About us
Family-owned. Hometown lumber yards. Making dreams happen.
Making Dreams Happen Corporation owns and runs Akron Lumber in Akron, Iowa and Crofton Lumber in Crofton, Nebraska. We're a family business, and our job is simple: help the people around us build what they've been dreaming about, from a new deck to a new home.
Our story
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2018
Akron Lumber joins the family
Joe and Leah Van Walbeek bought Akron Lumber Company and started Making Dreams Happen. From day one the goal was to be more than a lumber yard: a partner for the people and businesses of Akron, shaped by what our customers tell us they need.
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2022
Crofton Lumber comes on board
We added Crofton Lumber Company, previously run by West-Hodson Lumber and Concrete, bringing the same family approach to Crofton and the surrounding area.
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2026
A brand-new store takes shape in Crofton
In July 2026 we started building a new store inside the old east bay of the Crofton lumber yard. The first floor is already open and ready to shop: about 2,200 square feet of new retail space, heated and cooled, so it's comfortable to browse year-round.
We're still building while you shop, so pardon the dust. Next up is the second floor, planned for spring 2027. It adds another 2,200 square feet, with showroom displays where you can see and touch the special-order products available for your home, plus even more room on the shelves.
Now open · Come see the progress at 213 Main St., Crofton
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Today
Two stores, one way of doing things
We keep growing our inventory around what the community asks for, special order what we don't stock, and work with customers one on one to design, order and deliver their projects.
What we carry
Far more than lumber. Both stores stock the materials for homes, barns, shops, cabins and businesses.
How we help
Free quotes & takeoffs
Send us your plans and we'll list and price every board, sheet and fastener for projects you buy through us.
Plans drawn in-house
We draw building and house plans with 3D renderings, so you can see it before you build it.
Same-day delivery
Our trucks deliver to job sites and driveways within about 30 miles of either store.
Cut to size
We cut lumber to length, rip plywood, and cut glass and plexiglass.
Keys & paint
Key cutting and paint mixing at both stores.
Free window & door measuring
Order your windows or doors through us and we'll measure for them free.
To our customers and our communities: thank you. Your support is what lets two small-town stores keep the shelves full and the service personal. We're looking forward to many more years of building with you.
— The Van Walbeek family and the crews at Akron & Crofton Lumber
See our open positions and come help your neighbors build their dreams.