NE$TS BRIEFS

Retailers

Leeds Building Products, Marietta, Ga., has been acquired by three investors including c.o.o. George Poulos, who helped make the l4-unit chain profitable after a 1992 bankruplcy

Buzick Lumber & Home Center, Bardstown, Ky., recently held a grand reopening after adding 2,600 sq. ft. to its showroom ...

84 Lumber opened a 34,000-sq. ft. store in Bowling Green, Ky. (John Gowers, mgr.), and a 37,000-sq. ft. yard in Alexandria Ky., (Tbd Merriman, mgr.)

Columbia Lumber Co., Columbia, S.C., has moved to a new location but is winding down its millwork operation at the old site; shop foreman Eddie Carter has started Lexington Custom Woodwork...

Oldham Lumber Do-it Center, Georgetown, Ky., was purchased from John Oldham by H. Russell Gritrith...

Scotty's opened a new 7,30Gsq. ft. hardware store in Jacksonville (Debbie Mclntosh, mgr.); an 8,700-sq. ft. hardware store in Thmpa, Ft. (Bill Conlin, mgr.), and two 9,000-sq. ft. stores in Pensacola, Fl. (Tommy Greenwell and Creda Cullen, mgrs.); plans several new stores in South Florida over the next three years, and is now selling wireless telephones and service at fully-staffed kiosks in 25 Florida locations

Craig's Do.-it Best Rental Center opened in a 4,000-sq. ft. building next to Craig's Do-it Center, Carollton, Ky. ...

Lowek Cos. opened a 150,00G sq. ft. store in Oklahoma City, Ok.; is building a 145,00Gsq. ft. unit in Augusta, Ga.; is nearing completion of a 150,000-sq. ft. store in Tulsa Ok., and a 130,000- sq. ft. store in Killeen, Tx.; is seeking permits for proposed units in Watkinsville and Stockbridge, Ga.; received a five-year lffi% tax abatement enabling it to build a 115,000-sq. ft. store in Burleson, Tx., and is negotiating to purchase a site in Norttr Dallas, Tx.

Malone ltmber Do-it Center, Greenville, Ky., added two new lumber sheds and doubled its retail space with a l(X)'x96'addition ...

Home Depot opened stores last month in Cordova and Hickory Hill, Tn., and Southaven, Ms. (all Memphis area); west Little Rock, Ar.; Windover, N.C., and Conyers, Ga.; will open a l03,0oo-sq. ft. unit in Rome, Ga., Nov. l, and is giving its Hanas Mall Blvd. location in Winston-Salem, N.C., a $600,000 rcmodel

Home Quarters Warehouse's two Arkansas stores, according to some analysts, might close after the impending opening of Home Depot's second Arkansas store in North Liale Rock ...

Anniversaries: El Dorado Ittnber Co.,El Dorado, Ar., 9CIh Lowe's Cos., North Wilkesboro, N.C., 5Oth Furman Lumben Inc., Billerica, Ma.,4g'6t

Wholesalers & llanufacturcrs

B razo s ltmb er Manufacturing, Waco, Tx., has begun production of fingerjointed studs; Barry Ogleftee, sales...

AFG Industries, Atlanta, Ga., has acquired Sunbelt Glass, Inc., Tulsa, Ok., Oklahoma Citn and Kansas Clty, Ks. ...

MacMilbn Bloedclk Pine Hill, Al., mill is now producing TEc stamped plywood

Cooper Industries, Inc., Houston, Tx., has enlisted Morgan Stanley & Co. to investigate possi- bly selling its Kirsch window covelngs and drapery hardwarc divislon ...

International Paper Co.'s Masonite Corp.losthe first round of a class action suit after an Alabama jury said certain hardboard siding was defective

APA-The Enginccred Wood Associaion presented wood panel mill safety awards to Iucnational Paper Co., Nacogdoches, Tx.; Willanette Infustics, Dodsm and Taylor, La.; Inuisiana-Pacific, Corrigan, Tx., and Gcorgia- Pacific, Monroeville, Al.; Madison, Ga.; Dudley, N.C.; Louisville and Gloster, Ms.; Skippers, Va, andFordye, Ar. Lafarge Corp., Reston, Va., cornplaod its purchase of gppsum wallboard plants in Buchanan, N.Y., and Witnington, De., from Gargia-Pacifrc ...

Cameron Ashley Building Products,Inc., Dallas, Tx., will open branch #lfff Nov. I in Lisle Rock, Ar., distributing roofing and insulation pmdrcts ...

National Decorating Prducts Association has chimged its o*rn to Paint & Dccorating Retailcrs Associaion...

Klcnp Corp.Ms added a ml bar grating fabrierim ild distrb ution facility inAtlmta, Ga

Imperial Wallcovcrings has opened alA million antomrtcd DC in l(noxville, Tn.

Harloc, Inc., Taylorsvillg Ky., and all other U.S. operations of Spain-based ?Esa will mw opcrale under newly formed TEIA, Inc., Atlanta, Ga

Heartland Building P roducts, Booneville, Ms., has receivcd ISO 9fi)2 cenification for its siding manufacbring syst€Nn

Lumber Tag Specialtics Inc. now operatcs facilities on three continents, in five countrias and 2l states ...

Housing starts in Aug. (latcst figs.) jurycd 45%to ascasmally adjusted anmal ralc of f.53 million singlefamily stiltsjqed 8.3%; $nall mlti-fanily strts (24 units) fell16.3%, rod largor multis (5+) dropped 8.4% gmits slipped4%.