Top Quality

Buildings At Approximately Half the Cost of Conventional Buildings

Fast, efficient construction crews erect these strong buildings in an amazingly short time.

Original construction methods and machines, including our hydraulic scaffold truck, insure you of top quality for lowest cost.

o all poles are cemented to a dePth of 6' o never needs painting-won't rub off on clothes e insurance rates considerably less yet full coverage

. all buildings engineered and designed by licensed civil engineers o Call San Antonio todaY !

Yes, San Antonio Construction can build better buildings for less money for you. These attractive buildings will improve your property and are built to last. Using pressure-treated poles which will last 30 vears or longer, they are safe against wind, earthquake, and weat.her lnzards because ol their rigid construction. Their improved design meets all building code requirements and there are no long broces lo interlere with equipment.

Serulng the lumber, building mateials .nd home imptovamant marke/F - sine 1922 lormeily Weslern Lumber &Building Materials Merchant

FEBRUARY,1977 VOLUME 55, NO. B

MAJOR NEWS and FEATURES

HARDWARE AND HOUSEWARES MERCHANDISING TIPS

BIG HOUSEWARES SHOW IN CHICAGO DRAWS 60,000 CONVERTING OVER TO A HOME CENTER OPERATION

BUILDING MATERIAL DISTRIBUTORS 25Th ANNUAL

ENERGY CONSERVATION STRESSED IN HIT PROGRAM

LOOKS

HUGE LOAD OF CANADIAN DIMENSION SETS RECORD

PREFINISHED PLYWOOD PANELING SHOW IS A HIT PLAN FOR 1%'' REDWOOD DIMENSION LUMBER OK'D

WHOLESALER FINDS NAME CHANGE WAS NO PROBLEM

HARD TIMES SEEN BY FOREST PROTECTIVE GROUP

The Merchant Magazine

Publisher Emeritus A. D. Bell, Jr.

Editor-Publisher David Cutler

Contributinq Editor Dwight Curran

Contributing Editor Gage McKinney

Conlribuline Editor Al Kerper Conlribuling

Advertising Production Mgr. Ms. D. Har

Art Director Martha Emery

Staff Artist Dave Norburg

Circulation Marsha Kelley

The Merchant Magazine is published monthlv ut 4flX) -Crmpus Dr., suite 476. Newport Beach, Ca.92660, Phone (714) 549-8393 or (714) 549-E394 b1',

The Merchant Macazine, Inc. Secondclass nostage rutels naid at Newport Beach. Ca..-and addiiional offices. Advertising rates upon request

ADVERTISING OFFICES

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & PACIFIC NORTHWEST 4500 Campus Dr.. suite 476. Newport Beach, Ca. 92660. Phone (714) 5498393.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Carl Vann. 1385 Westwood Blvd., Los Anseles.. Ca. 9O024. Phone (213) 471-7593 or (7 l4) 549-8393.

Subscriptions

Chanqe of AddressSend suhscriPtion -orders and address chltnges to Circulation Dent.. The Merchant Masazine.4500 CamPus Dr', suite 476: NewDort Beach, Ca.92660. Include address luhel from recent issue if possible, plus new address and zip cooe.

Subscription RatesU.S., Canada, Mexico and Latin America: $5-one yeal $E-two years: $ll-three years. Ovcrseas: $7-one vear: $l l-two years. Single copies$L00. Back copies $I.50 whcn avarlable.

The Merchant Magazine se rves the members of the: Aiizona Lumber & Buildcrs Supplv Assn., Phoenix: Lumbcr Merchairtls Assn. of Northern California. Los Altos; Montana Buildins Material Dealers Assn., Helena; Moilntain States Lumber Dealers Assn.. Salt Lake Citv and Denver; Lumber Assn. of S6uthern Californra, Los Angeles: Western Building Muterial Assn.. Olympia. Wa.

THE MERCHANT MAGAZINE i.s an intlependent nnga:ine ltr the retail. vhtlesale and di.strihutiorr lerel.s rtl the lunhcr and huildinc naterials und hone intprovenrcnl indu.str.t in the l3 Ll/e.stern .\lales. (oncenlrAting on merchondi.sing, nnnagenpnl ancl acturate, laclual nex's reJrorl ing ond inleryrelal ion.

Made in Lower Slobovia

n S MORE and morc companies with a lumber Fl background have gotten into hardware and housewares selling, we've seen example after example prove the value of dealing with reputable suppliers. Yet every so often, along comes some hotshot who thinks he can get in and out for a quick killing. The bottonr line on these deals usually includes a disillusioned and poorer merchant and former customers who are often madder than hell.

The plain fact is there is no substitute for a proven, dependable supplier who has a full and honest progranl to back up the retailer. While there may be the occasional one shot deal in pots and pans rnade in Lower Slobovia that is prolrtable, those kinds of buys are merely the exception that proves the rule.

Most of the public is far too hip to buy on mere price. The world is full of shoppers who have had it with hammers that loose their handles, power drills that don't, broken chisels, and cracked, bent and busted hardware and houseware items of all types and description. Price is, obviously, very irnportant, but the "bargain" that breaks as soon as you get it horle is no "bargain" and more and more consumers have come to realize it.

Increasingly in the ever-more cornplex world of retail merchandising, the merchant has to rely on his suppliers. Long gone are the days when he could examine and even test merchandise. Today suppliers must stand behind the product and insure that what goes on the shelf is worth what rnust be charged for it.

Federal government crack downs on warranties at all levels of business mean that the reputable, established supplier is going to be of even greater importance to the merchant. The true value, or lack of it, in a warranty is not all those little words printed on the tag, it is the reputation and honesty of the manufacturer and his willineness to stand behind his product.

Tempting as those "special deals" from the wandering peddlar are, consider the risk, cost and possible damage to your firm's good name. Why take the chance, do business with a good company.

Mmitment

commitrnent our Mike Tidwell s to excellence and skill in his hobbies reflects the dedication and pursuit of excellence at work that marks All-Coast's entlre staff. This desire to do the best Job means AllCoast can do a better job for you. We earnestly solicit your lumber business whether in cargo schedules, carloads, t&t or just a unil or two from our local inventory. We're proud to say we really care about our customers.

P.O. Box 4625 Whltlier, Ca. 90605 (213) 698-3711 (714) 994-4361

P.O. Box 903, Grass Valley, Ca. 95945 (916) 273-2233