Doug Robinson was first introduced to the Canadian market as a new vice president at Beaver Lumber. He had come from 84 Lumber, a Pennsylvania chain of yards (and one that is still going strong in the U.S.). Robinson ended up heading Beaver Lumber as parent company Molson Cos. sought to sell it. Robinson tried to orchestrate a management takeover of Beaver, but investors were scared off by the aggressive arrival of Home Depot in Canada and the bold gambit didn’t pan out. He later re-emerged as part of Lowe’s international division, charged with starting up Lowe’s Canada more than a decade later. Also this week 20 years ago: Wal-Mart wasn’t the biggest company in the world—yet.
