Wickes Lumber to buy Hines' Wisconsin unit

Wickes Lumber has agreed to purchase the Wisconsin-based retaildivision of Edward Hines Lumber Co. for an undisclosed amount.

The nine retail lumber and home improvement stores in Wisconsinnow operated under the name the Kindt Corp. will soon begin operatingas Wickes Lumber stores, said a spokeswoman for Wickes Cos., theSanta Monica, Calif.-based parent company. The transaction isexpected to close in late May.

With the Kindt sale, Chicago-based Edward Hines Lumber is leftwith only two distribution centers.

In October, Hines shareholders approved a plan to liquidate thecompany and sell the Chicago retail division to …