Gravois Planing Mill Company was established in 1893 by the Beckemeier family. The Beckemeier family had interests in several local lumber related business in the area. From the outset, Gravois Planing Mill was one of many custom millwork manufacturers in St. Louis that provided building materials to local builders. Stock millwork was simply not yet available as a thriving industry. The business changed little until the mid 20th century. The demands for stock production of millwork both during and after World War II became a turning point for many millwork companies.
The rise of stock millwork manufacturing with national markets led to the demise of most custom shops. The surviving shops, like Gravois Planing Mill, cater now to custom builders and architects. Our service areas are more regional than national. Our products are generally custom built using a variety of stock products (hardware, plastic laminate, plywood etc…) along with raw materials such as lumber.