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With the announcement that Home Quarters Warehouse will open two or more 85,000 to 100,000 sq. ft. stores in Memphis, Tn., next year, established home centers are preparing for increased competition.

Central Hardware is expanding and renovating its Summer Ave. store into a 90,000 sq. ft. home improvement center. Reformatting and expansion is ahead for their other flour stores in the Memphis area.

"We're reinvesting money in our Memphis businesses to insure we'll always have a better mousetrap," explained Central Hardware president Jim Cohen.

Many in the industry expect Central Hardware to be hard hit by Home Quarters. "Central Hardware will definitely be hurt, probably hurt the most," said James Dempsey, owner of Stewart Brothers Hardware Co. "lt will be price versus price between them because neither offers the kind of service that the smaller independents do."

Others feel the smaller operations also will be hurt. "Home Quarters will hurt Central Hardware but it will also hurt us," said Sam Smith, owner of Village Hardware Co. "Look at how much business has been taken away from us already. Every company that comes in takes a little more business and our piece of the pie is getting smaller."

Arkansas Hoo-Hoo Restart

Arkansas River Valley Hoo-Hoo International Club, Little Rock, Ar.. has been rechartered with Robert Witt and Craig Blakemore, president and secretary.

Other officers serving interim terms include directors Bob Hixson, Bill Travis and Clayton Bryson.

The reorganization of the inactive chapter of the lumbermen's fraternity was attended by Lyle Hoeck, president of Hoo-Hoo International, regional representative Christopher Goff, Houston, Tx., and former presidents Jimmy Jones and Al Meier.

Information about the chapter is available from Witt at (501) 851-8565 or Beth Thomas at the Hoo-Hoo Forestry Museum, P.O. Box ll8, Gurdon, Ar., (501) 353-4997.

First Gypsonite Off Line

The first gypsum fiberboard to be produced in the United States is being made by Highland American Corp. in East Providence, R.1., for marketing and distribution by Furman Lumber Inc.

The product, Gypsonite, is said to have benefits over conventional wallboard. Due to the solid mixture of gypsum and cellulose fibers recycled from newspapers, it is high in strength, moisture and fire resistance and has high sound deadening properties. The outstanding difference between it and conventional wallboard is that it is solid rather than a paper-gypsum-paper layering. Its nail and screw holding capabilities reportedly eliminate the need for special wall anchors.

A gypsum-based product very similar to Gypsonite has been available in Germany since 1982, and now holds one-quarter of the German market.

The installation of Gypsonite is also new to the market. With an innovative two-step joint system, tape is not required. The Gypsonite Step I Base and Step 2 Finish Compounds become as strong as the board, so the end result is a solid, smooth wall much like plaster.

Highland American and Furman Lumber were working with customers, end-users and approval agencies this summer while planning for an in-store availability this fall. The product initially willonly be available in the Northeast.

Hoo-Hoo Intemational Meeting

The 98th annual Hoo-Hoo International Lumbermen's fraternity and Forest Products Industry convention will be held at the. Hyatt Regency Hotel, Oakland, Ca., Sept. 9-13.

The Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club will host the event being held in Jurisdiction Vl. Over 12,000 people attended the last West Coast convention in 1954. At least this many including delegates from Canada, Australia and New Zealand are expected to attend the 1990 convention.

APA Tightens Field Services

American Plywood Association has consolidated its field services division regions from five to three nationwide.

The western region will be headquartered in Tacoma, Wa.; the central region in Dallas, Tx., and the eastern region in Atlanta, Ga. Regional oflices in Washington D.C. and San Francisco, Ca., have been closed.

New region managers are Mike Drobaugh, western; Ed Underwood, central, and Randall Carter, eastern.