Redwood specialty store grows rapidly

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FORTH WORTH, TI.,

Redlwood Lumbcr and Products has learned that paying attention to scemirUly little daails can lead to large profits. Although they only started selling to the public in 1981, they sold over 2 million board feet of redwood last year.

Bob Givens, the manager, who was the sales force for the first several months of operation, explained that the company grew out of a contract to provide redwood signs to the Six Flags Over Texas thane park.

"Ken Young, the majority owner, had a contract to sell redwood signs to Six Flags. The raail business grew from that."

Now there is a second store-Architectural Woods. Givens attributes the company's success to careful handling of daails such as understanding local markets, employee training, special services for professionals, advertising and promotion, including participation in home shows.

Givens describes the Ddlas-Fort Worth market as "new." Many of the homes are new tract houses. Many of their customers are new to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Redwood Lumber & Products draws much of its business from Mid-Cities, a suburban area which lies between Dallas and Fort Worth.

"Many of our customers are remodeling. They want to make their house look different from the house ncxt door. Also, people in this area are qinning to realizc the value of redwood." Givens explained that by addiru a redwood dock, or a custom arbor, tract homes start to take on a new idcntity of their own. RL&P is selling more rcdwood fcnces now than ever before and they feel this is part of a "snowball" effect.

Redwood Lumber & Products is located in the middle of an area called The Stockyards, an older section of town that is being renovated. RI-&P benefits from the restoration going on around them as old buildings are gutted and restored with interesting new interiors. Some of the renovated buildings include atriums for indoor/ outdoor restaurants and indoor decks and landscaping.

Contractors make up 7590 of the business for Redwood Lumber and Products. The new store, Architectural Woods, is more of a showroom and draws about 5090 homeowners and 5090 professionals.

"Contractors come to us for service," Civens remarked. "We try to make next day delivery on most orders." He went on to explain that they stock some of the harder to find patterns and work closely with shops that mill redwood to match older patterns for remodel jobs. "We will at least try to do the impossible. That's the way we get good, return customers. tt

Givens credits his 20 employees for much of the company's reputation for sewice, cxplaining that they are knowledgeable and friendly. "TWo of our salesmen camc from the yard. This works well becausc they know the products. I didn't have to train them. We also like to help our employees along whcn they are doing a good job.

"When I have to train someone, it starts off with walking through the yard and describing the products. Thcn they sit down with California Redwood Association's Redwood Grades & Uses and the Pattern Book. After they've read that, we go through the yard again and discuss the specifics, like knot size, heart-

Story at a Glance

Texas dealer opons second store...capltallzes on tract home remodeling...supplies Innerclty restoration...keeps cuslomers by doing the "im. posslble".

"Wealso have meetings or seminars a couple of times a month. Sometimes industry representatives give presentations. Sometimes the meeting is about construction techniques or another part of the business. The seminars are for the sales staff as well as our better contractor customers."

Redwood Lumber and Products advertises regularly in the building materials sections of the newspaper. Beginning in the spring they work to build up the momentum-advertising in major and suburban newspapers as well as Dallas-Fort Worth Home and Garden Magazine. Advertising in local building trade magazines establishes an identity with area contractors.

Givens says he also has gxeat success by exhibiting in local home and garden and building shows. Because they are repeat exhibitors, they have a good location in the center of the show, near the garden section. With a deck and gazebo display as attentiongetters, they make valuable, face-toface contact with potential customers. "We always notice a definite surge of do-it-yourself business after every home show. It's great."

"We try to use redwood in displays as much as possible at the'shows and in our stores." The concept for the second store, Architectural Woods, adheres to this philosophy. Because it is more of a show room, the atmosphere is different than that of a lumber yard. The result is they sell more luxury redwood grades.

Givens also said that some of the more obscure markets bring in substantial profits. RL&P still sells redwood for sandblasted signs. Recently, they sold materials to Wesleyan and Texas University for bench seats. Another market that is surprisingly large comes from building supports for airconditioning units. "Do you know how many air-conditioners there are in Dallas and Fort Worth?"