St. John-based Schillings expanded its Valparaiso showroom of construction supplies to a much larger location there.

The new location, which Schillings purchased, has 12,000 square feet of space compared to the previous location's 1,600 square feet. It moved from 175 W. Lincolnway to 2202 La Porte Ave. in Valparaiso.

“This substantial expansion allows us to house inventory and enhance the shopping experience for our customers by providing more room to explore our offerings,” said Dave Stump, marketing director at Schillings.

The location now has space to house commonly purchased items such as fasteners, cabinet hardware, door hardware, plumbing fixtures and flooring options. It also offers more space for displays of cabinet, countertop, decking, flooring, windows and doors.

“This substantial expansion allows us to house inventory and enhance the shopping experience for our customers by providing more room to explore our offerings,” Stump said.

The expansion also should lead to 15 more employees.

“This expansion in our team will help us provide better service and support, ensuring that our customers' needs are met with greater efficiency and care,” Stump said.

The city of Valparaiso supported Schillings throughout the process. The showroom opened Aug. 14.

“Valparaiso has been incredibly supportive throughout our transition to the new location,” Stump said. “The city has ensured we meet all community standards, and the local residents have warmly welcomed us.”

The company opened the 175 W. Lincolnway location in August of 2023. It also has showrooms and lumber yards in St. John and Mokena, Illinois, and a distribution center in Cedar Lake.