Local electrician buys old Wedco business to continue electrical supply at Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - When Roy Umana walked into Wedco Electrical Supply on Kingsbury Grade in July to buy supplies, little did he know he'd be starting a new venture in that building within a few months. The business was closing, leaving contractors without a source for electrical supplies at the Stateline end of town.

Umana, now the owner of Azul Electric Supply in South Lake Tahoe, knew he couldn't go on much longer as an electrician making service calls due to constant pain in his leg from a major motorcycle crash in 2004. Although he loved his trade, he and his wife Stacy had been discussing the possibility of changing careers due to the pain he had been in from his bad leg.

In 2004 he had been airlifted to Reno after being hit by a motorist while he was on his Harley Davidson near Sierra Blvd. He then spent weeks at the hospital, and later rehabilitation, recovering from numerous fractures and the several surgeries he underwent. Doctors were going to amputate the leg but were able to save it. Even with the surgeries, he has had constant pain that led him to have part of his leg amputated just two weeks ago.

It seemed fortuitous timing when he learned of Wedco's closing. His brother told him to buy it but things had to move quickly to be done before the September surgery. The Wedco sign came down, and the Azul sign went up in a smooth transition.

Stacy and their three kids (ages 13, 9, and 9) were also key in the decision for the new family business.

While the timing of the leg surgery and business opening could have been better, it has worked out well.

Stacy and long-time Wedco employees who stayed on with Roy, Bill Welker and Brian Gray, have been running the shop as Roy had his surgery. Welker has been working in the shop for 34 years, and Brian for 13 years.

"They are a big part of the store," said Stacy of Bill and Brian.

While Roy couldn't be in the store for opening day, he is excited to serve the community while keeping his group of contractors and other tradespeople in his life, and still doing what he loves.

Roy has been on the South Shore since 1997. He and Stacy met as games dealers at the old Horizon. Roy became an electrician in 2005 and worked with Sierra Valley Electric before starting his own company, Azul, six years ago. Now that name stays with the new supply store.

"We have had a lot of local support from the community that Roy has gotten to know so very well over the years and they are thanking him for re-opening the warehouse and are enjoying the new name Azul Electric Supply," said Stacy.

One thing that has stayed from the old owners - Friday is donut day though last week some fresh cookies from Sugar Pine Bakery could be found in the basket.

Azul Electric Supply is located at 175 Shady Lane of Kingsbury Grade in Stateline, Nev. They are open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.