Menu
ONLY 3% OF FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES in the U.S. survive to a fourth generation. Almost 100 years and four generations later, our company continues to grow and thrive. No matter the project, we uphold the exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail we have built our reputation on since 1933.
Our storied history spans from providing services during World War II to restoring shops and attractions along Main Street in the 2000s. To learn more about our roots in the St. Charles, Missouri, community, or to speak with a member of the Droste team, contact us online or by phone.
IN 1933, Alvin Droste founded his own business after working as a local journeyman carpenter. Alvin established himself as a talented contractor and craftsman, providing high-quality services in the St. Charles community through World War II, with the help of his oldest son, Robert. After serving in the war, Alvin’s son, Raymond (Ray), also joined the company. Droste’s main focus at the time was building new custom homes.
IN 1959, the company was fully incorporated and Ray was named president. Beginning in the 1970s, Droste transitioned from primarily building custom homes to taking on commercial projects for major companies in the greater St. Charles and St. Louis County areas. In 1974, Ray’s sons, Jim and Steve Droste, began working as journeymen carpenters for their father and Uncle Robert, officially beginning the third generation of Droste Construction.
RAY, JIM AND STEVE DROSTE became equal business partners in 1982, while Ray maintained his role as president. At the time, the company was recovering from the recession of the late ’70s and early ’80s. By 1983, commercial construction projects ramped up considerably, and in 1986, new housing took off. Ray retired in 1989: Jim and Steve became president and vice president, respectively. In 1990, they purchased a building on North Third Street to provide the storefront and offices Droste operates from today.
JIM’S SONS, NATE AND JEFF, grew up in the family business, working during summer and winter breaks throughout high school and college. Both Nate and Jeff earned engineering degrees in college and then worked for other local construction companies to broaden their knowledge of the industry. The Droste brothers became licensed professional engineers in the state of Missouri before returning to the family business in the early 2010s, continuing on the fourth generation of Droste Construction.
STEVE DROSTE RETIRED IN 2016. After Jim Droste’s retirement in 2021, Nate and Jeff became co-owners: beginning the fourth generation of Droste family ownership. The company celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2023, with exciting opportunities in both residential and commercial construction, and several notable restoration projects along Main Street in St. Charles.
