderbird Home Improvement Center was a regional retailer specializing in building supplies. At one time, there were some 30 locations.
In September 1974, Thunderbird Home Improvement relocated into a new 18,000-square-foot building at 1405 E Interstate Avenue. It was previously housed at 619 E Broadway Avenue.
Peavey Company
Peavey Company was a conglomerate who owned several businesses, including retail operations that included Northwest Fabrics. Peavey acquired five Thunderbird stores across Montana and North Dakota in 1976 from Oregon-based Columbia Corporation, operating the stores as Peavey Thunderbird henceforth.
Peavey already maintained local operations at the time of its acquisition, including a store on Main Street in Mandan and at 712 E Front Avenue in Bismarck. A new $2.7 million “farm service center” opened on Centennial Road near I-94 in 1976.
ConAgra merged with Peavey in 1983, who reached a deal the following year to sell off the building supply stores to Seattle-based Lanoga Corporation. The sale excluded Northwest Fabric. That same year, United Building Centers (UBC) acquired the building supply business and continued operating under the Thunderbird banner until closing in 1995.
The Peavey farm and feed operation in Mandan closed in early 1982. Northwestern Supply acquired Peavey’s Bismarck operation on Centennial Avenue in November of that year, and operated the facility under its Heartland subsidiary.
