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Sunbeam Corp. recently told a reporter at the National Housewares Exposition in Chicago. His very favorable reaction to the show was typical of the confidence that the strong housewares mar' ket will continue. Frank Prescott, v.p. sales for Mirro Aluminum Corp., a major manufacturer of housewares, remarks about show sales, "If this is a barometer, it should be an excellent year."

Good news indeed, especially as in even "bad years," housewares sales often seem remarkably recession-resistant. Unlike the sometimes stomach' grabbing peaks and valleys of the wood products business, for example, the sellers of housewares often find that even the down years are not really that bad. As an affordable, low ticket item for most all consumers, housewares are something that consumers often see as necessities. Many people buy housewares as a gift. Current interest in saving energy has promoted many additional sales of related energy saving devices. Additionally, the manufacturers have done an outstanding job of sustaining consumer interest by bringing a constant flow of attractive consumer-oriented new products into the marketplace.

Given such a background, it seems strange to us that some lumber and building material retailers, who have broadened their inventory, still shy away from housewares. Surely they are reasonably related to the basic business; much more so than some of the products we've seen in retail stores, ladies silk stockings, motor oil and phonograph records coming to mind.

Unlike some inventory-broadening departures into new areas of selling, housewares can be taken a step at a time, as little or as much as desired. The investment to get into housewares can often be held to a surprisingly low figure by working with established wholesalers. We know cases where a tentative beginning with a small shelf along one wall ended with housewares filling the entire front half of the showroom, including all the window space, for one retailer.

For retailers with a few unfilled or unproductive square feet of display space (and don't tell us you don't have any of either) we urge you to give housewares a fair trial. There couldn't be a better time than now.

Many of the experts in merchundising stress that there are no hard and fast fixed rules to display,signing and other merchandising techniques. Don't he afraid to expeiment. The isk is not all that great and you might dis' cover a new and very profitable way to use those under-producing square feet.

The greatest merchandiser in the world is not going to be worth a hoot if it is understocked, dirty, cluttered or hidden away in a dark corner. Make certain all merchandise is in its proper place in a display, customers are notoriously lax in putting items back where they found them. Be certain your clerks appreciate the importance of maintaining displays and merchandisers.

Got a grubby looking post holding up your roof in a display area? Take a telephone cable spool, cut and place around the pole, then paint. Put merchandise on the "table top" that results as well as around the base. Result: one eyesore eliminated, one new display area creoted.

Giftware inventory can do double duty as decor in a giftware department. Take a carefully selected sampling of what you feel to be the hottest items and place them on walls, end caps and any other place appropriate. Don't forget price tags so customers will realize the decor is for sale.

Before you put housewares on the shelves, use some foil, self adhesive vinyls or fresh paint to cover the vertical backdrop from which the shelves hang. A small point, but appreciated by shoppers. They might not mention it specifically, but it all makes an impression.

Take advantage of your clerk's on-the-sales-floor experience and offer prizes for the best display, merchandising and decor ideas. An in-store contest has the additional advantage of letting your employees know you are interested in them. Plus you get the benefit of their thinking.

Use the end of one of the gondolas as a "Get Ready for Spring Odds & Ends" display. Include a sampling of small safety, repair, remodeling and fastening items. Use a light touch in the decorating. Include some artiftcial grass and plastic flowers to get across the point. Make it fun.